About
us:
Team Tormenta (Spanish for 'storm') is primarily a student team,
drawing members from many different stages of academia. Many team
members are pursuing undergraduate, Masters or PhD degrees in
Electrical Engineering or Computer Science at the University of
Southern California. Several team members were major contributors to a
high school team that qualified for and participated in the 2004 DARPA
Grand Challenge. This team of highly motivated students is backed by a
knowledgeable base of advisors consisting of USC professors and
industry professionals.
The team's vision is that a
group of passionate individuals can accomplish even the most difficult
challenge. "We see this competition as a way to prove ourselves,"
states team leader Ben Raskob. "The Grand Challenge can be won, but it
will take hard work, ingenuity, and above all, sound engineering
design." The team is taking a dual approach to the problem, focusing on
implementing the basic functionality required of the vehicle, while
exerting a separate research effort on solving the difficult vision
problems that will be encountered by the vehicle.
Team Tormenta's vehicle, whose
glossy black exterior gave it the nickname of "The Black Pearl", is a
4-wheel-drive Jeep Cherokee modified for off-road use and actuated for
computer control.
Click here for information sheet.
The Team:
Ben Raskob - Team Leader, Univ. of Southern California
Joe Bebel - Univ. of Southern California
Dr. Alice C. Parker - Univ. of Southern California
Dr. Donald J. Bebel - Northrop Grumman Mission Systems
Dr. Petros Ioannou - Univ. of Southern California
Tej Patel - Palos Verdes High School
Jianlong Zhang - Univ. of Southern California
Jake Madden - Univ. of Southern California
Kim Tran - Univ. of Southern California
Vikram Nair - Univ. of Southern California
Bob Catalano - Island Pacific Jeep
Langley Kersenboom - LK Motorsports