The Juxtopia® Urban Brilliant Application Network (JURBAN) » Jurban Challenges

African Americans continue to impact space exploration

dwheeler — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 21:11:37 +0000

Attending the confirmation hearing for Charles Bolden, Barack Obama’s choice for NASA Administrator, and listening to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Congressman Jim Clyburn and Senator Ben Nelson talk about Bolden’s stellar credentials was a great experience. After 53 years of triumphs, tribulations and tragedies, America’s premier science agency will have, for the first time, an African American administrator. more………

JURBAN Team’s Official Press Release

dwheeler — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:24:11 +0000

Team JURBAN is now in a race to the finish line to launch and land their robotic rover to the Moon. Read more about team JURBAN in their official press release.

Introducting Team JURBAN-Press Release

Google LUNAR X PRIZE

dwheeler — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:21:52 +0000

The Google LUNAR X PRIZE is an international competition sponsored by Google and the X PRIZE Foundation for a cash prize of $20 million to the first team who can successfully launch and land an autonomous robot on the surface of the Moon, travel 500 meters over the lunar surface, and send images and data back to Earth by December 31, 2012. There are teams represented from around the world of which JURBAN is the only team who represents undeserved and disadvantaged minorities.

JURBAN challenges us to go GREEN!

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:44:27 +0000

Strengthening the world’s alternative energy footprint is important for both the environment and overall energy costs. There is an immediate need to create more efficient energy innovations that can save thousands of dollars in energy costs and reduce the harmful toxins from entering into our environment. The JURBAN program believes that robots need alternative energy too. The alternative energy used to power robotics range from solar power to biofuel. Are you up for this innovative challenge. The JURBAN Energy Challenge team invites students from public city high schools and colleges/universities to collaborate with professional scientists and engineers to develop energy efficient alternative power sub-systems for JURBAN autonomous robots.

JURBAN Gets New Jeep

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:43:17 +0000

The Urban Unmanned Jeep Challenge is a local competition in Baltimore, MD to remotely outfit a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee with sensors that will allow it to move autonomously. It is sponsored by the Chrysler Foundation. Combined, students with a diverse background in STEM from several Historically Black Colleges and Universities in Maryland and working professionals will create an autonomous running jeep with the capabilities of driving in traffic with manned vehicles, performing complex maneuvers, and the ability to detect and negotiate intersections in an urban environment. This challenge was created to educate many underrepresented minorities about how robotics can be profoundly useful in bridging the gap between STEM and the real world.

Lunar Lander Underway

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:31:05 +0000

The JURBAN team entered the Google LUNAR X PRIZE competition because we envisioned an opportunity to inspire underprivileged populations, worldwide, that innovatively applying STEM skills can be achieved something that brings pride all those populations who feel discouraged. The JURBAN team is made up of professionals and student engineers that will accomplish this lunar challenge by innovatively applying their specialized skills to launching our lunar craft “JOHLT” who was inspired by men and women of underrepresented populations who have achieved going to space. The JURBAN team believes the Google LUNAR X PRIZE can be a step, increasing STEM talent among undeserved and disadvantaged populations and send a motivational message about the importance of education and improving STEM performance.