Whether they realize it or not, fans of Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the Disney+ series Andor may already be familiar with UK creator Matt Denton’s movie magic. But in 2012, Denton’s futuristic fabrications transcended the silver screen and landed in the real world with the debut of Mantis — a six-legged, two-ton, human-piloted, steel behemoth. Originally commissioned for commercial use, a […]
So you want to fight robots? Try these battle-hardened kits for building antweight (1lb) combat bots.
From 1997 to 2004, I competed around the world in a number of different robot categories, primarily sumo robots. I also worked a lot of shows (judges are always in demand) while teaching robotics at San Francisco State University. One thing I noticed in that time was not only the variety of robots out there, […]
The thing about being a robot builder is, well … we’re odd. If you’re thinking about building a robot, well … you’re odd too. But that’s OK! The very best thing about robot events is that they’re entirely populated by weirdos. Every race, religion, gender, political bent, whatever. But everyone in the building really loves […]
My first experience with combat robotics ended exactly as I expected: in complete destruction. It was 2016. A friend of mine, Leanne Cushing, competes on BattleBots, and she suggested I join her for a combat robotics competition in Massachusetts. Not knowing much of anything about robots in general, or combat robots specifically, I built two bots […]
The combat robotics community spreads across the entire world, with major competitions happening on almost every continent. Combat robots are divided into different weight classes based on the robot’s overall weight, and within those classes an amazing number of weapon types are possible. In this guide we’ll introduce you to all of the most important […]
It’s been 10 years since Maker Faire Orlando started inspiring Florida makers to show & tell their projects, props, and passions, learn new skills, and get their robot on and cause a ruckus!
