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Tested.com previews the new Battlebots!

Over the past week or so Tested.com shot a few videos previewing the robots and the arena.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnACo3zgI5k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxy-l3lfmas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-Oi9lSxw50

9 years ago by i208khonsu with 14 comments

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  • drunkenninja
    +6

    I forgot how big they are!

    • spaceghoti
      +6

      That's what she said!

      I'm sorry, I'll show myself out now.

      • drunkenninja (edited 9 years ago)
        +5

        They better vibrate and have pointy weapons! :D

      • caelreth
        +3

        Wow. Too early in the day for that :)

        • spaceghoti
          +4

          That's not what she said.

          Seriously, she didn't.

          • caelreth
            +2

            So, you don't have a case of the Mondays?

            • spaceghoti
              +3

              A little short on sleep, but otherwise today started well.

            • drunkenninja
              +4

              No. No, man. Shit, no, man. I believe you'd get your ass kicked sayin' something like that, man.

            • caelreth
              +2
              @drunkenninja -

              We need flair here! :)

  • 90boss
    +4

    It must have been a decade since the last shows were popular. This is exciting stuff, and I bet the bots are much improved.

    • i208khonsu
      +3

      They mentioned in the videos that the biggest improvement in the past decade has been batteries. Li-Ion batteries are smaller, lighter, and more powerful meaning that you can have heaver and stronger weapons while still fitting into the 250lbs limit.

      I'd imagine that also the availability and affordability of precision machining of more sophisticated alloys has also enabled a lot of designs that were unfeasible in the past. Interestingly I didn't see anything about arduino or other microcontrollers. Probably too sophisticated and too fragile. There are more than a couple bots with flame throwers that would fry the circuitry real fast. There is one walker robot that you'd typically see controlled by something like an arduino, but it's all mechanical for these reasons I'd assume.

      • drunkenninja
        +2

        I think its safe to say that 3d printing is going to have an impact on these bots as well.

        • i208khonsu (edited 9 years ago)
          +3

          I don't think 3D printing is quite there yet for BattleBots. Too weak, strong and simple wins the fight. There was an article posted a few days ago about a steel 3D printer, and I've also seen a Kevlar printer, but these aren't widely available yet.

          .//edit Here's another Tested video about a Carbon Fiber/Kevlar composite printer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiPQpiE4_qY Depending on how you layer the materials you can make a very ridged form which is stronger than steel.

  • Jupiter7
    +3

    Wish I had time to watch more right now, but I was able to check out part of the first one - I like how in last night's BiteForce match, I dont think it ever really used the bigger "jaw", I thought it was just a ramp. Can't wait to watch more when I get home!