GEERHEAD
Trailer arena close-up with robots.
Circuitry.
RoboGeddon trailer, arena open
with dome, close-up.
over a three-year span.
Upgrades
Initially, the game format was
extremely complex, too much so for
the general public to easily use and
appreciate. Much of the engineering
and upgrades went into resolving this
problem. The initial system was only
static, for example, which was too
expensive a system to succeed commercially. This led to the mobile system.
RESOURCES
www.robogeddon.com/index.asp
RoboGeddon site
www.Robosoccer.co.uk
RoboSoccer site
www.robogeddon.com/movies/Robo
soccer_streamer.rm
RoboSoccer Streaming Video
www.robogeddon.com/links.asp
RoboGeddon permanent install
locations and entertainment providers
The mobile system worked well for
events but theme parks and ongoing
venues required the static systems.
The robots themselves have been
improved upon many times for reliability.
Improvements to the four robots have
included improved drive belts, motor
control, lifter mechanisms, bumper systems, crash absorption devices, power
handling, heat control, sound use, playa-bility, and the ability to use add-ons.
Further planned upgrades include
robot feedback to the control system
so it knows how much power the
robots have left. The system will soon
be able to tell for certain which robots
do the actual flipping over. Right now,
it only knows when points have been
scored. The game currently factors
who has won by the number of points
given up by other opponents.
Rock ‘em, Sock ‘em,
RoboSoccer and
RoboDerby
RoboSoccer has just been
launched. This robot game uses the
same basic robot builds but no flippers.
The game is played on a soccer field
inside the game arena by two blue and
two red robots. Players win by using
the robots to score soccer goals.
The included soccer ball is 14 lbs.
This is a coin-operated game for theme
parks and similar venues. The robots
run all day with no recharge.
RoboDerby is a soon-to-be-released
robotic horse that can carry an adult.
RobotsRUs — the company behind
RoboGeddon, RoboSoccer, and
RoboDerby — plans to sell sets of four
robot horses so the new owners can
transport them by trailer to events and
run the horses as robot race horses.
By pulling the tail of the horse in front
of you, you can slow it down by 25
percent and gain the lead on it.
US Availability
RobotsRUs is in talks with many
domestic event promoters who have
expressed an interest in involving
themselves in bringing the
RoboGeddon system to the United
States. Stay tuned! SV
Team Razer robot.
22 SERVO 01.2007
ROBOGEDDON FUN FACTS
RoboGeddon is the first commer- The actual robots, according to
cially sold, mobile robot combat RobotsRUs representative Andrew
system for game play, available in the Cotterell, are a cross between a Bat
UK for almost three years now. Mobile and a Humvee. They’re fast
The most unique design problem yet maneuverable, since they were
was giving the robots the ability to designed by world champion robot
reposition themselves upright from battlers and engineers, Team Razer.
whatever laying position they had Those who have followed Robot Wars
been flipped in. Other challenges and BattleBots may know of Team
included keeping the system fun while Razer, the Razer fighting robot, and Ian
also affordable. Lewis, designer and owner of Razer.
