GEERHEAD
CombatBot’s simple looks are deceiving. The 120 lb Sumo robot can
autonomously find and push away an opponent. Unpretentious in
appearance, this robot easily won the heavyweight Sumo competition at
the National Robotics Challenge in 2010.
This super heavyweight combat robot features a
titanium shield and weighs in at 340 lbs. Two of
its student designers are (l-r) Richard Johnson
and Bruce Haas.
division. The operators control the robot and its weapons
wirelessly. The students designed the robot as a mobile
wedge that can ram underneath other robots to flip them
over.
The titanium super heavyweight combat robot was a
three foot by four foot by one foot titanium box. “The
titanium was grade 5 titanium donated by the Defense
Metals Technology Center,” says Dr. Hartley. The weapons
included a pneumatically actuated ram with a hardened
point. De Walt drill motors drove the robot.
An Atmega328p microcontroller observed changes in
the incoming signals from a 2. 4 GHz receiver and turned on
the super heavyweight robot’s motor driver relays or the
pneumatic valves.
Conclusion
Clearly, the University of Akron has an active robotics
program, keeping young engineers striving for knowledge
as they solve some difficult robotics problems and have fun
at the same time. SV
Photos by Scott Horstman for The University of
Akron. Captions courtesy of the University of Akron.
SERVO 11.2010 13
