This Weekend: RoboGames
Writing by Evan Ackerman on Thursday, 12 of June , 2008 at 12:01 am
The event that we’ve been waiting for since… Um… Last June is finally finally finally here. RoboGames 2008, baby. We’ll be bringing you pictures and video from as many events as we can get to, but there’s a ton of them, so the best thing for you to do is show up yourself. If you’re being held prisoner by aliens (aliens who aren’t fans of robots), let us know if there’s a specific event you’d like a look at and we’ll see what we can do.
Here’s what we have to look forward to:
For Immediate Release
THE INTERNATIONAL ROBOGAMES RETURNS TO SAN FRANCISCO
Facts at a glance:Date: Friday-Sunday, June 13-15, 2007
Time: Noon – 10 PM.
Where: Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, San Francisco California
Cost: $20/adult, $15/kids 17-7, 6 and under free“World’s Largest Robot competition” -The Guinness Book of World Records
“North America’s Top Ten Best Geek Fests” – Wired Magazine
“SportCenter Top Ten” – ESPN SportsCenterThe International RoboGames returns to San Francisco for its fifth year of hosting robot builders, engineers, scientists, and ordinary garage builders from around the world as they go for the laser-etched gold, silver, and bronze medals! Come to RoboGames for three solid days of mechanical sportsmanship, gearhead mayhem, and all the things your mom told you to never, ever do with science.
Read the rest of the press release and enjoy a super special bonus robot carnage pic, after the jump.
Hundreds of participants, vendors, cool workshops, nifty exhibits and people just like you who have bent, engineered, tweaked, fiddled and built their way to the Olympics Of Robots!
“We’re really excited about our fifth year,” said David Calkins, co-founder of the event. “The best part of the event is seeing all the different robot builders sharing notes. High-school drop-outs talking to PhD’s, little kids holding their own against 40-year old engineers – it’s an incredible meeting of the minds.”
This year’s event hosts 59 different competitions, including 8 different events just for walking humanoids. The venue is divided into two areas – the south hall devoted to the humanoids, soccer bots, and autonomous AI robots, while the north hall is devoted to large scale combat robots fighting to the death behind bulletproof glass, thrilling the crowd with crashing, smashing, flame-throwing, and miscellaneous wanton destruction. People who have only seen robot events on TV are universally awed when they see it first hand.
But humanoids and combots aren’t the only events! Come for the combots, stay for the soccer bots, sumo bots, hockey bots, fire fighting competitions, autonomous explorer bots (like the Mars Rovers!), art bots, bar tending robots, “Iron Man” style exoskeleton weight lifting suits, and mechanical marvels that defy description! Explore the amazing world of science, math and engineering, or just cheer on the combat mayhem with a good seat and a cold beer.
As much of a sport as it is a show, RoboGames is the world’s largest open robot competition. “We really put no limits on the builders. There are organizations just for High Schools or University students, but RoboGames lets absolutely anyone compete. But that doesn’t mean the robots aren’t awesome. We get the finest androids from Japan, Korea, the US and elsewhere. There’s this amazing contingent from Brazil every year that compete all day and party all night. I don’t know how they do it.”
The audience sits transfixed as 340 combat robots will flip their opponents 15 feet into the air, breath fire, and spin blades so lethal they can cut through one-inch thick steel like butter. “Kids build robots, adults build them, and even retirees compete. Like the human olympics, this event allows anyone to compete, not discriminating by race, nationality, age, education, gender, or even carbon-base…”
Friday is the “Judd-Feldstein-Bruce Free Kids Day” (no admission charge for organized school groups), for kids from all over the bay area to come and see the future! Robot Combat and Robot Soccer will begin in full force at noon. At 6pm, we close the venue to the general public, for the press, VIP and builder party, sponsored by Servo Magazine (the premier magazine of robots) and Lagunitas Brewing Company.
RoboGames is thrilled to again fill up the spot on the water at the Festival Pavilion in historic Fort Mason. Join the crowds and the fun at RoboGames 2008!
Muahahaha, robot carnage, I’m SO EXCITED!
[ RoboGames ]
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