Robot combat

Robot designs typically incorporate weapons for attacking opponents, such as axes, hammers, flippers, and spinning devices.

The below table shows classifications for two organizations: the UK-based Fighting Robots Association (FRA) and the North American SPARC.

[9] To encourage diversity of design, rules often give an extra weight allotment for robots that can walk rather than roll on wheels.

[7][8][10] Given the violent nature of robot fighting, safety is a central factor in the design of the venue, which is generally a sturdy arena, usually constructed of steel, wood, and bullet-resistant clear polycarbonate plastic.

[citation needed] Competition rules set limits on construction features that are too dangerous or which could lead to uninteresting contests.

Strict limits are placed on materials and pressures used in pneumatic or hydraulic actuators, and fail-safe systems are required for electronic control circuits.

Generally off-limits for use as weapons are nets, liquids, deliberate radio jamming, high-voltage electric discharge, untethered projectiles, and usually fire (allowed in heavyweight).

[citation needed] The sport has no overall governing body, though some regional associations oversee several events in managerial or advisory capacities with published rulesets.

This is among the most popular and destructive forms of weaponry, thanks to its potential to quickly deliver a high amount of kinetic energy over a small area.

Arguably the earliest example was Robot Wars Series 1 contestant Plunderbird, which could change between a pneumatic spike and a circular saw on an extendable arm.

[20] Sometimes, robots that were not originally Swiss army bots have had their weapons changed or altered on the fly, typically due to malfunctions.

Notably, the Robotica competitions allowed flame weapons and the release of limited quantities of liquids on a case-by-case basis.

Two robots in combat at a Brazilian RoboCore event in 2007
Critter Crunch in 1991, at the moment when "Agent Orange" beat Bill Lewellyn's critter to win the event
Combat robots in the pit area at the 2007 Robot Battles competition in Atlanta, Georgia
The Robot Wars arena, as pictured for the filming of Robot Wars Series 10 in 2017. Bots pictured are Behemoth (a scoop flipper), Donald Thump (a vertical bar spinner), Sabretooth (a drum spinner), and house robot Shunt (a non-competitor with a lifting scoop and bladed axe).
Robot Wars series 9–10 competitor Aftershock used a vertical spinning flywheel to attack opponents.
Robot Wars series 9 champion Carbide was a two-wheeled bot with a horizontal spinning bar
Robot Wars series 5 (2002) champion Razer , one of the most successful crushers in the hobby.
A heavyweight rumble from RoboGames 2007, featuring Red Baron (a dog house-themed robot with a flamethrower), Megabyte (a silver full-body spinner), Mulch (a black boxy robot), and Little Blue Engine (a blue four-wheeled rammer)