Suicide Bots

MechWars Bot In Progress

SB — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:28:36 +0000

More from the irrefutable Magnus Würzer:

This is Mr. Robotics’ progress on his Mechwarrior, which so far he has spent exactly a day and a half on, using parts we had lying around at home, deep down, as a procrastination tool. He will still kick ass and/or take names.

Intern’s Shmallowbot

SB — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 07:12:16 +0000

Magnus Würzer of RoboExotica and Shifz fame has taken this video in my very own kitchen. It is of our Intern’s marshammlow roasting robot, a fine tetrix-based contraption that results in burned sugar par excellance:

See more awesome like this at this year’s RoboGames, oh boy that’s a lot of robots.

A Robot Love Story

SB — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:41:34 +0000

It’s sad when lovers no longer get a charge out of each other…

[Tusind Takk @mprados!]

Kaossilator and Electric Guitar

SB — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:14:05 +0000

You know, I really could never dance for another. . .

A bit o’ background from IsraeliGuitar (on youtube)

I Wanted for a long time to upload a video of me improvising with my guitar and the Kaossilator.

Everything I did was very boring as the loop in the Kaossilator is quite short. You can’t really play any chord progressions, only the same chord over and over and over and over.

I tried to think of a song that has a single chord and found Groove is in the heart. It’s the same chord and the same bass line all through the song.

It wasn’t easy making 7 minutes of the same chord not boring or anoying, but I think I did a good job.

[Thanks @KOduckgirl]

Josh Ellingson Has First Art Show in Second Life

SB — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:03:38 +0000

Josh Ellingson, the superlative artist responsible for some of my favorite robot art (including this preliminary version of the RoboGames poster he did last year), has a super colossal art show in Second Life on May 23rd.

The Museum Of Robots is putting this on and it looks like it will be tons of virtual fun!

Bots, Bugs, and Beasts
the art of Joshua Ellingson
Opening Reception May 23rd, 9am (PST)
(my Second Life name is “Grover Zelin”)

I am wondering quietly how refreshments work Second Life. Then again, if I were really into these newfangled online community thingies, the only thing I would have in them would be a lawn so I could tell the damn kids to get off of it.

Makerbot Finds Your Lack of Faith Disturbing

SB — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:07:25 +0000

Yeah we’re late top the party on this one, but,Makerbot turns to the dark side:

Go see Makerbot at MakerFaire! Buy MakerBots! Yay 3D printing!

Roomba Pac Man!

SB — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:59:14 +0000

Yes, yes yes yes:

Thanks @thinkgeek!

Banksy’s Pet Store and Charcoal Grill, Yum.

SB — Wed, 13 May 2009 04:44:15 +0000

Older, but still awesomely executed:

And how. Much animatronic lusciousness here.

[via @koduckgirl and Digg! Thanks Tryntje!

Super Secret Robot Party, hosted by Laughing Squid

Mr Robotics — Sat, 02 May 2009 18:41:12 +0000

Have you always wanted to be part of the world domination “in” crowd? Do you get your celebrity gossip from Popular Mechanics? Does five gallons of motor oil, three car batteries and a set of alligator clips turn you on?

Boy do we have a party for you. Join ComBots, Laughing Squid and the Robotics Society of America for a night out to benefit this year International RoboGames. Guzzle tasty beverages made by your favorite robot bartenders, see works in progress and other junk made out of art, and hobnob with some of the leading lights of robotic society.

Get a martini from a robot!
Buy great robot art!
Drive a combat robot!
Get a robot-made roasted mashmallow (made w/a flame thrower!)

image courtesy Scott Beale.

Door charge is a sliding scale, all proceeds go to making RoboGames 2009 better than ever! Give til it hurts. We do.

Follow http://twitter.com/robogames for the latest updates.

Saturday, May 9, 2009, 7:00pm-2am
Secret Location

Robots And Free Beer: What Could Be Better?

SB — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:15:12 +0000

So, we here who put on RoboGames were standing around shooting the breeze with our good pals at Lagunitas Brewing the other day.

“Gosh,” we said, “Wouldn’t it be great if we could get together a bunch of neat people and drink beer and talk about robots?”

“Yeah!”, said Jimmy J, General Organization Guy and Pony Ride Attendant up at Lagunitas, “It would also be cool to have a backyard barbecue with robot people, robots, and big lumps of tasty goodness to wash all that beer and conversation down with!”

“Golly,” said Mister Robotics, “It would sure be neat to do all that *and* have it be a fundraiser for RoboGames 2009!”

“Wow!” Said Ron, Lagunitas Sales Honcho, “I’ll bet that if we package up a fun afternoon of beer-becuing, robots, music and nifty surprises, and had it all up here in our super spiffy beer-tasting loft overlooking the Lagunitas Brewery, we could get a ton of people out here and get people excited about RoboGames 2009 at the same time!”

“My God Man!” we said, pouring ourselves another fine Imperial Stout, “You beer guys are Geniuses! That’s what we’ll do! We’ll invite a ton of people up to beautiful Petaluma, ply them with food, drinks, free tickets to RoboGames and other robotic delights, and let them know that their ticket money goes to helping put on a stunning show of technological wizardry and sportsmanlike excitement! The RoboGames!”

And so it was thought up, an so it shall be done:

The RoboGames Lagunitas Beer Party!
A Fundraiser for The International RoboGames 2009
Saturday, May 16th, 2009 - 4:20-8:00pm
$50/ticket gets you:

All you can eat BBQ (dude, that’s like a $30 value)
All you can drink (but not drive) beer (oh come on… That’s worth $100)
All you can listen to live music ($10 cover…)
One ticket to RoboGames in June (hey, that’s a $20 value right there…)
Tour of the Lagunitas brewery and bottling plant (oh, at least $10)
Chance to get autographs from Team “Beer Bash“, the flame-throwing, combat robot made from a beer keg (worth at least 25¢. )
Opportunity to drive a real combat robot (priceless. Friggen, priceless.)
and on and on. . .

So like, $170.25 of food, beer, and stuff for just $50!!! Buy Tickets here!

Lagunitas Brewing Company
1280 North McDowell Boulevard
Petaluma, CA 94954
21 and up only, please.

Only 100 lucky party-going people will be able to party with us at Lagunitas!

Your tickets gets you entry to the Lagunitas Robot Lounge, free food, free beer, a pair of tickets to the International Robogames, a goody bag stuffed with robotic delights and satisfaction in knowing that your drunken revelry goes towards making RoboGames 2009 better than ever this year!

Think of the children! And their robots!

Clicking below will embark you on this magnificent journey. See you at Lagunitas!
Buy Tickets here!

Thank you to our good friends (and sponsors of RoboGames 2009),