Near Chaos Robotics

[MikeJ675]

Some of you hate robot combat, some certainly seem to enjoy it. If you're the former, click the back button on your browser now. Or don't, just don't start any flame wars.

I've been involved in robot combat since 8th grade(going to college in the fall) and FIRST since my sophomore year of highschool(team 675)

My team is two members right now, one in Petaluma Ca, and myself somewhere between Rohnert Park CA, Statesville NC, and Rochester NY.

The team site is http://nearchaos.net/

Currently we have three robots in progress/active

Ruiner-Lightweight
28" long angled spinning steel bar
2wd with rear free spinning wheel
Aluminum unibody

Catholic School Girls in Chains- Hobbyweight
(Don't even ask)
Named and being built by my teammate(Junior at my highschool, and one of the lead builders on 675)
Design based around a top
Not sure of much else

Apollyon- Hobbyweight
Grabbing horns, flamethrower, and if weight permitting, a whip like tail
2wd
Aluminum unibody

Video of Ruiners fight against Whack!!! at RoboGames 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICid7VEZUOI

[Smaug]

dude mike whats up?
have you herd about the bot Blake and i have finally decided on?
o and when do you want my information?
and i want to order a shirt.

sincerely new member
Brian

[MikeJ675]

It's been a while, with college and all, but I've gotten some bot work done.

http://nearchaos.net/RandA.jpg

Bonus footage of the Combots Cup box breach (note, what you can't see/hear is the safety crew making sure the drivers shut off the bots as fast as possible)
Last Rites vs. Brutality (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHKRsMg2Ccw)

[MikeJ675]

Just got back from a competition in Greensboro, NC.

My 12lb bot Apollyon went 3-1 winning the class. Still runs fine, just looks ugly. Very, very ugly.

http://nearchaos.net/ApNC.jpg

http://nearchaos.net/ApNC2.jpg

Also chatted a bit with a FRC team that was there showing their bot. I'd probably remember the team number if it weren't for me being up for about 28 hours at the current moment.

[HedlessChkn]

oh man, what a fantastic offseason teambuild project for any FIRST team! do you know of any battlebot type programs in newhampshire / massachusets?

[cardinalman86]

that bots pretty sweet man, i wish we could do that

[Akash Rastogi]

I was discussing next year's honors robotics project at my high school with my robotics teacher, and we're thinking about making battlebots as the project. What do you guys think? We have the resources and the funding(that's not a problem)

[MikeJ675]

http://www.nerc.us/

NERC is probably the best bet in the North East. They're working on running two major events a year, one is at Motorama in Harrisburg, PA

Motorama Robot Conflict 2008
February 15-17, 2008
Farm Show Complex, Small Arena
Harrisburg, PA

The other large event is hopefully going to turn into a yearly thing at The Franklin Institute in October http://www2.fi.edu/

Best place to find events is at http://www.buildersdb.com



Another option would be BotsIQ http://www.battlebotsiq.com/


As far as my thoughts on whether or not FRC teams getting involved in robot combat is a good thing, I think it's a great experience. I know for a fact that it has influenced 675's FRC builds for the better, and it's a great way to get new members involved early in the school year, since there are competitions year round and no set build periods.