[Taylor]

I've run this through multiple iterations in my mind, and I still can't see the fit. Minibots - sure, one could make a carbon copy in a relatively short period, but that would require a high level of robot and mechanism understanding that cannot be bought at Quik-E-Marts.
As for extrapolating the idea of stealing a design idea to a large-scale mechanism/whole robot, I think the notion falls on its face. Without understanding the mechanical, physical, and engineering concepts behind a design, there are so many minute details that would be missed/misinterpreted that the 'carbon copy' would be inferior in many ways.
If it is in fact mechanically at the same level or even better, then it would have to be agreed that learning did take place, reverse engineering did happen, thoughts about the original design process were thunk, and Inspiration did occur.
Either way, on the competition field, the original designers would have the upper hand. An adequate but well-understood and practiced robot will beat a flawless robot controlled by novice hands every day and twice on Saturday. If a team chose to copy our design in 2015 (I'd first have to question their intelligence), I'd first feel honored to be held in such high esteem as to be steal-able, and I'd next feel secure in the knowledge that our deeper understanding of the design, that we gathered through multiple iterations and assembly, and the time spent testing and practicing, would give us the upper hand in competition.