Ray Billings’ Last Rites vs VD6

If ever there was a ComBot that made you say “OH $#!%- RUUUUNNNN!!!!” it was most likely built by Ray Billings, of HardCore Robotics. Ray is an ex-prison guard, and became interested in combat robotics after the fact, when he was working at an adult college, and a colleague introduced him to the sport. He was hooked, and so this week, our BotLight is on Ray Billings. Interview below!

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Every week, “my” local robot wakes me on the early side of dawn. Crash! BANG! Klonkkkkkk. But you know what- I’m actually really proud of its ability to work with me on sorting regular old household trash for Ultimate Global Goodness. I pre-sort my stuff 3 ways all week long, and The Sideways Skoochy Arm + Giant Horizontal Hand (there are many different hand/arm configurations) reliably comes by the house, 3 times in one day- once for each bin. Up up UP! and over the top. The robot recycling arm is Over The Top Fun to watch, and ponder the revolution in garbage processing.   Up until the 1990′s, garbage was pretty much collected by human hands.

See more types of garbage trucks here

Special thanks to Teresa at ACI in Alameda, CA for info and images!

The folks at Wired magazine did an awesome story on BarBot, including some great images, and some amazing features!

The secret to a great cocktail, most connoisseurs would agree, has something to do with the ice, the liquor, the glass — and the bartender.

But what if the bartender is not a warm-blooded human with a sympathetic ear, but rather a cold, soulless machine made of pistons, valves and servos?

At a bar in San Francisco, a group of artists, engineers and tinkerers sought the answer with their creations: robots designed specifically to pour out a nice drink.

A drama unfolds in the deepest ocean, when a small sport fish gets trapped in a struggle for its small, sporty life. Luckily a working ROV manages to avert disaster:

[via Liveleak]

Well, like the man said, that was a hell of a thing. Thanks to everyone who turned up: robot makers, cocktail appreciators, and especially the staff at DNA Lounge, who took care of stuff so we didn’t have to.

Here’s a nice piece from CNET News which gives a pretty good indication of how things went:

Here are a few photos from lovely folks who showed up to take them:

LaughingSquid:

Dave Schumaker:

Mauricio Balvanera:

Josh Ellingson:

If you’ve ever been to a ComBots event, odds are that you’ve run into Wendy and Matt Maxham. Together they form Team PlumbCrazy — the plumbiest, craziest, yellow shirtediest couple of robot fanatics at the competition (They’re the nicest, too. Believe it- they let me use their drill once!). A big thank you to Wendy, who donated her time to appease this starving intern (did I mention I’m a starving intern?), by giving her thoughts and revelations on robotic combat, and what it takes to make a winner.

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this is Nemomatic's "The Representative"

Well, the fabulous website WebUrbanist has totally done my home work for me this week by putting together an entire Gallery of Pseudo-Victorian, Steampunkesque and Retro Robot Art.       THANK YOU FOR THAT.

Greetings, humanoids, robots, and humanoid robots. My name is G[REDACTED]io… I… I mean Intern. They call me Intern. At least I think they do. They starve me. The hunger does silly things to your memory. Anywho, I’m here to provide you with awesome interviews and coverage for RoboGames 2010 and beyond, starting with a BotLight On Marco Antonio Meggiolaro of RioBotz.

<– AKA that guy.

Marco has well over a decade of hands-on robotics experience, and has been involved in ComBots since 2003. He graciously offered his time and insight on ComBots, teamwork, and how to avoid pummeling random passersby with 120lb steel cylinders from 100 yards away! See our exclusive interview with the founder of the RioBotz robotics team below!
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Ahem, where were we? Oh yes.

Dude, You don’t know. You just could not possibly know.



[Mad props to Left Handed Toons by Right Handed People and The Daily What]

Nothing like a bit of Old School Robot Rock to get your clanky self out of bed on a cold winter’s morn. There are so many clips of songs and tons of pix and more pix from Daft Punk shows all over the interwebs, but really and truly- you ought to go see them live at the next chance you get. BEST SHOW EVAR.