Inspired by the televisions how "Battle Bots," robotics clubs are forming around the country. Local clubs such as PennBots, NERC, and many others, host tournaments throughout the year. Bots are built in various weight classes. For our first ever Robotfest fighting robot competition!

Registration will be the day of the event, Sunday, 1 May 2011. We'll be using the standard RFL rules, which are posted on the PennBots website http://www.pennbots.net along with other information. Robots will fight in three weight classes:

Flea - 150 grams or less
Ant - 1 pound or less
Beetle - 3 pounds or less

The basics of a robot battle consist of placing 2 bots in the arena. Once the arena is secured the fight begins. Bots battle for three minutes or until a bot is unable to move, taps out, or goes into a hazard pit. Any battle that lasts the full 3 minutes is decided by judges(s). Competition will be double elimination format in all weight classes, with the stipulation that PennBots can change the format in any weight class to round-robin depending upon the number of registered robots.

Registration begins at 10:00 -- cost is $15.00 for each robot entered (the entrance fee is waived for any participant using our Hack-A-Bot workshop robots). Registration will include weigh-in, safety check, and signing of wavier form (on the PennBots website). Driver's meeting is at 11:00. We will do a melee in each weight class after the winner in each weight class is determined. We'll also do grudge matches as time permits. we will be featuring the following weight classes.

Saturday April 30
Robot Combat Demonstrations throughout the day. Registration/Safety inspection for Sunday Competition.

Sunday May 1
10:00 a.m. - Registration/Safety Inspections and Drivers meeting
11:00 a.m. - Tournament Starts
3:00 p.m. - Tournament Ends/Prizes awarded (approximate time; may start earlier)