Syfy Brings ‘Real Steel’ to Life with ‘Robot Combat League’

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

SyFy has really been amping up their reality TV programming lately. EW reports that the channel has announced a new show called Robot Combat League, which will be similar to a real-life version of last year's Real Steel. The giant robots will be controlled by shadowboxing operators whose movements are translated to their bots. WWE wrestler Chris Jericho will host the festivities.

SyFy President Mark Stern explained, "It has always been our desire — and it’s really come around perennially — to update and do Battle Bots for the new century. Can we do Real Steel? Are we at a place where you can do real bipedal robots? Every time we tried to to do it, [the project] was stymied by the technology.”

Here is a description of the show from EW:

"Robot Combat League will have 12 teams. Each consists of a fighter (dubbed a “robo-jockey”) and a robotics engineer (a “robo-tech”). The fighters and techs are from various backgrounds, such as a race car driver, an Olympic athlete, a National Guard helicopter pilot. One of the robo-jocks, for example, is MMA fighter Amanda Lucas (Star Wars visionary George Lucas’ daughter). Each team is paired with its own unique robot, all designed by Setrakian, that will have unique strengths and vulnerabilities. And, of course, the robots will have a colorful names, such as “Steampunk” and “Sgt. Smash.” (If there’s a second season, I hope Lucas gets to control a giant gold robot named C-3POW).

Fights consist of three rounds, with the winning team advancing to the next competition. The winning team claims a $100,000 prize. Jericho will set up each fight and provide play-by-play commentary."



Stern also revealed that much like a real boxers, the robot fighters will have people in their corner. “They are complete boxing matches," he explained. "If a robot is disabled, the team has 20 minutes to get it functional again and back in the ring.”

Discovery Channel is currently developing Robogeddon, produced by James Cameron and Mark Burnett. Robot Combat League just wrapped production on its first season last week.



Source: http://geektyrant.com/news/2012/11/21/syfy-unveils-robot-combat-league-reality-tv-show.html

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Not your average BattleBots.

Also, who else had no idea that George Lucas' daughter was an MMA fighter?

[TheHobbitofDune]

His daughter is an MMA fighter? Dang.

Also, they should totally start offering this to the public; everyone would want to start working out, haha. But yeah, this is awesome Thanks for the post, Kham.

[Kaiden Shardsbane]

I had no idea he even had a daughter.  I totally want to see her controlling a Vader-styled bot though.

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

I had no idea he even had a daughter.  I totally want to see her controlling a Vader-styled bot though.

2 daughters, 1 kid.

The oldest an MMA Fighter, the second daughter created the Savage Opress Arc in the Clone Wars series and his son Jett was the padawan that took down a few troopers in the scene at the temple with Bail Organa.

[Master Rel]

I knew she was an MMA fighter, but I have been a fan of MMA since UFC 1.

The new robot show looks like fun.

If only there were another full on Battle Bots.  I would have my sponsors and build my bot quick...I missed my chance before because of being in the military, now that I am retired I want in.

It cost me a chance to be on Junkyard wars also 

I was on the short list for both.

Yeah robots!

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

I knew she was an MMA fighter, but I have been a fan of MMA since UFC 1.

The new robot show looks like fun.

If only there were another full on Battle Bots.  I would have my sponsors and build my bot quick...I missed my chance before because of being in the military, now that I am retired I want in.

It cost me a chance to be on Junkyard wars also 

I was on the short list for both.

Yeah robots!

I'm so happy you're excited. 

You see, I know nothing about robotics or mechanical engineering and my first thought was, "What are the tubes sticking out the rear, Hydraulics?"

I'm a little dumbfounded by the pictures, I've never seen anything like that, at this scale.

Also, since I used to watch BattleBots, I love the Axe head on the red Mech.

[Master Rel]

Also, since I used to watch BattleBots, I love the Axe head on the red Mech.

One of the more interesting aspects of BattleBots and the like is the size of the robots.
 
Most of the heavies and super heavies are quite large.

220-340 lbs with another 50% if you made a stompbot (no wheels, tracks, treads, etc...just legs, shakers, plates, or the like)

I had several designs accepted:

a really interesting cage ball bot, it moved via pegs that were compressed gas driven...the pegs had a spike on the end, the pilot could pop the gas or hold it...hold it and it would drive the spike...best of all it could be heavier as it had none of the normal locomotion...heavy did not mean bigger, it gave me room to add more gas cylinders 

a weird spinner that was also a cage type but the opposite, it opened like a lotus...spinning would lay the petals flat...a tire and track killer

a neat manta ray shaped one with the mouth having a large saw blade parallel to the floor with mods above and below...above with carbide chisel teeth from an industrial rock drill (bad arse!) and below with dozens of inset bearing balls so it would spin fast and clean at 1/4"-1/3"off the deck...the calculate impact was in the neighborhood of a single impact resulting in 20-25 strikes at 500-600 ft lbs of force with each point of contact...a wheel could ripped out of its housing with one 200 ft lbs strike...this one was my killer...I had an investor ready to cut me a $8,000 check for this one

and finally the bowler...a true Soresu bot lol...designed to be inexpensive (relatively, super heavy for $1,200 or so)...a spinner made from a truck tire and rim...a farm tool motor, slow but full torque at first movement, three hole cut into the sides with bowling balls half inset...the hollow of the tire was to be back filled with expanding foam to hold form...this was made to defend against Nightmare's blade...it could operate from top or bottom and had a trick...there was a mechanical release on the bowling balls with a foot of heavy chain

Love me some robots!

[Master Lucien Kane]

I want to be a robo jockey with a robot that looks like general grievous or a purge trooper.

[Master Rel]

I would be happy to Robo-Jock a pink polka-dot bot with a bow, just to do it for reals lol.

If I could design or mod one for the show...

shorter though same weight
third leg aft that acts as a kangaroo tail or balance brace
high collar with a short neck

[TheHobbitofDune]

I want my bot to look like the third form of Death Scythe from Gundam Wing. So much win would be had.

[Master Rel]

I want my bot to look like the third form of Death Scythe from Gundam Wing. So much win would be had.

Well so much for being realistic lol

 

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

One of the more interesting aspects of BattleBots and the like is the size of the robots.
 
Most of the heavies and super heavies are quite large.

220-340 lbs with another 50% if you made a stompbot (no wheels, tracks, treads, etc...just legs, shakers, plates, or the like)

I had several designs accepted:

a really interesting cage ball bot, it moved via pegs that were compressed gas driven...the pegs had a spike on the end, the pilot could pop the gas or hold it...hold it and it would drive the spike...best of all it could be heavier as it had none of the normal locomotion...heavy did not mean bigger, it gave me room to add more gas cylinders 

a weird spinner that was also a cage type but the opposite, it opened like a lotus...spinning would lay the petals flat...a tire and track killer

a neat manta ray shaped one with the mouth having a large saw blade parallel to the floor with mods above and below...above with carbide chisel teeth from an industrial rock drill (bad arse!) and below with dozens of inset bearing balls so it would spin fast and clean at 1/4"-1/3"off the deck...the calculate impact was in the neighborhood of a single impact resulting in 20-25 strikes at 500-600 ft lbs of force with each point of contact...a wheel could ripped out of its housing with one 200 ft lbs strike...this one was my killer...I had an investor ready to cut me a $8,000 check for this one

and finally the bowler...a true Soresu bot lol...designed to be inexpensive (relatively, super heavy for $1,200 or so)...a spinner made from a truck tire and rim...a farm tool motor, slow but full torque at first movement, three hole cut into the sides with bowling balls half inset...the hollow of the tire was to be back filled with expanding foam to hold form...this was made to defend against Nightmare's blade...it could operate from top or bottom and had a trick...there was a mechanical release on the bowling balls with a foot of heavy chain

Love me some robots!

That's impressive, did any come to fruition?

=================================

I think it would be hilarious to see one built like ED209 from RoboCop.

[TheHobbitofDune]

Well so much for being realistic lol

 

You know me

[Kham-Ryn Kurios]

You know me

Yeah, you're down with OPP.

Zing!

=====================

I think it's hilarious how the Mech's look in the pictures, real Rock'em Sock'em Robots is now a tangible thing.

[Master Rel]

That's impressive, did any come to fruition?

I had contracts, money in hand/account, waiting for the call back...sadly the show was cancelled for the next season.

It is a big investment without direct purpose...motors and transmissions can be $300-$400 each for large ones.

Ant weights are the way to go if you are looking for entry level 16oz or 1 lb...you can build a bot for $100 easy, sometimes less.