Bot Museum

One of the growing features of our spectator area is our Bot Museum, where we house some notable bots! These are likely bots you've seen fighting on TV.

Ribbot

Instantly recognizable by its vacuum-molded frog head armor, Ribbot is a four-wheel modular weapon bot. In this 2020 iteration, Ribbot sported 2 interchangeable weapon systems: a 35lb vertical disc spinner, and a 46lb horizontal flywheel.

Ribbot's weapon systems can be swapped in as little as 10 minutes, and only requires undoing 4 bolts. Unlike most bots that use primarily steel armor, Ribbot uses a titanium front wall and bottom plate, paired with aluminum side walls and weapon modules. Each aluminum piece of Ribbot is machined from a single billet, eliminating the need for fasteners.

Another unique attribute of Ribbot is its motor configuration; whereas most bots will use 2-3 large motors for their drive and weapon, Ribbot uses a total of 8 independent motors, some of which are linked with chains to provide dual redundancy.

Ribbot had a 4-2 record in the 2020 season, and has a career record of 10-5 as of March 2021. Ribbot has won every match by knockout.

• Ribbot was originally intended to have a 3rd weapon module, a horizontal drum spinner.
• In any weapon configuration, Ribbot is able to operate inverted if needed.
• The front tires of Ribbot are solid rubber to prevent the weapon from drooping and hitting the floor. The rear wheels are normal inflated tires for better traction.

Related NHRL bots: Polywog, Polyester, Silk, Mantella, Taurine, HotLeafJuice.

War? EZ!

WAR? EZ! is a 250lb bot that competed in the 2020 season, built by father-and-son team Jonathan and Dyhlan Juarez. The bot features a 40lb vertical spinner made of 2” thick S7 tool steel. The 4 large rubber tires give WAR? EZ! excellent handling, maneuvering, traction, and top speed.

WAR? EZ! had a 1-2 record in 2020, with all fights ending in knockouts.

• WAR? EZ! was originally intended to have a self-righting mechanism, that was cut for being overweight. This would have potentially saved the bot in its 2 losing matches.
• WAR? EZ! has a drive system powerful enough to tow trucks and move crates around.
• The bot's name was inspired by the builders' last name.

Related NHRL bots: War? Hard!, Ti

Pain Train

We have two versions of Pain Train. One fought in 2020, the other in 2021.

Pain Train (2020)

Pain Train is a 250lb bot built by Team Shreddit, led by Evan Arias. This specific iteration competed in 2020.

Like Team Shreddit’s successful 3lb bot Shreddit Bro, Pain Train is a vertical spinner with heavy top and side armor. Fabricated primarily from 1⁄2” AR500 steel plating, Pain Train had one of the most durable armor packages in the 2020 season. To go on the offensive, Pain Train uses a unique 55lb hybrid spinner, which incorporates the best aspects of both drum and egg beater weapons. Fully spun up, this weapon can reach speeds in excess of 250mph.

Pain Train had a 1-2 record in the 2020 season, notably beating SMEEEEEEEEEEEEE in a split judge’s decision.

Pain Train (2021)

Returning for the 2021 season, Pain Train made improvements to its weapon and electrical systems, while still keeping the solid AR500 exterior and 6061 T6 interior frame.

Its weapon was increased from 55lbs to 78lbs while still maintaining speeds of 250mph. It was also given a much longer reach to hit opponents further away. The wheels were changed to a custom epoxy-crafted design for better traction and acceleration.

Pain Train had a 0-2 record in the 2021 season, notably an infamous fight where their opponent, Yeti, managed to score a direct hit on a weak spot behind Pain Train’s weapon, exploding the bot.

Related NHRL bots: Shreddit Bro, Jack Move, Jack Rabbit, Bison, Shreddit No, Wicked Wedge, Blackbird, Diamondback.

SMEEEEEEEEEEEEE

This is a 250lb scaled-up version of team lead Joe Fabiani’s 3lb NHRL bot of the same name. SMEEEEEEEEEEEEE was one of the largest bots of the 2021 season, measuring in at 14 feet across (1 foot for every “E” in its name).

The bot is composed of 2 independently-controlled drive and weapon systems on either end of the bot, each featuring 2 custom Polytek wheels and a 17lb AR500 steel undercutter weapon. Between these two sections are 3 pin-linked sections that are intended to encircle and immobilize opponents, as the weapons on either side come in for a pincer attack.

SMEEEEEEEEEEEEE had a 1-2 record in 2021, bringing its career record to 3-5. Joe has announced that the 2021 edition will be the last iteration of 250lb SMEEEEEEEEEEEEE.

• SMEEEEEEEEEEEEE was too wide to fully turn or move in the test box.
• SMEEEEEEEEEEEEE is reportedly one of the least expensive 250lb bots to fight in the 2020/2021 seasons, with the 2020 version only costing $3800.
• SMEEEEEEEEEEEEE has a secret message engraved in its weapons using a custom made font, only visible from the underside.

Related NHRL bots: Smeeeeeeeee (3lb), Booooring

Sharko

Sharko is a 220lb bot built by veteran bot builder Edward Robinson that competed until 2020. This is the 2020 version of the bot. It is an iconic and easy-to-recognize bot, which bears a resemblance to prehistoric Helicoprion sharks.

The blue plastic that makes up the shark’s exterior also makes it one of the few non-metal armor packages from that season.

Sharko’s primary weapon is a pneumatic flipping mechanism, housed in its head. The mouth could also close and bite down on opponents, to pin them in place or drag them around.

Sharko had a 0-3 record in the 2020 season, notably losing to SMEEEEEEEEEEEEE, surviving a flaming suplex versus Slap Box in a unanimous judge’s decision, and suffering grievous damage against Captain Shrederator (much of which you can see here).

• Sharko’s plastic armor is 85% recycled material.
• Edward Robinson originally had a career as a professional fire-breather and sword-swallower.
• The 2019 version of Sharko went on to become a house robot for 30lb fights after

retirement.

Robot Wars Middleweight Trophy, 1996

This is a Robot Wars trophy from 1996 won by builder Dan Danknick for his bot Agamemnon. Danknick auctioned the trophy in 2022, donating the proceeds for treatment for Marc Thorpe's Parkinson's disease.

Thorpe is a vital figure in the history of combat robotics, having founded the original US-based Robot Wars in 1994, which introduced the sport of combat robotics to the world. You can help Marc with his treatment here.