Robot combat has been around for nearly two decades since the formation of Robot Wars in San Francisco back in the early 90s. Since then, a myriad of worldwide robot competitions and television shows have invited engineers of all ages to build and test their robot’s prowess in object based games or, what some may find more entertaining, remote controlled machine-brawls leaving only one robot standing at the end. The recent science fiction film Real Steel (2011) depicts a future world in which robots have taken the place of human boxers - the robots are still controlled by their human counterparts. This is quite a leap from the classic remote controlled robot combats we are used to seeing, but with the development of animatronics and new gadgets such as CloudBots, are we really that far off? Mark Setrakian, robot builder for the new Robot Combat League television show, thinks not.
Robot Combat League is the newest in the batch of robot combat television show set to air on the SyFy network. The show is hosted by Chris Jericho and features 12 teams of individuals trained to use an exosuit that controls a fighting humanoid robot. Every week, fighting competitions are held to determine the advancing team - the 8 foot, 1000 lb robots exchange metallic blows for three rounds until the victor is left standing. Robotics expert Mark Setrakian is the man responsible for creating the exosuit and their robot counterpart.
Setrakian has been a pioneer in cutting-edge technology build for the film industry his entire career. At the age of nineteen, he began his work at George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic Show and has since gone on to build breathtaking mechanisms used in films such as the Men In Black series, Mighty Joe Young, Hellboy I and II, and The Grinch. In fact, he is well known as the Heavyweight Champion Champion of the original Robot Wars - a feat that draws slight comparison to his new wrestling co-worker Chris Jericho. Mark’s work has also won him several robotics awards and has been cited as inspiring the lives of many young, aspiring robotics engineers.
Though robotics competitions may not be for everyone, one thing is certain about the sport - it has thrust technological innovation forward by engendering friendly competition. Mark’s achievements serve as an example of the technological breakthroughs capable of being fostered through active involvement in a sport. The imaginative breadth of the movie industry also has had a hand in advancing the sciences needed to bring Robot Combat League into fruition. If you like boxing and robots, make sure to catch the Robot Combat League premier on February 26 at 10 PM EST on the SyFy network.
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