Next Weekend: RoboGames

The world's largest robot competition kicks off in San Francisco on April 15, and you should be there

1 min read

Next Weekend: RoboGames

If you're within 20,000 kilometers* of San Mateo, you owe it to yourself, your parents, your kids, and everyone else you know to come to RoboGames. I mean, let's face it, if you're reading this blog you have at least a passing interest in robots, and if you have at least a passing interest in robots, how could you not have a fantastic time at what is officially the world's largest robot competition. And besides, RoboGames this year will be hosted by Mythbuster extraordinaire Grant Imahara, who knows a thing or two about robots himself.

This year, you can expect to see 600 competitors and their robots participating in nearly 70 different events, from bot hockey to MechWars to autonomous firefighting to heavyweight combat between 220-pound juggernauts. And there will be a lot of heavyweight combat... Organizers are expecting approximately 3.4 tons of robots in that one single event, although they probably won't all be in the arena at once. Sad.

Also, uh, there will be some people giving talks. People like me. And you wouldn't want to miss your chance to see a robot blogger's embarrassed mumbling live, would you?

RoboGames runs April 15-17 in San Mateo, CA. And guess what? Through April 13, Spectrum readers can get 20% off the ticket price by going here and using coupon code "Spectrum."

[ RoboGames 2011 ]

*If you happen to be located approximately 1,700 km off the southeast coast of Madagascar, we'll cut you some slack this year. Otherwise, you're totally close enough to make it.

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