RoboGames
RoboGames (previously ROBOlympics) is an annual robot contest held in San Mateo, California. The most recent RoboGames was held April 3–5, 2015.
RoboGames is the world's largest open robot competition (according to the Guinness Book of World Records). Competitions typically involve entrants representing a large selection of countries, who compete in over fifty events, including combat robots, walking humanoids, soccer bots, sumo bots, autonomously navigating robots in RoboMagellan and android kung-fu. About two thirds of the robot events are autonomous, while the remaining third are remotely operated (RCVs). Despite this, a large plurality of entrants in RoboGames remain in the remotely operated events, specifically combat robotics.
RoboGames was selected by Wired for their list of "The Best Ten North American Geek Fests".
Background
RoboGames was founded as the ROBOlympics in 2004 by David Calkins, with the intention of creating cross-pollination between events and disciplines, where builders from combat robotics (mechanical engineering), soccer robotics (computer programming), sumo robotics (sensors), androids (motion control), and art robots (aesthetics) could collaborate and exchange ideas.
Media coverage
In May/June 2011, Science Channel broadcast selected heavyweight combat division matches from RoboGames in a one-hour special titled Killer Robots: RoboGames 2011. The program was hosted by Grant Imahara of the Mythbusters.[1]