Robot Fighting League
The Robot Fighting League (RFL) organizes and promotes combat robot competitions and other robotic sports. The RFL was created in November 2002 out of an ongoing discussion among many of the combat robot competition organizers. The RFL mission is to promote the sport of fighting robots, provide consistency among events and support builders and event organizers.
What the RFL does
The Robot Fighting League is composed of "Event Organizers" who organize and promote combat robot competitions. Since the founding of the league in 2002 RFL members have presented over 120 events for combat robots in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Brazil.[1] This exceeds the number of robot combat events put on by all other sanctioning bodies in the Americas since the beginning of the sport.[2]
The RFL has developed a standard set of rules and regulations for robot combat events. These rules are used by all RFL member events, providing combat robot builders with a consistent environment in which to build and compete.
The RFL organized a national championship event every year from 2003 through 2005. Competitors who qualified by placing in the top tier at RFL events during the preceding year competed for the championships in weight classes ranging from 150 grams to 340 pounds.
Current membership
Any group that organizes robot combat events using the RFL rules is eligible to apply for membership in the league. Current event members include:
| Event | Location |
|---|---|
| Battle Beach | Ormond Beach, FL |
| California Insect Bots | Gilroy, CA |
| Carolina Combat Robots | Greensboro, NC |
| Central Illinois Robotics Club | Peoria, IL |
| ComBots (RoboGames) | San Francisco, CA |
| Ohio Robot Club | Cleveland, OH |
| Queensland Robotics Sports Club | Brisbane, Australia |
| RoboCore | São Paulo, Brasil |
| Saskatoon Combat Robotics Club | Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| Western Allied Robotics | Seattle, WA |
Rules
The RFL rule set is revised annually in the last calendar quarter of the year. Member organizations submit changes for discussion by the RFL general membership, and a "draft for review" emerges from that discussion. The draft is published for public comment on the RFL Forum during a 30-day review period. Builder comments and suggestions on the draft are welcomed. After the review period, the comments and suggestions are reviewed and incorporated. The final draft is then submitted to a vote by the RFL general membership, with a simple majority required for acceptance. If accepted, the revised rules become effective for the next calendar year.
Winners of the RFL National Championships
| 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 g | Quark2 | VD | ||
| 1 lb | VDD | Pneu Jimmy | MC Pee Pants | UnderWhere?! |
| 3 lb | Wallop | Buster Blade | Itsa? | |
| 12 lb | Li'l Shocker | Target Practice | Li'l Shocker | CheepShot 3.0 |
| 30 lb | Peanut | Totally Offensive | Totally Offensive | Xhilirating impaX |
| 60 lb | Wedge of Doom | West Side Glory | Joe 2.0 | Son of Whacky Compass |
| 120 lb | Max Wedge | Max Wedge | Devil's Plunger | Ice Cube |
| 220 lb | Megabyte | SJ | Sewer Snake | Shrederator |
| 340 lb | Mer Madd | Shovelhead | Shovelhead | Psychotic Reaction |
Media coverage
In May/June 2011, Science Channel broadcast selected heavyweight combat division matches from RoboGames in a one-hour special entitled Killer Robots: RoboGames 2011. The program was hosted by Grant Imahara of the Mythbusters.[3]
See also
- Robot Combat
- Robot Combat Events
- The Big Bang Theory episode "The Killer Robot Instability", which repeatedly mentions the Robot Fighting League as the sponsor of a robot combat event central to the plot.