Hacktivate!

Do you long for the days of robot wars? Well, we aren’t Jeremy Clarkson or Craig Charles, but we are a hackspace, and we are excited to announce that we will be running its first public combat robotics event, this October on Saturday the 28th. You can sign up, which is essential if you intend to compete, using our Google Form. Hackspace members may attend as spectators without signing up, but will need to sign up if you intend to compete. There will be three main events throughout the day:

• Antweight Tournament – These are small combat robots which must weigh less than 150g and occupy less than 10cm³ of space. This tournament will consist of 3 or more rounds of 1v1 combat, each match lasting 2 minutes. The first draw will be selected randomly and subsequent rounds will be paired by ranking.
• Sandbotz Tournament – This is a bit experimental and the rules are subject to refinement. These can weigh no more than 300g and must fit within a 20x20cm footprint. For this tournament, the arena will be filled with (clean) sand 2-3cm deep. We’re going to be finding sand in our shoes for weeks to come.
• Side Quests – This will include games such as nuts and robot football.

Arrival and technical checks will begin at 9:00 with the first round starting at 10:15, after some a pre-event briefing. Round 2 will begin at 11:30 and we’ll take a break for lunch at 12:45 – the hackspace has a kitchen and you’re welcome to use it (tea and coffee is also available – donations welcome). The games resume with Round 3 at 13:15, and if time permits, Round 4 at 14:30. Side events such as sandbotz will begin at 15:45.

Entry is £5 per person, which includes 1 robot. Additional robots are welcome for an additional £3 per robot. Under-18s are welcome to attend but must be accompanied by an adult. For more details about the event, please see our Hacktivate October 2023 Wiki page. We also have a page to help you find us.