PNC Robotics Club Hopes to Create Killing Machine
Video Credit: James Ziegler
Drew Holt and his robot LUPA
Ronald Taylor, PNN Staff
January 27, 2012
Filed under Campus and Local, News, Top Stories, Video
A new PNC club is aiming to design and build an expensive, militarized battle-robot that will fight other robots in a national competition. It might seem extremely ambitious — even unrealistic — but Drew Holt, president of the PNC Robotics Club and Team, seems to have the bona fides to back up his club’s lofty goals (Disclosure: since the initial interview, Drew Holt has begun working for PNN). It’s not his first time building a sophisticated robot from scratch. In 2010, his Michigan City High School Science Olympiad team built a remote-controlled robot named LUPA. Named for the Roman goddess of wolves, the award winning bot features a mechanical arm and a bulletproof glass casing. LUPA, built at a cost of around $1800, was required to complete a series of tasks like picking up and moving golf balls and popping balloons — all within strict time and spatial limits — as part of the Regional Robot Ramble Competition. LUPA ended up coming in first place. According to Holt, the success spurred the creation of an ongoing robotics club at Michigan City High School.
Now a Freshmen English major at PNC, Holt is working with other skilled engineers to design and build a more formidable, and more expensive, battle robot capable of serious destruction. “Basically, all we’re supposed to do is drop our robot into an arena with another robot and beat the crap out of it,” Holt said of the upcoming competition. In contrast to the slow and benign LUPA, the battle-bot will utilize “Industrial motors, industrial steel, industrial weapons — things that could seriously injure a human being if they aren’t completely careful with them.”
Holt knows that the technology won’t come without a very hefty price tag. “What we’re planning to build now will cost upwards of $10,000, if we’re lucky that will be the minimum price.” For now, at least, this price tag seems to be the biggest hurdle keeping the club from turning their vision into a reality. The robotics club is hoping to solicit as many donations and contributions from the community as possible.
When PNN sat down with Holt last December, he seemed optimistic about fundraising prospects, alluding to a mysterious possible benefactor of the project who was renowned in the engineering field. Holt said the benefactor had already helped the team secure a sophisticated workshop on the PNC campus and was helping them plan some impressive side projects involving aquatic robots. Still, the team is a long way from being able to fully finance their battle-bot.
“Anybody is welcome to donate any money because that is what we really need to get this rolling. Better than money, would probably be materials and some know-how. There’s a long, long list of materials that we need including gyroscopes, sheet steel, I could list everything we need for the next hour and still not be done, but really any donations are welcome and will be incredibly appreciated. Right now we don’t have that much money; we probably couldn’t buy a servo.”
Holt said the PNC Robotics Club and Team is open to anyone interested — regardless of their experience or schooling. One quality that he does consider essential in prospective members is their ability to work safely with the potentially dangerous technology that will make up the battle-bot. “It’s a serious thing,” Holt said. “Yes, we really hope you have fun while doing this and learn a few things along the way but you have to learn to respect the technology because if you don’t, it’ll hurt.”
This year’s competition takes place in April, but Holt admits that the team may not necessarily complete the project in time to compete this year.
“We don’t want a robot by April, we want a robot that works, that does what it’s supposed to do and doesn’t break down when we turn it on — doesn’t throw itself to pieces when it’s supposed to be throwing other robots to pieces. That’s a big thing that I’m stressing: there is no time limit on this robot. We get it done when we get it done. As long it works and we know that it’s going to do well, that’s when we’re going to sign up and participate.”
Anyone interested in joining or sponsoring the PNC Robotics Club and Team is welcomed to contact president Drew Holt at holt12@pnc.edu
