Robot Club
Spark your skills and bolt into action
3, 2, 1 - ACTIVATE
Every year, department members - whether student, academic or staff - have the chance to battle it out for Robot Club supremacy.
Sign-ups for the 2024-2025 competition are now closed.
The final battle will take place in June 2025
After the success of the club's first outing, the Robot club is poised to expand with new opportunities for both experienced competitors and newcomers.
The inaugural event, held in June 2024, saw an enthusiastic turnout from across the department - and we are ready to go again for more robotic chaos!
We welcome more students and staff to come together to Collaborate, Engineer, and Battle (CEB) their own robots. Participants were tasked with constructing robots capable of enduring intense combat in the arena. The competition was fierce, and the creativity on display was remarkable, with robots sporting a variety of ingenious designs and battle strategies. This unique event not only fostered innovation and engineering skills but also added to the strong sense of community enjoyed among students and staff at CEB.
In response to the enthusiasm surrounding the first competition, the club is introducing new improvements for the upcoming events.
The most notable change is the introduction of two distinct leagues: a Veterans League and a Beginners League. The Veterans League will feature seasoned competitors from the inaugural event, offering them a chance to refine their designs and test their skills in a more challenging environment. Meanwhile, the Beginners League aims to welcome those new to combat robotics, giving them the support and space to learn the fundamentals without the pressure of competing against more experienced participants.
This new structure is set to enhance the overall experience, providing tailored challenges for competitors at different skill levels while encouraging innovation and collaboration. It also reflects the department’s commitment to making the Combat Robot Club an inclusive space for all students, regardless of their prior experience.
With these exciting developments, the club is expected to grow significantly, attracting even more participants from across the university. The Combat Robot Club is not just about competition – it’s about creativity, learning, and the thrill of building something truly unique. The upcoming events promise to build on the success of the inaugural event and establish the club as a highlight of the department’s extracurricular activities.
The robots will once more compete in the fully-enclosed, safety-conscious arena which was designed and constructed in the Makerspace.
This is the same space that will be used by budding robot engineers to design and build their own creations.
Collaborate, Engineer, Battle!
Be prepared to give a minimum of 100 hours, approximately two hours per week, to this project.
There is a time commitment involved, but it should be two hours per week of fun, learning how to create your own robot, by designing and building parts and experimenting with it.
And it will culminate in the Robot Club competition at the end of the academic year, which will see the two leagues fight it out for supremacy.
Winners of the Beginners League will have a chance to take on a Veteran, while the winner of the Veterans League will be given a chance to take on robots from other UK universities.
The Leagues
Technical specifications
Veterans League
Robot weight (max): 1.5kg
Budget: Assigned on a team-by-team basis to ensure fairness
Beginners League
Robot weight (max): 1.5kg
Budget: None - all parts will be supplied as per design specs, to ensure fairness (and safety)
CEB Robot Club Rulebook:
Should I sign up?
Yes. You should sign up.
And quickly, as there are limited spaces and registration will operate on a First Come, First Serve basis.
This is a competition designed for everyone - from complete beginners who have never even built a Lego model to those with more advanced knowledge.
Competitors will have access to weekly workshops and access to the Makerspace - CEB's exciting cutting-edge facility for students and researchers to develop their mechanical and electrical engineering expertise.
It is an opportunity for anyone with interest to learn, develop and contribute to a collaborative, friendly and inclusive Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CEB).
The Beginners League will consist of nine robots of teams made up of four or five people. Individuals are more than welcome to join, and a team will be made up of individuals while groups are also welcome. It is a fun competition for anyone with interest within CEB.
To add to the sense of excitement, each team will also contribute ideas for a House Robot.
Registration for the 2024-2025 competition has now closed.
Sad to have missed out? There's always next year!
A resounding success - the first event
"How can you not have a fantastic time watching robots - built by our students - create chaos and blow each other up?
"And learn a whole lot about engineering and solving problems while you're at it."
Robot Club presenter and entertainer Jessica (right) is fantastic at whipping up a crowd and creating a fantastic atmosphere during 'battle night', which is designed to be enjoyed by everyone at CEB.
Robot Club presenter and entertainer Jessica (right) is fantastic at whipping up a crowd and creating a fantastic atmosphere during 'battle night', which is designed to be enjoyed by everyone at CEB.
Only robots will be harmed in the making of CEB scientists
Come along and find out more.
Built with Shorthand