Second Bi-Annual Mechanical Engineering BattleBots Cyber Smackdown a “Smashing” Success

Mirroring the popular television show Battlebots, the University of Michigan Department of Mechanical Engineering sponsored the second bi-annual ME Cyber Smackdown on Wednesday, April 10, 2002. A large crowd assembled inside the G.G. Brown Blue Lounge and outside the courtyard battlegrounds to view the exhilating demonstration of engineering genuis. The contest featured two battlebots: one designed by project advisor Dr. Bob Dennis and another by a ME450 design team. Dr. Dennis’ battlebot featured 3 cars hidden in the interior of the bot that sprung out into action in the midst of the battle. The ME 450 team displayed a well-engineerined machine that included an enemy-flipping mechanism in its design. The Cyber Smackdown featured two rounds of competition. The first round – the hazards competition featured each of the battle bots competing to accumulate points through various obstacles. The obstacles were designed by another ME 450 team (Dukes of Hazard). The second round, featured a head-to-head battlebot competition, with each team trying to knock each other over and crush the other bot. All in all, the second bi-annual ME Cyber Smackdown was a “smashing success”.