Newsgroups: comp.robotics
Path: brunix!sgiblab!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!utnut!torn!watserv2.uwaterloo.ca!watmath!mwtilden
From: mwtilden@math.uwaterloo.ca (Mark W. Tilden)
Subject: BEAM Robot Olympics Results: Sorry, it's gonna be a while...
Message-ID: <C6H432.3AD@math.uwaterloo.ca>
Sender: news@math.uwaterloo.ca (News Owner)
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Mon, 3 May 1993 23:04:14 GMT
Lines: 59


Hi all.

For those that don't know already, the 2nd International BEAM Robot 
Olympic Games finished April 22-25th weekend to some satisfying results.
160 roboticists and as many machines displayed before record public crowds 
at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Canada.  Amazingly enough, 
competitions and lectures actually happened on time and mostly as scheduled,
prizes went out and we only lost one organizer due to electrocution.

Overall the show was delightfully surprising, one of the main features
being that few (if any) of the robots resembled each other at all.  Everywhere 
there was something wierd and interesting.  Although many displayed 
semi-functional designs, the real attractions were the people who worked 
feverishly getting their devices running in time for events.  Massive
good-natured cheating, development and advice-swapping occurred amongst
the participants, and the crowd looked on with facination at mini 
machine shops, dexterous robot sea urchins, flying dolly-parton machines,
singing trash cans, piddling globes, mechanical vegetables, solar roller
coasters, 4-bar walkers, lego dogs, twitching robot ecologies, and self 
mobile floor polishers.

Like I said, interesting.

Well, following the show, it turns out there's just a tonne of work 
to compile it all.  It's going to be a few weeks I think.  During that
time we'll be compiling videos, making the new rule sets available by FTP,
and sorting out the details for next time.  The next show is tentatively 
scheduled for March Break, 1994, at the OSC again, although if people 
hold true to their promise of entering, we might have to rent out the 
Skydome instead.

I'd like to give a warm thanks to all the sponsors for the show; the UofW 
IEEE Student Chapter, ITRC Ont., The OSC, BCS Electronics, Mondotronics CA,
and the Un. of Waterloo Math and Computer Science Department.  

And special thanks to all those University students and friends who showed
grace under pressure, sacrificed their weekend, and even missed Star
Trek to help out.  Good doggies.  Have a biscuit.  :)

Also thanks to the international range of competitors who came with their 
mechanized miracles and enthusiasm.  It was great to meet you and share
ideas, however briefly.  May your soldering irons never grow cold.

Advice on next years competition is welcome.  We already know about the
name tags, but as 60% of our competitors didn't register until the 
second day of the show it was kind of hard.  It'll never be essential, 
but next time, file your entrance forms early, willya?  One faux pas I
will admit to is not organizing any nightlife activity.  I'd just assumed
netters would just congregate somewhere by word of mouth, but I guess things
were just too hectic for that.  Next time, definitely.  

Is all.

-- 
Mark Tilden: _-_-_-__--__--_      /(glitch!)  M.F.C.F Hardware Design Lab.
-_-___       |              \  /\/            U of Waterloo. Ont. Can, N2L-3G1
     |__-_-_-|               \/               (519)885-1211 ext. 2454 
"MY OPINIONS, YOU HEAR!? MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE! AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
