Newsgroups: comp.robotics
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From: mheim@cogsci.uwo.ca (Michael Hiemstra)
Subject: BEAM Olympics review
Organization: University of Western Ontario, London
Date: Wed, 28 Apr 1993 04:34:55 GMT
Message-ID: <1993Apr28.043455.23145@julian.uwo.ca>
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For those who didn't or couldn't attend the 2nd International BEAM
Robot Olympics, it was well worth attending. As an entrant I learned 
from fellow robot enthusiasts, got a great chance to talk up a storm
with people who were actually interested in what I was saying, and
built up a enough steam to take a slight interest in robotics and turn 
it into a full-time time-sink!

Mark Tilden from the University of Waterloo should be commended for
organizing such an event. I wish I could have been there for more than
just Saturday. Maybe someone else could report on the other days?

There were all sorts of robots to be seen, from the competition events like
Solar Roller and Rope Climber, slick BEAM designs slowly creeping over
obstacles as they absorbed energy from flood lights, micro-based BOTS large
and small, LEGO-BOTS, and the now-famous SUMO competition.

If you want a chance to schmooze with other builders, get ready to talk a
lot about your own creations, put your best into them, and make plans to 
attend the next Olympics. Every type of creature was welcome, category or
not. The opportunity to just see the shapes and variety of other's designs
was worth the days visit. You won't regret it.

-- 
   Michael Hiemstra               E-mail: mheim@cogsci.uwo.ca
   B-14 939 Western Rd.
   London, Ontario Canada
   N6G 1G3
