Build a powerful and invincible robot--for full-blown competition or just for fun--using this authoritative robot resource. This team of experts gives you an inside look at the innovative new world of robotic combat, explaining the origins of the sport as well as all the elements that go into constructing a fighting robot. You'll learn technical basics from motors and wiring to locomotion, and read builders' true stories from the front lines of robot competition. Whether or not you're mechanically-minded, you'll find this book both entertaining and informative. Fully capturing the spirit of the sport, this detailed guide shows you how an imagination and a few bits of metal can start you on your way to constructing your own champion bot.

• Plan, design, and build your own battling robot
• Discover how electric motors work and choose the right type for your design
• Learn about both wheeled and walking robots
• Incorporate creative weapons and armor on your bot--learn the pros and cons of spinning hammers, jabbing spikes, buzzing saw blades, and more
• Minimize radio interference--so you can effectively control your bot to do what you want, when you want
• Understand what goes into building fully autonomous robots
• Save money on parts and equipment by enlisting help from company sponsors
• Read true stories from combat roboteers and learn which types of constructions work and which don't