Here's A First Look At The Futuristic Sports League Made Up Of Giant, Fighting Robots
Three engineers believe that televised tournaments between human-piloted combat bots are the natural evolution of leagues like the WWE, UFC, and NASCAR.
This year, Andrew Stroup, Gui Cavalcanti, and Matt Oehrlein quit their jobs and began construction on the first MegaBot, a 15-foot-tall, seven-ton steel behemoth capable of firing paint-filled missiles at its opponent at 120 miles per hour. While the help of an unnamed angel investor, the team has completed a fully functioning torso, cockpit, arm, and two main weapons systems.
Today, MegaBots, Inc. launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise necessary funds to finish the first MegaBot and populate the league with additional bots. The team set a goal of $1.8 million, a rather hefty price, but not totally unexpected. "We're not building iRobots," Stroup says.
Rewards for making a contribution range from stickers and t-shirts to a hands-on experience called the "Megabot Gladiator: The Ultimate Experience." Donate $5,000 and you and a friend will fight for fame and glory as a MegaBot's pilot and gunner in the world's first tournament.
The video on the Kickstarter campaign page packs a few fun reveals. We see the MegaBot in action for the first time. Oehrlein is seen inside the cockpit, flipping switches to power up the bot.
MegaBots, Inc.
Then we see a detached main weapons system shoot paint-filled projectiles at him. The camera inside the cockpit shows that even the human pilot takes a messy beating.
MegaBots, Inc.
Watch the video below to learn more about MegaBot's mission and the Kickstarter campaign.