U of A BattleBot wins second in national competition
ECE research associate Al Hurworth (second from left) says the BattletBot competition is a ‘sandbox’ for applying engineering skills to real-world contexts.
Sparks flew as University of Arizona students put their engineering skills to the test at the BattleBots competition in Las Vegas. The Wildcat Robotics team returned to the BattleBot stadium for the fourth time with its fighting robot Disarray, modeled after a stingray, and tied for second place overall.
The tournament pitted four teams against each other over three days last fall. The remote-controlled robots fought within a metal stadium, using saws, hammers and blades. The 250-pound Disarray has fought 11 matches, using a front-facing spinner to strike and damage opponents. This year, the team upgraded the robot's armor from one-eighth inch to three-eighths inch.
"A big part of being an engineer is building stuff with your hands and bringing an idea to life. Designing different versions of the battlebot has taught me so much at the U of A," said team captain and mechanical engineering alum Al Hurworth. "The battlebot has served as a sandbox for applying classroom lessons — tolerancing parts, designing for big impacts and working with an engineering team. When everything leads up to a big tournament at the end, it's satisfying to see all the work come together."
The team will return to Las Vegas this September to compete with its fourth-generation robot, facing two Phoenix-area teams in a regional competition.
"Being able to compete against teams that I've watched on TV since I was a kid feels unreal," said Hurworth, who also works as an ECE research associate. "It shows that anything is possible — you just have to get in there and get your hands dirty."
The competition took place in September 2024, but the full episode aired recently on YouTube.
"As the founding adviser of the team, I have worked with them since the beginning," said Michael Marcellin, Regents Professor of ECE. "I never cease to be impressed by their technical and practical skills, dedication and ability to work together as a team."