Infernal Contraption

"A big spinning drum thing."

- Jonathan Pearce's enthusiastic but blunt summary of Infernal Contraption

Infernal Contraption was a robot that competed in Series 6, 7 and the 2016 Series of Robot Wars, also entering in the second series of Extreme. Infernal Contraption was built by students & staff from Imperial College London, the college it represented in the University Challenge. In 2016, Gary Ewer returned with three new team members.

The building of the robot began in January 2001, and the robot cost £3000 to build. It had originally attempted to enter Series 5 under the name Gahra, but despite winning its qualifier, it failed to qualify as it was 10kg overweight. The name was changed due to it regularly being mispronounced.

Design
Infernal Contraption was invertible and cylindirical, armed with a 16 kg vertical spinning flywheel with four large teeth spinning at 1000RPM, like a larger version of the one used by Tornado, that could get up to speed in three seconds so the machine doesn't have to wait between attacks for the weapon to recover. It was made up of two independent wheel modules made from sewage pipe and was designed so that the whole body would swing overhead when the robot reversed, making it an axlebot. However, the radio reception was not too reliable and control looked unstable at times. The multi-coloured tyres were a new addition for 2016.

Stinger was likely a source of inspiration for the team; team captain Jonathan Pillai was a member of the Stinger team in Series 3.

Series 6
In the eliminator round of the Sixth Wars, Infernal Contraption went up against 259, Aggrobot 3 and Infinity. Infernal Contraption concentrated its efforts on 259. During the first attack one of the two weapon drive belts was severed on 259. 259 buffeted Infernal Contraption's body, eventually tearing off its back panel. Infernal Contraption was still moving, but a strip of rubber was starting to fall off its wheels. 259 came in and continued battering Infernal Contraption's rear, nearly getting it out of the arena in one instance. Infernal Contraption was having control issues due to heavy damage to one wheel's motor set, and drove onto the pit to reduce further damage. It couldn't get completely inside since Infinity was already there, but Refbot counted it out nonetheless.

Extreme 2
Infernal Contraption represented Imperial College in the University Challenge of Extreme Series 2. In Round 1, it went up against Behemoth and C.V.. Infernal Contraption stayed out of the main action as Behemoth attacked C.V., flipping it over, and then flipping back onto its wheels again. Infernal Contraption went through to Round 2 after Behemoth broke down.

In second round, it faced Infinity once more, whose pincers were already damaged from its first round fight. Nevertheless, Infinity displayed good aggression from the start, pushing Infernal Contraption around, and shoving into a wall. Infernal Contraption then managed to strike Infinity with its flywheel and bent one of its pincers upwards. Unfazed, Infinity continued pushing and pinning Infernal Contraption. Infernal Contraption then drove into a CPZ, and while it did escape in time to avoid Killalot, it was having trouble getting both of its wheels to work in sync. Infinity wedged underneath it with its bent-out-of-shape pincers, and carried it around until time ran out. The Judges' decision was in favour of Infinity.

Series 7
In its first round melee of the Seventh Wars, Infernal Contraption went up against Jabber, Mantis and the 12th seeds Bulldog Breed. Infernal Contraption was immediately pushed into a corner by Bulldog Breed. The seeded machine flipped Infernal Contraption a couple of times, but could not get it out of the arena. All four robots met in the centre of the arena, and Infernal Contraption hit Mantis with its drum. Infernal Contraption continued to attack Mantis, but didn't appear to do much damage. All four robots were still mobile at the end, so the battle went to a judges' decision, and they ruled that Infernal Contraption had not done enough to go through to the next round. "...we inflicted major damage on Bulldog Breed, on inspection in the pits we had twisted their chassis by more than 10mm all of their wheels were not in contact with the ground and they had to work very hard to be ready for the next round..."

- Ray Thompson

Infernal Contraption also took part in the Battle of the Spinners in Series 7, along with Barber-Ous 2'n a Bit and Shredder Evolution. It ran into problems early on when Shredder Evolution hit one of its wheels and sheared something off. Shredder Evolution then forced it into Mr. Psycho's corner. It escaped, but had lost drive in one wheel, and was therefore immobile. After being counted out, it was picked up by Mr. Psycho, who torched it over the flame pit. Infernal Contraption's drivers attempted to throw Mr. Psycho off balance, almost succeeding, but were then dropped it into the pit.

2016 series
Infernal Contraption competed in Episode 5, where it will faced Beast, Gabriel and Crazy Coupe 88 in its first round melee. It was very passive at the start of the fight, attempting to spin its drum up to speed, but could not do so. When Crazy Coupe 88 was immobilised, Gabriel landed blows onto Infernal Contraption, while Beast overturned it on top of the flame pit. With no weapon to cause damage with, Infernal Contraption pressed the pit release button but, after being turned over by Beast, it reversed straight into the pit, eliminating it in the first round for a third time. "They had the brawn, they said they had the brains, yeah, really? Out go Infernal Contraption!"

- Jonathan Pearce

To entertain the crowd in an untelevised battle, Infernal Contraption fought Eruption in a "whiteboard match". After being thrown around the arena by the full-pressure flipper, Infernal Contraption lost the battle. A clip of the fight is used in the opening sequence of the series.

Results

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Wins/Losses

 * Wins: 1
 * Losses: 5

NOTE: Whiteboard matches are not included

Series Record

 * Series 1-4: Did not enter
 * Series 5: Failed to qualify as Gahra
 * Series 6: Heat, Round 1
 * Series 7: Heat, Round 1
 * 2016 Series: Round 1

Outside Robot Wars
After the cancellation of Robot Wars, Infernal Contraption retired as a display piece in the Undergraduate Electronic Engineering Lab at Imperial College London, the college that Infernal Contraption represented in the University Challenge episode. It remained there for eight years, before being brought back out of retirement.

Trivia

 * Infernal Contraption was the only axlebot to appear in the Seventh Wars.
 * Infernal Contraption's working title before Gahra was Factor X.