Random Violence Technologies

Random Violnce Technologies was the name given to the team that entered the widely known robot, Mortis, as well as the less known Super Heavyweight Minotaur. One of the first teams to enter Robot Wars and coming from two Universities, this team was always heavily fancied to win the main Series, but their robot Mortis, which cost in excess of over £100, 000 throughout its combat history failed to produce its fabled success, only reaching the Semi-Finals in four attempts and losing in the first round of the Super Heavyweight championship. However the team did have one final success in its final tournament, winning the War of Independence of Series 4. The team also won the Best Engineered award in Series 1 and the Most Aggresive Robot award in America after competing in Battlebots. Mortis was also given an Honourable mention in The Combat Robot Hall of Fame. All of the teams robots were given to Team Bud in late 2009.

The team itself where often ridiculed by other teams and the audience for taking everything too seriously, this made the team a fake antagonist, meaning that this was mainly for entertainment purposes. However their seriousness did produce a new Hands-Free device for controlling the robot.

Hands-Free Operating System
"Is that over the top enough for you?"

- Arthur Chillcot as the team unveil the Hands-Free device

For Series 3, the Mortis team developed a Hands-Free Operating System, so named because it freed the operator from having to hold the controller in his hands. The device itself is relatively simple. It is designed like a parachute, with two paralell rods in place of a chute. A pullcord that deploys the rods, which point forwards relative to the wearer when fully opened. The controller is fitted to a tray like structure, which can be slid onto the rods, providing a flat and stable surface that it can be rested upon. Since the operator no longer has to hold the controller in his hands, his forefingers and thumbs can be used to grasp and move the analog sticks, as opposed to just pushing them around with his thumbs. One possible benefit of this setup is relief from "Roboteer's Thumb," a painful sensation in the thumb's distal phalanx, caused by pushing the sticks with one's thumbs. In theory, the hands-free device also allows the operator greater control over the robot and increased precision of movements, however it is unknown if the device had any effect on Mortis's performance. Nevertheless, it demonstrated the ingenuity of the Mortis team and how Robot Wars helps develop new technology.

Wins/Losses

 * Wins: 13
 * Losses: 6

Series Record

 * Series 1: Heat Final with Mortis
 * Series 2: Semi-Finals, Arena with Mortis and Super Heavyweight, Round 1 with Minotaur
 * Series 3: Heat, Round 2 with Mortis
 * Series 4: Heat Final with Mortis
 * Series 5-7: Did not enter