- "Small robotic device equipped with a video camera. Designed to transmit the combatant POV."
- — 1994 Promo description for Cambot
Cambot (sometimes referred to as Cam-Bot, Camerabot or Robo-cam) was a specialised House Robot which was utilised in the 1994-1997 US Robot Wars competitions. Its primary purpose was to record battles and other events from inside the arena, predating the House Robot cameras used in the televised show.
During the 1996 event, the dedicated Cambot was withdrawn due to unspecified issues and temporarily replaced by Gator. The lightweight competitor was specially fitted with a camcorder for the same purpose following its defeat in earlier competitions, and utilized as such for the Lightweight Face-Off final between Attiller (the Hun) and SPS3. After this, the camcorder was removed for safekeeping and Gator reverted to its standard combat-ready form.[1] Footage of Gator as a 'robo-cam' was included in highlights of the Lightweight Face-Off Final shown in the American Robot Wars 1996 VHS release.
Design[]
Cambot was a small compact circular robot with two-wheel drive and a camera inserted in the middle of the robot to record battle from the arena floor. Cambot was weaponless and did not function as an offensive machine.
In 1995, Cambot received an upgrade, being much larger, retaining its round shape but without top armor and instead having a larger camera fitting on the top. In both of its known appearances, Cambot would rarely move and was mostly immobile in all fights it was in, often sat by the sidelines or in the corner recording from a distance.
The 1997 'Cambot' featured a different two-wheel drive chassis with no bodyshell; the onboard camcorder was attached to the front-left of the machine.
Robot History[]
Cambot often played a passive role in both years it was present, often sitting in the corners of the arena or on the sides recording footage of the fights up close. In 1995, Cambot would prove to be a nuisance in some battles, often appearing immobile or stuck, becoming an obstacle that other competitors would be trapped against or crash into. This is most notable during melees where it would be immobile and in the way of the other competitors who would ram into it or in some cases, like with Zomo become stuck on it.
Following further issues encountered during the 1996 competition, Cambot was withdrawn mid-way through and temporarily replaced by the modified Gator.[1] However, a similar machine was again used for 1997, appearing in footage captured by event spectators.[2]
Much of the footage obtained was used for promotional materials and packaged highlights of each event Cambot was used in.
Trivia[]
- Following the end of the original US Robot Wars events, the "Cambot" would later be reused by La Machine when it fulfilled the same purpose at the 1999 BattleBots competitions. Coincidentally, the original Cambot made an appearance during highlights of La Machine's 1995 run in American Robot Wars 1996, during a pit interview with James Straus and Satoru Special 3.
- Much of the footage from Cambot is currently lost media.