Frank

Frank
Participation Information
US 1994-1997 Events	1995-1996
Other Names	Spirit of Frank (1995)
Team Information
Team Members	Kua Patten
Sponsors	Exploratorium
From	San Francisco, California
Robot Statistics
Weapons	Sledgehammer
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

Frank (originally named Spirit of Frank) was a heavyweight axlebot which competed in both the 1995 and 1996 US Robot Wars competitions.

As "Spirit of Frank", it was first eliminated in the opening round of the 1995 Heavyweight Face-Off by Cyberknight, but redeemed itself by qualifying for the final in the Heavyweight Melee tournament. In the process, it was twice able to recover from being side-stranded by Merrimac in its Melee qualifier, making Spirit of Frank the first combat robot documented to have self-righted through any method.

Frank's campaign in 1996 also began with a first-round loss in the Heavyweight Face-Off, this time to Gutrip. However, it would not be able to replicate its prior success in the Heavyweight Melee, being eliminated from the preliminary stages there as well due to a 'fatal electronics failure'. Footage of Frank's battle against Gutrip would be included in highlights featured in the American Robot Wars 1996 VHS.

Design

Frank in the 1996 arena

Spirit of Frank, as originally built, was a cylindrically-shaped axlebot with a 'heavy metal' body and two large wheels providing locomotion. Each wheel featured a pair of narrow treads and served as the cylinder's 'end caps'. Spirit of Frank's weapon was a small 'metal sledgehammer', which relied on torque reaction to swing over, strike and damage opponents from the center. Though the flat sides of each wheel left it vulnerable to getting stranded in this position, the robot could rely on its weapon inertia, in tandem with wheel movements, to throw itself back upright if necessary. Spirit of Frank would thus be the first robot known to demonstrate self-righting capabilities, preceding efforts by robots such as BioHazard, Vlad the Impaler and Cassius to do so with powered weaponry and/or mechanisms.

Frank's 1996 incarnation featured minimal external changes, including new red treads for each wheel, along with a redesigned hammer shaft. At some point, the hammer head received yellow coverings, having been initially photographed with the same plain metal finish as in 1995.

Etymology

Likely in connection to its sponsorship by the Exploratorium museum, Frank was named after the museum's founder Frank Oppenheimer, a particle physicist and physics professor.

Robot History

1995 US Championship

Frank, under its original name "Spirit of Frank", made its debut in the 1995 US Robot Wars event, participating in both the Heavyweight Face-Off and Heavyweight Melee tournaments. In the Face-Off, it was drawn against Team Minus Zero and their new entry Cyberknight in the opening round.

According to the Team Minus Zero website, Spirit of Frank initially collided with Cyberknight's front cutting discs, disabling the gas engine powering the latter's weapon mechanism. Despite having seized an early advantage, it would end up getting pinned against a corner by Cyberknight and eliminated.

Spirit of Frank's Heavyweight Melee run began with a preliminary four-way clash, also involving Merrimac, Painful Wedgie and Face-Off runner-up Thor.

Starting from the center, it swung its hammer precariously close to the nearby mousetrap in the opening seconds. Moments later, it swerved into the also-tentative Thor, weathering blows to one of its wheels from the latter's hydraulic hammer arm. Spirit of Frank remained largely passive from that point on, until it eventually joined Thor, Merrimac and the now-eliminated Painful Wedgie on the other side of the arena. After dodging Cambot, it turned around and stopped near the mousetrap, where it remained idle for several seconds.

A bump from Merrimac prompted Spirit of Frank to give chase. Driving hammer-first up one end of Mark Anderson's machine, it was slowly pushed, then flicked back by the latter's leading lifter. Spirit of Frank suddenly stopped again; Merrimac took advantage by flicking it onto the flat side of one of its wheels. Now on the verge of being eliminated altogether, Spirit of Frank leaned while its other wheel turned continuously. As a smoking Thor briefly approached it, it eventually began swinging its hammer. The inertia within the weapon caused Spirit of Frank to first wobble, then tip itself back into the upright position, allowing it to continue fighting.

Spirit of Frank, in the process of recovering from a side-stranding

Spirit of Frank swung its hammer back and forth, but again did not attack either of its active opponents while lumbering towards and within the center. Heading into a corner, it bumped into one of the arena flippers, and was unable to escape for some time. Upon returning into the center, Spirit of Frank again turned into Merrimac, resulting in it being flicked onto its side a second time. Wheels turning, it again shook, swung its hammer and threw itself back upright. Once this self-righting maneuver was complete, Spirit of Frank meandered around the far corners and inner perimeter until time ran out. As the only three robots still mobile, it, Thor and Merrimac were automatically selected for the Melee Final.

Alongside its fellow first-round survivors, Spirit of Frank fought recently-crowned Face-Off champion The Master and Middleweight champion La Machine for the 1995 Heavyweight Melee title.

Positioned in the lower-right corner, it immediately brushed and was caught between The Master's wheels, taking an early hit from the latter's Lexan 'whip'. Unaffected by this, Spirit of Frank trundled into the center, where a collision with La Machine's wedge shape flipped it over against the descending mousetrap. It rolled into and up Merrimac's leading lifter, but again played very little part from that moment on. Ultimately, Spirit of Frank ended up stuck on top of a net within one of the mousetraps, and was unable to escape. An official highlights video of the 1995 event broke up this moment with a clip of Spirit of Frank self-righting, recorded by Cambot, though the latter is more likely to have been taken during its preliminary round.

As a result of its entanglement, Spirit of Frank played no further part in the Heavyweight Melee Final, which was ultimately won by La Machine.

1996 US Championship

Returning for the 1996 competition, Frank began its run in the Heavyweight Face-Off once more. In the first round, it faced newcomer Gutrip.

Frank takes damage to its tire treads from Gutrip

Frank began the battle by trundling towards the center and spinning on the spot, dodging a mousetrap and brushing the Ball of Doom aside. It swung its hammer and spun again, before being nudged by the equally-tentative Gutrip. Undaunted by Gutrip's twin cutters - themselves not active - Frank proceeded to drive up the side of Bob Schneeveis' entry. It would, however, find itself being pressured towards the upper wall, flipper and mousetrap, with Gutrip trying to pin it while churning its blades against it. Frank retaliated with a hammer swing, but could not avoid being chased across the arena.

Spinning aimlessly, Frank took a direct blow from Gutrip's cutters. In its attempt to evade, it fell foul of the upper-left flipper, on its way to the far side wall and the upper-left corner. Frank's ponderous movements only left it being swatted by the flipper, however, allowing Gutrip to close in, churn at its wheel treads and pin it against the hazard. Frank would make its escape towards the center, however, as the hazard ended up catching Gutrip as well. Now on the defensive, it drove into the right-most wall and was damaged further by Gutrip. Buffeted upwards onto one side, Frank was pushed along the moving bumper, as Gutrip's blades tore its tire treads up even more. Frank seemingly coasted to a stop following a shove from the same bumper, which Gutrip ended up cutting into.

"Frank and his hammer did well last year, but met his match against Gutrip. And so did the arena wall!"

— Paul Vallis (American Robot Wars 1996)

Though American Robot Wars 1996 suggests that Frank became immobilized at that point, it would attempt another hammer attack in the full battle. This yielded little gains, however, as it was pushed backwards by Gutrip and finally became immobilized. A final series of attacks from Gutrip flicked Frank upwards, then resulted in it being nudged and pinned against the corner. Frank was soon confirmed to have lost, eliminating it from the Heavyweight Face-Off.

In the Heavyweight Melee, Frank once again faced Gutrip in its preliminary round. Together, both robots fought Marvin, Robot Redford Jr, SWAK and TerMinal frenZy for a chance to survive and qualify for the final.

An immobilized Frank (center) is pressured by Robot Redford Jr during its Heavyweight Melee qualifier

Frank was among four robots, alongside Marvin, TerMinal frenZy and SWAK, to converge on one side of the arena during the opening moments. It and Marvin momentarily blocked a smoky SWAK, though Frank would proceed to amble along in the background, playing little part in the action. At some point, Frank appeared to lose mobility altogether, with the problem being traced - according to the Team Spike website - to be a 'fatal electronics failure'. Robot Redford Jr pushed Frank towards one of the mousetraps, with Gutrip giving it a cursory glance during the later stages. With Frank immobilized by the end of the full five minutes, it was eliminated from the Heavyweight Melee tournament, its final Robot Wars event.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 1
• Losses: 4

Series Record

Events	Frank Event Record
1994	Did not enter
1995	Heavyweight Face-Off, Round 1 as Spirit of Frank Heavyweight Melee, Final as Spirit of Frank
1996	Heavyweight Face-Off, Round 1 Heavyweight Melee, Round 1
1997	Did not enter

External Links

• Frank on the official US Robot Wars website (archived May 2 1997)