Rex

Rex
Participation Information
US 1994-1997 Events	1996
Team Information
Team	Snowhite
Team Members	Bob Schneeveis
From	Palo Alto, California
Other Entries	Gutrip (1996-1997) Up & Over (1996) Big Shot (1996) Lorena (1996) Yo Mama! (1996) Razor Back (1997)
Robot Statistics
Weapons	Horizontal Claws
Statistics correct as of its most recent show/competition appearance, or if not applicable, qualification attempt.

Rex was a walking robot built by Bob Schneeveis which appeared at the 1996 US Robot Wars competition. Alongside Bloodletter Jr., it fought in a one-off demonstration battle showcasing heavyweight versions of these robot types, emerging victorious. Brief footage of this battle was featured in the American Robot Wars 1996 and American Robot Wars Final 1996 VHSs, including a clip highlighting Rex's locomotion.

Rex was one of six robots entered by Schneeveis for the event, alongside heavyweight Gutrip, middleweight Up & Over, the lightweight Big Shot and the featherweights Lorena and Yo Mama!.

Design

One of the crank mechanisms and spiked 'blocks' forming Rex's locomotion

Rex was a large walking robot with a wooden and square metal tube construction, but minimal armor. For locomotion, it relied on rotary crank-based mechanisms placed at each corner, driving cuboid-shaped 'blocks' lined with spikes. The purpose of the spikes was to allow Rex to grip the concrete arena floor, contributing to it showing faster and more reliable movements than its opponent.

In its official 1996 competition photo, a set of four wheels was attached to Rex on the outside of each 'block', suggesting that it could be reconfigured into a wheeled robot for transportation. The main 'drivetrain module' itself was also used by Up & Over, Bob Schneeveis' middleweight entry for the 1996 competition.

As its main weapon, Rex utilized a huge pair of horizontal clamping arms, lined with two rows of teeth. The mechanism for the arms also had the capability to lift up and down, increasing their usefulness once Rex grabbed hold of opponents.

Robot History

1996 US Championship

Though categorized as a regular heavyweight, Rex took part in a one-off demonstration battle against the other walking robot in its class - Bloodletter Jr..

Though dwarfed by its opponent, it quickly proved the faster of the two walkers during the tentative opening moments. As it approached Bloodletter Jr. Rex raised its jaws and used them to grab the former's left spike. However, it was pushed back slowly by Bloodletter Jr. the movements causing Red to be lifted off the arena floor for several seconds. Eventually, Rex lowered back down, and was able to reverse away. The early grappling caused Bloodletter Jr's electronics to overheat and begin smoking due to the high current being drawn.

Rex emerges victorious against a smoking Bloodletter Jr.

Rex continued jostling with Bloodletter Jr., trying to lift it from under the spikes as the latter's smoke developed into a small internal fire. A tentative stand-off involved Rex again trying to push Bloodletter Jr., but being caught by a nearby arena flipper while backing up. Rex's early efforts proved decisive, however, when Bloodletter Jr.'s battery shorted out, immobilizing and enveloping it in an even bigger cloud of smoke. Bob Schneeveis' machine was declared the winner as a Robot Wars crewmember extinguished the fire on board Bloodletter Jr.

Results

Wins/Losses

• Wins: 1
• Losses: 0

Outside Robot Wars

Bob Schneeveis and Team Snowhite also entered Season 3.0 of Comedy Central's BattleBots with the machines Uplifting Experience and Wacker. For more information, see Lorena.

External Links

• Original US Robot Wars website entry on Rex (archived May 2 1997)