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This article is about the heavyweight robot from the 1997 US competition. For other uses, see Rhino (disambiguation).

Rhino (occasionally referred to as The Rhino) was a heavyweight robot which fought exclusively in the 1997 US Robot Wars competition. The direct successor to SWAK, Alex Rose's 1996 entry, it reached the Quarter-Finals of that year's Heavyweight Face-Off, and was notable for its use of a Halon gas extinguisher system as a secondary weapon. Rhino used its Halon system to immobilize The Scorpion[4][5] and secure its Quarter-Final place, though it would ultimately be defeated by defending Face-Off champion BioHazard at that stage.[6][7] An additional appearance in the Heavyweight Melee tournament saw less success, with Rhino being eliminated in the first round.[8][9]

Design[]

Rhino pits

The internals of Rhino in the pits; note the Halon canister (red)

Much of Rhino's basic design was derived from its predecessor SWAK, being a diamond-shaped robot with an aluminum, Kevlar and carbon composite construction. The invertible, two-wheel drive chassis - along with the top and base plates - was made from 6061-T6 aluminum, with the side panels (painted deep red) comprising of a 'sandwich' of all three materials. The main wheels themselves were custom-made 8" x 2" castors with aluminum hubs, supported in either position by spring-loaded ball transfers.[3][10]

Rhino's design primarily emphasized ramming power, combining its twin Bosch starter motors with a set of ramming 'points' at each end of the chassis. Augmented by the robot's overall weight of 171lbs, the 'points' were intended to spear or otherwise inflict shock damage to opponents. A '4 cog gear train' allowed Rhino to operate on multiple chain reductions, ranging from 1:1 to 13.5:1. While this setup allowed Rhino to be 'fast and powerful', the robot otherwise lacked precision and reliability through its use of a custom relay-based motor controller.[3][10]

By far Rhino's most unusual feature was its Halon gas system, which was used to counter opponents with internal combustion engines. A pair of large canisters were placed within the robot's symmetrically-designed chassis, from which jets of Halon - as used in fire suppression systems at the time - would be fired through a nozzle inside the front ramming 'point'. By "bonding" with oxygen molecules required for combustion, the gas would 'smother' and disable the engine entirely. According to their own website, Team Rhino singled Blendo out as an example of IC-powered competitors; Inertia Labs co-captain Reason Bradley explained in a January 2024 interview that the Halon system was directly inspired by the M5 Industries entry.[3][10][11][12]

Robot History[]

1997 US Championship[]

Rhino started its championship run bypassing the first round and receiving a BYE, thus its first battle was in the Winner's Bracket second round against The Scorpion.

The battle started with both robots ramming each other head-on following a tentative stand-off. Using its front jaws, The Scorpion impaled Rhino by the front-right corner, before opening a small hole within the composite panel. Rhino dragged The Scorpion back while being hammered by the latter's tail, pulling free in the process. Rhino, spinning around due to burnt-out wiring, began spouting clouds of Halon gas, while The Scorpion again tentatively nudged its diamond-shaped opponent.[4][5]

The earlier separation had 'twisted' The Scorpion's jaws beyond use, forcing it to try and push Rhino with its rear scoop. This proved unsuccessful, and Raymond Washburn's machine backed away just before it became enveloped in another Halon jet fired by Rhino. A few tentative moments ensued, with Rhino still spinning erratically close to the upper wall and spike trap. The Scorpion shoved Rhino further towards the wall, only for Rhino to position and fire its Halon jet close to its internal combustion powertrain.[4][5]

Initially, The Scorpion was seemingly unaffected, pinning and lifting Rhino against the wall in a bid to get it stranded on the 'curb'. However, Rhino sharply turned around and got underneath The Scorpion from the back. The resulting Halon jet 'smothered' The Scorpion's engine, incapacitating the whole robot and giving Rhino an instant knockout win.[4][5]

In the Quarter Finals of the Winner's Bracket, Rhino faced the reigning heavyweight champion BioHazard. Both heavyweights quickly met in the center, Rhino brushing the right-hand side of BioHazard as it spun. BioHazard quickly scooped up and pushed the Inertia Labs entry into the 'curb' beside the lower spike trap, almost turning it over onto its side. Rhino speared into the wall while trying to escape, leaving it vulnerable to a second lift from Carlo Bertocchini's machine. A few seconds later, the diamond-shaped robot shoved BioHazard back while careering into the flipper on the opposite side of the arena.[6][7]

Biohazard vs rhino

BioHazard flips Rhino over the arena spike mechanism

Another meeting between the two competitors led BioHazard to pin, then turn Rhino completely over against the upper spike trap 'curb'. Rhino was left propped up against the 'curb', securing yet another knockout for the defending Heavyweight Face-Off champion and eliminating Rhino from the main championship.[6][7]

Vladtheimpaler vs rhino

Vlad the Impaler charges Rhino out of the arena in the initial melee

Rhino later fought again in the Heavyweight Melee tournament, facing The Scorpion and Vlad the Impaler in its first-round battle. The melee did not start off well as it was attempted twice. During the first attempt, Vlad the Impaler immediately toppled The Scorpion over with a ram, causing The Scorpion's engine to stall. However, Rhino was unable to move at all as its radio receiver had not been activated. The latter was rammed and thrown against a wall bumper by Vlad the Impaler, by which point the Judges realized the circumstances behind Rhino's immobility. The Melee was thus restarted, with The Scorpion being re-righted and Rhino's receiver being turned on.[8]

In the second attempt, Rhino, positioned in the middle, began spinning before the official start countdown was completed. Vlad the Impaler drove past to meet a tentative Scorpion, which tried to lift Gage Cauchois' machine from the front with its tail scoop. The Scorpion pinned itself onto the floor as the weapon retracted, allowing Vlad the Impaler to nudge and topple it onto its side. Vlad the Impaler proceeded to approach and raise its forks at Rhino, which got itself stuck on the left-most wall. A second attack turned Rhino over and left it stranded on the moving wall section for a few seconds.[8][9]

Vlad the Impaler headed back across the center; Rhino rammed it moments after being released from the wall. The 1996 Semi-Finalist buffeted the Inertia Labs machine into the lower-right flipper, before creeping backwards into the upper-left corner. An overheated drive motor caused Vlad the Impaler to lose part of its forward control; it momentarily found itself trapped by the nearby flipper as Rhino proceeded to attack the already-overturned Scorpion. The Scorpion was rammed and pushed into the lower wall, its stalled engine leaking fuel which had formed a small slippery patch on the arena floor.[8][9]

While trying to back out, Rhino hit the oily patch, leaving skid trails behind as it oversteered 180 degrees into the lower wall. Rhino rode up and became beached on the wall 'curb', seconds before Vlad the Impaler gradually steered itself free from the upper-left flipper. Vlad the Impaler's shuffling was enough for it to be recognized and announced as the winner.[8][9]

Results[]

RHINO - RESULTS
1997 US Championship
Heavyweight Face-Off
Quarter-Finals)
Round 1 vs. No opponent Bye
NOTE: Rhino received an automatic bye from the first round.
Round 2 vs. The Scorpion Won
Quarter-Final vs. BioHazard Lost
Heavyweight Melee
Lost
Melee vs. Vlad the Impaler, The Scorpion Lost

Wins/Losses[]

  • Wins: 1
  • Losses: 2

Series Record[]

Events Rhino Event Record
1994 Did not enter
1995 Did not enter
1996 Entered with SWAK
1997 Heavyweight Face-Off, Quarter-Final
Heavyweight Melee, Round 1

Outside Robot Wars[]

Rhino was initially intended to return for the proposed 1998 competition, undergoing modifications ahead of the August timeframe. It is likely that the robot would have fought without its Halon system; the use of gases as weapons was prohibited under the rule changes proposed for that event.[13] Team Rhino also confirmed their plan to enter a new robot into an unspecified weight class, though the 1998 event would ultimately not take place.[14]

Rhino99

Rhino in its 1999 heavyweight incarnation

With the demise of the US Robot Wars competitions, the team instead opted to upgrade Rhino for future events run by BattleBots. In 1999, Rhino received a 'laser sighted', CO2-powered pneumatic spike as its main weapon, replacing the Halon system, along with a new 500 amp speed controller and two DC winch motors rated at 1.4hp each.[15] The 'sandwich' side panels were exchanged for all-aluminum equivalents, with a minimum thickness of half an inch.[16]

In this setup, Rhino first participated at the inaugural Long Beach event on 14-15 August. After winning its first match against S.L.A.M. in the main Gigabot Duel championship, it was consigned to the loser's bracket after a Round 2 defeat against Tazbot. Rhino recovered with a streak of five consecutive victories, including a win over future Robot Wars UK and World Champion Razer, plus rematches against Vlad the Impaler and Tazbot respectively. However, it was denied a place in the overall final by KillerHurtz, effectively consigning Rhino to third place.

Rhino also enjoyed similar success at Las Vegas on November 17, defeating Ronin and Nightmare to reach the Heavyweight Duel semi-finals. However, it would lose once again to Vlad the Impaler; the match allowing Gage Cauchois' machine to avenge its Long Beach loss. By this time, the robot's weight had been increased to 205lbs according to the Inertia Labs website, or 208lbs according to arena announcements from its Las Vegas run.[15]

Superrhino sf00

The superheavyweight Rhino, as it appeared in BattleBots Season 1.0 (2000)

For Season 1.0 of the televised Comedy Central BattleBots series, Rhino received extra armor and CO2 tanks, pushing its weight up to 314lbs. It was thus reclassified as a superheavyweight entry, dubbed by the Inertia Labs website as Rhino Super Heavy. A lack of drivetrain upgrades meant that Rhino could not emulate its prior success; it lost its first superheavyweight fight to fellow 1997 competitor DooAll on a close judges' decision.[17][18]

Rhino was retired following its Season 1.0 campaign, with the renamed Inertia Labs later finding success with newer machines including Toro, T-Minus and Bronco. For more information, see SWAK.

Trivia[]

  • According to Reason Bradley, Rhino's extinguisher system was initially designed to fire CO2 jets, though this proved less effective and was replaced by the Halon gas during testing.[12]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 'Team Rhino: about us...', Team Rhino website (archived February 3 1999)
  2. 'Contestants: Heavyweight Class', 4th Annual Robot Wars (1997) souvenir programme, p.4
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 'Team Rhino: about our robot', Team Rhino website (archived)
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 'Robot Wars 1997 Heavyweight match: Scorpion versus The Rhino', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), April 22 2021
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 'MATCH: RHINO VS THE SCORPION, Team Spike website (archived)
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 'Robot Wars 1997 Heavyweight match: Biohazard versus The Rhino', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded May 7 2021
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 'MATCH: BIOHAZARD VS RHINO', Team Spike website (archived)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 'HEAVYWEIGHT MELEE ROUND 1', Team Spike website (archived)
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 'Robot Wars 1997 Heavyweight Melee 1', Andrew Lindsey (YouTube), uploaded May 10 2021
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 'RHINO', Team Spike website (archived)
  11. 'Team Rhino: definitions', Team Rhino website (archived)
  12. 12.0 12.1 'Inside The Legendary BATTLEBOTS BRONCO Workshop!', Skorpios Battlebot (YouTube), uploaded January 31 2024
  13. Letter by Marc Thorpe to Robot Wars 1998 applicants, 17 April 1998, reproduced on RobotCombat.com
  14. 'Team Rhino: contact us...', Team Rhino website (archived)
  15. 15.0 15.1 'Rhino Ram', Inertia Labs website (archived March 3 2001)
  16. 'Team Rhino: about our robot', Team Rhino website (archived May 28 2000)
  17. 'Rhino Super Heavy', Inertia Labs website (archived October 17 2000)
  18. 'SuperHeavyweight: Rhino', Battlebots.com (archived November 18 2001)

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