This week on the podcast, we’re previewing April 2024 NHRL, which will feature some big changes to the House of Havoc. We’re joined by guest cohost and friend of the pod Zoe Lambert, captain of Team Honey Cracked at NHRL, robotics mentor, and pit crew member on Team Mammoth on BattleBots. Together, we’ll break down all the action to look for this w…

If you are already feeling high about April's NHRL event, please check out this roundtable featuring Corey, Chris, Gabe, Jaaron, Dan & Kyle where we preview what to expect from their robots and much more! We naturally talked about triple threat Jamison Go who will be competing in every weight class, dug into much of the rest of the field and I got …

It is now two years to the day that the first episode of Outside of the Box premiered featuring Zach and Diana from Team Skorpios. The show has come a long way in that time and I have gotten to interview so many wonderful folks within combat robotics and beyond. I chose 20 episodes for this recap that were defining or important to the show in some …

It is time for a chat with Hacksmith Industries about the highly anticipated BattleBots entry - Orbitron! We talked about how Ben, Bogdan and Hacksmith became involved with the University of Waterloo's BattleBots idea which has turned into a super innovative AI robot that may change the landscape of combat robotics. They elaborate on the benefits a…

Last month, I got the opportunity to attend Indiana Comic Convention and nerd out with a bunch of people that share so much of the fandom appreciation that I do. I got to do a couple of interviews with fans and got to meet a handful of celebrities including some Avatar encounters with a couple of my favorite voice actors. Check out my review and fe…

Prepare to be royally entertained in this episode as I chat with Gillian and Linden of Bot Barons about their court full of regal robots. We dove into how they came up with this amazing theme in the first place, why cam lifters are so hard to fight, their bot Prince's amazing performance at the March RIT event and how Emperor will be changing its "…

It is time for the final spotlight on the National STEM Challenge Champions leading up to the National STEM Festival coming up here in mid-April. This time I spoke to Jasmine Lima who has had a longtime passion for STEM and has been working on her project for years which focuses on Tsunamis and T-Sound. She was inspired by a trip to Hawaii which po…

After two years of the podcast, it seemed like it might be time to try out some new segments. Check out these amazing segments I did with Tom Farkas, Corey Nason and J Lee. It is sure to be an episode you won't forget!By Christine G

It is Floor Friday and time for another clip with one of the most vibrant personalities on the show - Sunnie Allen! We talked about how auditioning for a different show led her to eventually be cast on The Floor, a really cool wildcard idea that Sunnie has for a potential next season of The Floor, and the excitement and challenge of taking Steve ou…

This is a very special STEM Spotlight episode as I had the opportunity to speak with two sisters who are both National STEM Champions. Ananya and Advika Vuppala decided to pursue projects that help with early detection and diagnosis of Anemia and MS which are conditions that impact many people globally. Advika's project uses an app prototype to ass…

I cannot believe it has been TWO years since I took a leap and started this show to put a well-deserved spotlight on the combat robotics community, especially all of the wonderful people in it. In this video, I share some thanks for the people who have helped and supported me along the way, included highlights of some great episodes we've done and …

It is time for another Floor Friday and this time I sat down with Stephanie Ross who went on quite a hot streak early on during her time on The Floor. We talked about how her real specialty is horror movies, which is why she had to adjust her strategy and challenge Tom, her experience in getting case for the Floor and Stephanie talked about they ho…

This episode was a very exciting STEM Spotlight as I got to talk about robots with STEM Champion Shiv Vinodshankar whose background in VEX robotics helped him come up with a new option for mobility as an alternative to a wheelchair. He has come up with a quadruped design that can make navigating things like stairs and rough terrain much easier for …

For any fans who have asked about Destruct-A-Thon and Proving Grounds and wondered, is it worth going to Vegas for - this is the episode to listen to. Join me for several segments including an opening discussion with Craig Danby and Jason Rogers who have seen massive success at Proving Grounds with Slammo, Chad New who has been making his opponents…

This week on the podcast, we’ve got a returning guest from the earliest days of the pod, RailGun Max captain Elaine Wu! She was on the pod aaaaall the way back in August 2019, just months before the pandemic shut down the globe. In March, she returned to the U.S. for the first time since 2019, to compete at NHRL and visit BattleBots Destruct-a-Thon…

In this new recurring interview series which I am now calling "Floor Fridays", I chatted with Gene Magee who was dubbed "King of the Floor" and went on one of the greatest runs seen on the show. We talked about how being acquaintances with a fellow Floor contestant led him to being on the show, how being a natural entertainer impacted his performan…

I've got another episode with one of the amazing National STEM Challenge Champions - Tushar Mehta. Tushar has been able to channel his passion for the environment into creating an app that can help identify whether items are recyclable. He talked about his passion for wanting to help make recycling accessible to more people and wanting to pursue a …

It is once again time for another STEM Spotlight and this one features a young CEO named Siddarth Nandyala. Siddarth's project involves the use of 3D printing technology to help provide a more affordable alternative to traditional prosthetic limbs. We talked about his path to becoming a Champion in the National STEM Challenge as well as his aspirat…

This week on the podcast, we’re previewing March NHRL, plus talking about our experience at Motorama 2024. Note: Unfortunately, Kyle's audio wasn't saved by our recording program! Apologies for any continuity/audio weirdness this may cause. Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/behindthebots Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts Tell a friend about th…

It is time to catch up with the girls of G-Force Robotics out of Clayton, NC, but this time with a new bunch of young engineers who were eager to talk about what they have been up to and future plans for their season. They spoke about their amazing and inspiring trip to the Pentagon where they got to meet with world leaders about what they have bee…

It is nearly time for the next NHRL qualifying event on March 2nd! There are two segments in this episode - one highlighting an anticipated rematch with Matt Bores of Emulsifier and Corey Nason of Catalyst who are two of the heaviest hitters in the field as well as a segment featuring Julian of Mako and Alex of Zane to speak about the beetleweights…

It is time for another interview with one of the National STEM Challenge Champions and this time it is with Lino Marrero who refers to himself as a "serial inventor". His latest invention, the Kinetic Kickz 2.0 is what made him a Champion. It is a shoe insert that can collect wasted energy from walking or running and use it to power devices. Lino s…

Some time ago I spoke with Kari Byron about the National STEM Challenge where young people could submit entries in which they have come up with innovative solutions to everyday issues. In this interview, I spoke with one of those amazing young people - Clarisse Coelho. Her project involved the study of beta-glucan in mushrooms and how we can use th…

As part of my season preview series, it is time to take a trip out west as I spoke to Rob Farrow of Western Allied Robotics about their plans for this year. We talked about some of the events they have planned in their home base area in the Northwest, plus the joint effort with RoboGames to bring even MORE robot combat action in April. Hear all abo…

This week on the podcast, we’re previewing Motorama 2024 with Northeast Robotics Club officer Jon Durand. Motorama is the flagship event of the year at NERC, with several thousands spectators over a very long, often cold, weekend at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex. We preview the action happening this weekend, and reminisce over Amish Hot Pocket…

If you are like me and love LOVE, you will adore this short video featuring your favorite builder couples in combat robotics. The couples answer some fun questions including who their favorite robots are aside from their own, what their favorite weapon type is and which one of them would win in robot combat if they fought each other. Hear what they…

Those who know me well know that I have a TARDIS-shaped spot in my heart for my robot friends in the UK so of course I had to do a Season Preview with Joe and Craig from Bristol Bot Builders. We talked about everything from fighting robots in a pub, being able to bring in more competitors from other parts of Europe, and the balance of trying to acc…

To kick off Valentine's week, I have a new episode that features a couple of fellow nerds who fell in love after sharing the stage as contestants on FOX's trivia show The Floor. If you are a lover of knowledge, like me, you will enjoy this deep dive into both of their journeys getting cast and eventually competing in duels on The Floor. We also tal…

Flame on! As a lover of flamethrowers, it was only a matter of time before I had Sam McAmis from Gruff on to chat about his tanky robot with a giant flame. We talked about how Gruff came to be as well as what has and continues to influence changes to the bot. I brought up one of my favorite fights when Gruff donned a hammer versus Slammo, reflected…

It is getting very close to mid-February, which means it is time to get hyped for Motorama, which Jon Durand describes as a Super Bowl type of event for combat robotics. We talked about everything you need to know as both a competitor and a spectator including tips for getting to the event as well as things like food and what else you can see there…

As someone whose bots are inspired by designs from BattleBots, I was a huge fan of Team Pandamonium's 12lb entry BattleTots at NHRL's January event. We talked about the event overall and how things went in all weight classes, plus why multibots work so much better in the beetleweight division and Kevin & Matt teased the addition of more BattleTot f…

If you are interested in the antweight scene, you definitely will want to check out my chat with the folks from Backwoods Combat Robotics - Jason, Jenna, Kyle and Toby. We talked about how the league has grown since the beginning of the pandemic and become an extremely competitive league for ants, seeing competitors show up from 18 different states…

Join me for a much anticipated episode featuring one of the best couples in combat robotics - Remy & Rachel DeGuzman whose robots have caused much destruction and entertainment, most recently with shuffler robot Monkfish. We talked about everything from their robots including how they both got started to MRCA and plans for an event in June. This is…

For this next episode in my series of league previews, I sat down with Casey of MRCA (Midwest Robot Combat Association) to talk about their growing antweight league, which also saw the addition of beetleweights in 2023. We talked about the amazing growth the league has seen with event registrations filling up in less than 30 minutes as well as plan…

It is finally time that I got to sit down with Tim Bouwens whose robot Ominous was nominated for a Boxy Award due to its sleek and vibrant design. We went all the way back to talk about his original BattleBots experience with Reality and where the journey has taken him since then. We also chatted about the next iteration of Ominous and how he has d…

We're kicking off a series of combat robotics league previews with GSCRL (Garden State Combat Robotics League) where I sat down with members of their board to talk about what they have planned for this year. We talk about the growth of the league as they have already had events with waitlists, some cool events and workshops and the importance of vo…

If you're as psyched as I am for NHRL's New Bots event, then you will want to check out this episode where Ashley and I highlight some of the robots who will be attending the event. This episode also features a mini interview with J Lee who will be bringing Game On - a mech walker in the 3lb division and possibly a highly esteemed pig-themed robot.…

It is finally time for Ashley and I to reveal the winners of the 1st Annual Boxy Awards! We talk a little about each of the winners who we hope to get acceptance speeches from and these will be posted in a separate video. You'll definitely want to watch until the end for a couple special awards that were not voted on as well as a BIG giveaway annou…

This week on the podcast, we’re previewing the 2023 NHRL All-Stars event, Dec. 5, 6, and 7 on YouTube. We’re catching up with NHRL Henchman Sam who will give us an inside look at what to expect. Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/behindthebots Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts Tell a friend about the show; we really appreciate your support!…

This week on the podcast, we’re recapping the 2023 NHRL Championships, which saw Emulsifier take home first place in the 30-pound weight class, Full Court win in the 12’s, and Booty Brigade take home the Golden Brett in the beetles. Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/behindthebots Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts Tell a friend about the show; …

For the final BattleBots Breakdown of the season, Ashley and I talked about all of the fights from Vengeance in Vegas II which is on the BattleBots YouTube Channel. These were unaired "freestyle" matches that were not part of the main season. We talked about poor Rusty trying so hard against Hydra, why Terrortops is the robot to watch for World Cha…

It is another episode of Talkin' Nerdy and this time I sat down with a favorite of mine - Ify Nwadiwe! Ify is well known from comedy shows such as Comedy Bang Bang and Dropout's Um, Actually to the D&D games he has been a part of through both Critical Role and Dimension 20. We spoke about the importance of being your authentic self, his friendly ri…

It is both colorful and deadly - on this episode I am talking about Chubby Unicorn with builder Tim Hebert. We got into the story behind its creation and how it has become one of the fiercest robots at NHRL, his epic battle versus fellow destructive robot Chainsaw Kitty, and an exclusive look at Tim's newest project which is a flywheel flipper call…

It is finally time for the nominees of the 1st Annual Boxy Awards to be announced! Check it out as Ashley and I talk about all of the amazing nominees in the combat robotics community who you will have the opportunity to vote for until December 1st when the voting period closes. We break down all 14 categories and discuss the deserving folks who ma…

If you love big, scary vertical weapons and a good fork game, you'll love this spirited chat I had with Jack Barker of Giant Nut winner EndGame. We went all the way back to his robot's origins and the journey it has taken during their time at BattleBots. We talked about skill vs strategy, spent time breaking down the fights from the Golden Bolt tou…

Ashley and I had a wheely good time breaking down the culmination of Battlebots Champions - the Golden Bolt Tournament where the winners of each bracket faced off with current and former Giant Nut winners. We saw domination by all of the champions throughout the bracket which ended in an epic battle between EndGame and Sawblaze, with another Bolt h…

This week on the podcast, we’re previewing the 2023 NHRL Championships, which will be held this Saturday in Norwalk, CT and livestreamed live over YouTube. We’re joined by our good friend Chris Moran, who is in charge of social media growth at NHRL, and is a walking encyclopedia of NHRL’s top builders and bots. We also recap the most recent episode…

It was a night of exciting matchups to cap off the second season of BattleBots Champions' qualifying rounds where the field was full of contenders. Ashley and I talked about every match up including strong showings from a number of teams including Claw Viper who threw everything at Hypershock in the fight of the night. The pizza proved to be too do…

Just ahead of the BattleBots Champions Golden Bolt Finals, I got together with Giant Nut winners Ray Billings, Donald Hutson, Jamison Go, Alex Grant and Aren Hill about their personal journeys as champions. We touched on a range of topics from dipping back into the past and exploring how combat robotics has evolved and how the landscape has changed…

This week on the podcast we have two very special guests! Jeff Waters of Supreme Ruler and JackPot-Battlebots and Jason Woods the innovator behind cam lifter style robots and Tracer - Battlebot.We're excited to talk to Jeff and Jason about the Golden Bolt tournament and discuss the intricacies of cam lifter supremacy. Buy Jackpot Merch!!https://veg…