What would you do with $2.4 million? Would you invest it wisely and plan for a comfortable retirement, or would you be reckless and purchase expensive impulsive items? Well, if you are a fan of indulgent spending and robotics, then the Giant Robot Duel is for you. The first-of-its-kind battle, which pitted two human-piloted robots against each other in hand-to-hand combat, is the type of inventive magic usually reserved for Hollywood.
According to David Grossman for Popular Mechanics: “The first ever MegaBots fight lasts under 30 seconds, with a very easy knockout by the Japanese robot Kuratas. While no doubt a lot of work went into the building of these robots, watching one knock the other one over very easily, in less than a minute, makes the entire thing seem comical. The continually awestruck announcers, operating on hype levels known only to wrestling commentators, do their best to dredge something out of nothing.
The second fight lasts longer, but quickly falls into stasis as the robots get stuck to each other. Apparently the entire endeavor took several days to film, given the complications of fighting with giant robots. After they dislodge from each other and start again, something approaching what must have been the original vision for MegaBots starts to take place. Chainsaws are activated, giant metal pylons are ripped up, but there never seems to be much authentic drama. A big robot defeats a smaller robot.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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