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The idea of offering prize-money to help advance technology is not new.
Throughout history, prize money has motivated people to achieve great things.
Lindbergh would not have been the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Getting machines to "see" and "walk" and "think" on their own is not going to be easy. Building androids that will act like humans is considered the Holy Grail of science-fiction. But, everyday, this idea penetrates deeper into our psyche with television shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, and movies like Bicentennial Man. When would the age of "real" androids dawn if left only to the big companies to develop? Believe me, big companies are working on this! But, they have stockholders to account to, and, some of the most incredible leaps in science and technology are usually brought about by the efforts of individuals working alone or in small groups. Some inventive geniuses quickly come to mind: Ben Franklin and Nicola Tesla with electricity; Marconi and Morse with the wireless; the Wright Brothers with powered flight; Edison with the light bulb; and most recently Dean Kamen with "IT" ! Here's where Robo-prize (tm) comes in ... Simply stated "offer a challenge and a reward" to build an autonomous android (or human-like robot) that can fend for itself, in combat, against the best and baddest machines out there. If you've seen BattleBots (tm) or RobotWars (tm) on television, you know what this android will be up against! This is why the idea of Robo-prize (tm) is so important, and timely. The winner of Robo-prize (tm) will be guaranteed a share in the profits of an internationally televised, pay-per-view battle, to be broadcast within months after determining that an android has been developed that has a chance to win this first-ever, android vs machine mega battle. Depending on when this historic encounter takes place, Robo-prize (tm) will guaranty the winning android team a minimum of $10,000,000.00 (that's ten meeeeellion dollars)! The prize money will increase each year by another one million dollars ( ie 20012 = $12M, in this event will share in the net profits from this pay-per-view spectacular. The amounts will be determined and agreed to prior to fight night.
if it wasn't for the prize money that was offered. In fact, that was his main
motivating factor! And let's not forget that Burt Rutan may never have built
SpaceShip1, or ventured with Sir Richard Branson to start Virgin Galactic!
(Thanks for putting up the $10 Million Dollars Ansari X-Prize!)
"Today, the technological challenges are even greater."
2013 = $13M, etc) until we have our android champion. Win or lose, BOTH combatants
******** Rules of the Game *********
The purpose of Robo-prize (tm) is to promote the development of a "real"
android that can "think" on its own, and win in battle against a remotely operated
combat machine of similar weight.
The rules of this competition, subject to modification by the Robo-prize (tm)
Rules Committee, are simply stated as follows:
1. Your android must walk on two legs, and be autonomous (ie no direct or remote
control by a human). Remotely transmitted or "off-board" computing power is
allowed, as long as it will not interfere with the operation of the opponent's robot.
2. Your android must weigh at least 150 pounds, but not more than 325 pounds.
3. Only tethered weapons can be used. No firearms, explosives, electric shock or
pulse weapons, or projectiles are allowed. In other words, anything that would be
inherently dangerous to an audience, or would unfairly incapacitate an opponent's
robot, will not be allowed.
4. All individuals or teams building an android contestant must apply to the
Robo-prize (tm) Rules Committee to have their android concept approved
and registered prior to being allowed to compete for the prize money.
An approved Robo-prize (tm) Registration Form is available from this site.
5. All registered and approved entrants must agree to abide by the Robo-prize (tm)
rules, including any future modification of those rules that might be recommended
and approved by the Robo-prize (tm) Rules Committee.
6. Android contestants will be required to win a sparring bout with a similarly matched
combat robot. The opponent robot will be a BattleBot (tm) style machine remotely
controlled by a human, and the sparring match will take place at least 90 days prior
to any pay-per-view robotic combat event. All sparring test matches will be scheduled
by the Robo-prize (tm) Review Board, at places and times determined by solely by
them. It will also be in their sole discretion to determine what android contestant is
ready first to compete for the prize money.
7. All registered android teams will be required to agree to and sign release forms to be
provided by the Robo-prize (tm) Review Board.
Registration
Official Robo-prize (tm) Registration Form As of right now, the primary goal of our registration form is to obtain some basic information about your android project. Also, as things develop, we would like to feature selected projects in our In the News section (coming soon on our all new ******** ALL OTHER REGISTRATION INFO IS CONFIDENTIAL ******* Android Name or Project Code Name: __________________________________ Project Mgr: __________________ Contact Person: ______________________ Mailing Address: ___________________________________________________ Phone Number: ________________ Fax Number: ________________________ E-Mail: ______________________ Web Site URL: ______________________ Total Projected Man Hrs : _______ Projected Complete Date (mm/yy): _______ *** Press Release Narrative below (only include info that is not confidential) *** Describe Your Android Project as if Writing a Press Release (150 words or less): _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ When do you realistically think an android of this sophistication will be able to Do you think that the current batch of microprocessing chips are powerful enough to work with? ______ yes _____ no If not, how fast will the next generation processors need to be (in your opinion) ___________________________________________________________ Please sign below to acknowledge that you understand that registering your android project in the Robo-prize (tm) competition does not obligate us to compensate you unless you win this contest, and that you will not hold us liable in any way. _____________________ _______ __________________ _______ Project Manager Date Contact Person Date If you have promotional pictures of your android project or an artist's concept drawing of what your android will look like (copies only, as we can not return items), please send them along with your completed registration form to: Robo-prize Registration Committee, PO Box 940, North Hampton, NH 03862 Robo-prize (tm)
website).
Only the information you provide in the press release narrative section of this form
will be available to web site visitors if we feature your project.
achieve championship fighting status? (circle one) 2015 2025 2035
to make it possible for androids to achieve autonomous combat capability?
___________________________________________________________
Thank you, and good luck!
Dennis Dupuis, Creator