Andrea Suarez

Andrea's Articles

I Build BattleBots
February 2019
Girls can be engineers and robot builders too!

Back to Do Battle
August 2015
If you’re reading this magazine, you’ve probably spent hours watching BattleBots episodes full of mayhem and destruction.

BUILD REPORT: New Builders, Beware!
April 2014
Here are some tips to avoid some common pitfalls at your first competition.

EVENT REPORT: Thunderdome
March 2014
Thunderdome is a new event to South Florida aiming to give builders a venue to compete multiple times a year. Spectators can learn from competitors and come back with a robot of their own.

2014 STEM Tech Olympiad
March 2014
We are thrilled to announce the 2014 STEM Tech Olympiad! The event will take place at the Miami Beach Convention Center in South Florida on May 4-6.

Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew Part 2: Designing an Asymmetric Weapon
March 2014
Last month, we discussed the design and performance compromises that accompany the use of an asymmetric weapon. If you decide that this design is right for your robot, the next step is to start concocting your weapon.

EVENT REPORT: Robots Battle at the County Fair
August 2013
The Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo brings thrilling rides and mouth-watering food to South Florida each year.

EVENT REPORT: GCRS 11 — Robots, Birthday Cake, and Off-Road Trucks!
April 2013
GCRS 11 continues its series of events hosted by Jim Smentowski, owner of The Robot Marketplace. The events give Florida Insectweight robot builders a chance to get together for a day of robot battles with some new competitors, as well as to continue some long-fought rivalries!

Clash of the Bots 3
October 2012
Motorama Carolina Combat Robotics hosted its third Clash of the Bots on July 14 at the Schiele Museum of Natural History.

PEOPLE OF BOTS: Meet the Robot Riot Teams
August 2012
The first annual Robot Riot attracted 38 robots to Miami Beach from Puerto Rico, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Competitors ranged from 13-60 years of age, including five teams that fought their first robot at this event.

EVENT REPORT: Gulf Coast Robot Sports Completes its 10th Event
June 2012
January 2012 marked the 10th South Florida Insectweight combat event from Gulf Coast Robot Sports (GCRS).

A Decade of Robot Fighting
June 2012
The box is locked, the lights are on ... it’s robot fighting time!

BUILD REPORT: Rollin’ With the Punches
January 2012
Win or lose, the best combat robots always put on a show. That means no drive system failures unless your robot is in pieces. Bigger bots can achieve this through redundancy: four motors, four speed controllers, etc.