MIT Combat Robotics Club Enhances Skills Through Competitive Robot Battles
- Published
- Source
- MITNews
The MIT Combat Robotics Club (CRC), founded in 2001 and rebooted in 2023, focuses on building and battling robots, fostering learning through competition. Led by Ryan Duarte, the club's ARES robot competes in the National Havoc Robot League (NHRL) and has undergone significant improvements after previous losses. The club emphasizes collaboration and skill development, welcoming students of all backgrounds, as evidenced by the recent onboarding of 54 new members who are constructing ant weight robots.
The CRC's approach to robotics not only involves technical skills but also instills a sense of pride and resilience among its members. Captains Ryan Duarte and Abi Dixon highlight the emotional journey of creating robots that face destruction in competitions, emphasizing the importance of learning from failures. ARES, which combines advanced materials and technology, aims to improve its performance in future competitions after securing second and third places in recent events.
ARES, under the leadership of Duarte and a team of mechanical engineering undergraduates, is set to continue its development alongside another robot, KRATOS. The club's commitment to inclusivity and hands-on learning experiences positions it as a valuable resource for aspiring engineers at MIT, with no further timeline disclosed at the time of publication.
Original report
Dream, build, destroy, repeat
MITNews · Anne Wilson | Department of Mechanical EngineeringThis briefing is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting and is provided for industry information and news discovery. The original report and source publication are credited and linked where applicable. RobotToday does not claim ownership of third-party source material.
Rights concerns? Contact [email protected] with the relevant URL and details. We will review the matter and take appropriate action where warranted.
More related news
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
-
5
RobotToday Weekly October 26 – 30, 2026 RobotToday · 5 days ago
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
-
10
WHC 2027 – Boston, Jul 13–16, 2027 RobotToday · 3 weeks ago
-
11
Suzy Teele’s Mission at ARM Institute RobotToday · 3 weeks ago
-
12
RobotToday Weekly October 5 – 9, 2026 RobotToday · 3 weeks ago
Related Suppliers
KPI Solutions
Belton, Missouri warehouse-automation integrator formed 2021 from Kuecker Logistics, Pulse Integration, and QC Software under Ares Management.
Automated Industrial Robotics
Rochester Hills, Michigan automation platform launched in January 2024 by Ares Management; about 500 staff serving life-sciences and automotive clients.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc.
Publicly traded American defense technology company manufacturing jet-powered unmanned aerial systems, hypersonic test vehicles, and satellite ground systems.
Progressive Robotics
Thessaloniki deep-tech startup offering AI-powered no-code palletizing and robotic handling software for SMEs.
Tamiya Inc.
Japanese manufacturer of precision plastic model kits, RC cars, and educational robot construction sets supporting STEM learning worldwide.
Seaward Marine Services
US marine services company founded 1972; underwater hull cleaning, inspection, repair, and Lamp Ray ROV hull scanning for naval and commercial vessels.
HAND ERC (Human AugmentatioN via Dexterity Engineering Research Center)
NSF Engineering Research Center developing versatile dexterous robot hands with AI-powered manipulation skills and human interfaces.
Tangent Robotics
New York City spin-out of Columbia Engineering building tactile multi-finger robot hands and learned dexterity policies; raised a 4.5M pre-seed round in 2026.
McGill University Robotics (Centre for Intelligent Machines)
Montreal, Canada interdepartmental McGill University research centre founded 1985, studying robotics, computer vision, haptics and control across engineering.
Lunar Zebro (TU Delft)
TU Delft student team building Lunar Zebro, a six-legged shoebox-sized nano rover billed as the world's smallest and lightest, for a Moon launch NET 2028.
Resolution Development
Ahmedabad-based Indian IT company founded 2001 offering custom software development, web/mobile apps, and cloud solutions; no dedicated robotics products.
Overdrive Robotics
Overdrive Robotics is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that introduces elementary school children to robotics through VEX Robotics clubs and STEM.
Robotics needs a service framework.
RSF defines a common language for robot service capability, lifecycle operations, certification pathways, and service-provider networks.
Join the RobotToday community on LinkedIn
Daily robotics news, in-depth analysis, conference highlights, and discussions with professionals worldwide.