PainSaw was a heavyweight robot designed by Crimson Robotics, which applied for BattleBots World Championship V. Despite being accepted, the team pulled out after filming was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team aim to compete in BattleBots Proving Ground, however, in 2024.
It was a long, two-wheel drive robot with twin wedges at the front, and a chain-driven lifting arm in the center, capable of 180° range of motion. At the front of the robot, PainSaw also used twin chainsaws in order to cause damage as it lifted. Crimson Robotics teased the idea of a flamethrower weapon, however it is not certain where or how this is incorporated into the design.[1]
The team working on a prototype of PainSaw.
The robot was built by a handful of students from Washington State University, who started building in 2018 and had unsuccessfully attempted to enter World Championship IV with Crimzone. The team also began building a vertical spinner, which later turned into a pneumatic puncher design after the initial concept was not deemed unique enough by Crimson Robotics.[2] Neither robot designs ultimately came to fruition, but the team built a two-wheel drive prototype called BoxBot to test their electronics.
CAD of BoxBot.
Despite also not competing in World Championship VI, PainSaw was fully built in 2021 with the intention to reapply in World Championship VII. However, it is not known whether PainSaw was entered again as it did not return for future competitions, and there were no further updates from the team until 2023 regarding BattleBots.
- "Unfortunately, we were unable to attend the 2020 Season of BattleBots due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our aim is to compete in the 2022 season of BattleBots."
- — Crimson Robotics outline their plans to compete in 2022[3]
In 2023, it was announced that PainSaw had been redesigned from the ground up. It was now a four-wheel drive robot with a largely box-shaped chassis. For weaponry, its chainsaw lifter combination had been replaced by a large, articulating spinner similar to that of Switchback. Its dual discs weigh 50lbs and can spin at upwards of 10,000rpm according to the team, who plan to compete in BattleBots Proving Ground in 2024.[4]
- "In early 2024, we will compete with PainSaw in the BattleBots Proving Grounds competition in Las Vegas, with the goal of being accepted onto the hit Discovery TV show BattleBots."
- — Crimson Robotics in 2023
Trivia[]
- The team started a fundraiser for PainSaw in late 2021, with the goal to raise $2000 to maintain and afford spare parts for the robot.
- A $2500 fundraiser was created in 2023 to go towards various costs ahead of competing in Proving Ground.
- When this goal was met, the fundraising amount was raised to $3500, $4000 and lastly $5000, ultimately raising $5017.
- This would make the project the most funded project, and using the original fundraiser goal, the project with the highest raised to fundraising goal ratio on Cougstarter.
- When this goal was met, the fundraising amount was raised to $3500, $4000 and lastly $5000, ultimately raising $5017.
- A $2500 fundraiser was created in 2023 to go towards various costs ahead of competing in Proving Ground.
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