William Osman (born June 8, 1991) is an American engineer and YouTube content creator who has served as a safety inspector for BattleBots.
He featured on camera in one episode of the short-lived spin-off, BattleBots Resurrection, which documented parts of the 2018 competition. Although he would not feature on screen again, BattleBots confirmed he retained his role during World Championship IV.[1]
Although he had no experience in building combat robots, Osman created YouTube content during his time working with BattleBots, first uploading a video titled "RC Pumpkin Combat Robot" in October 2016.[2] He built a 25lb fighting robot driven by a pair of drill motors based around an actual pumpkin, which doubled up as armor. Featuring in the video was Zoe Stephenson and Chomp, who Osman's robot (named Pumpkinbot) competed against in a race, fruit-smashing competition and battle. Having won the first two rounds, the two fought in the Chomp team's workshop.
The final version of Pumpkinbot.
Pumpkinbot began spinning as it drove around Chomp, who spewed fire in its general direction as it attempted to escape. Chomp then positioned and fired its hammer, smashing the pumpkin shell. Chomp missed with its second attack, but completely destroyed Pumpkinbot's wooden chassis with the final hammer blow, smoldering the remains.
Osman uploaded "The Safest Robot at BattleBots" in April 2018.[3] Joined by safety inspector Cameron, Miles Pekala of Team Poor Life Choices and Jason Weihman of Seems Reasonable Robotics, he set about building a small robot which delivered safety glasses to people via a catapult fitted to its top. The final product was decorated in team stickers and unofficially named Safetybot.
William Osman and Moist Pony in the photography area.
On May 1, 2018, Osman uploaded another BattleBots related video, where he built a robot named Moist Pony at a $40 budget.[4] Essentially a remote control car, it was fitted with pinwheels with razor blades on the ends. Osman consulted competitors Diana Tarlson of Offbeat Robotics and Jack Tweedy of Team Nebula for ideas, and Moist Pony was built in Team HyperShock's pit area. It underwent a safety inspection and was driven around the actual test box.
Moist Pony was drawn against HUGE and was driven by Swedish inventor, YouTube personality and robotics enthusiast Simone Giertz. HUGE spun up its weapon as its minibot Surrenderbot! approached Moist Pony in the center of the BattleBox. HUGE gave chase as Moist Pony approached its rear stabilizer, reversing and feeding Moist Pony directly into its vertical bar spinner, eviscerating Osman's creation.
Bombshell takes on the army of remote control vehicles.
Safetybot.
Osman's fourth and most recent video made in collaboration with a BattleBots team was uploaded in July 2019, filmed during filming of World Championship IV. It featured a battle between six remote control vehicles piloted by Will Bales, Andrea Gellatly, Jonathan Schultz, David Jin, Leanne Cushing and Aren Hill, against Chaos Corps' Bombshell.
William Osman and his newly-acquired robot.
The fight was held within the full-size BattleBox. Bombshell went about picking off the cars one by one, before Aren Hill's remote control helicopter collided mid-air with Bombshell's quadcopter. Jonathan Schultz's car was the last still driving, and was deemed the de facto winner.
As inferred by William Osman, he no longer works for BattleBots, but has since produced content for his YouTube channel related to the show.[5] In December 2020, he uploaded a video to his YouTube channel announcing he had acquired BattleBots competitor Red Devil from its former owner Jerome Miles.[6] The name and brand were still under the ownership of All Black Robotics, who planned to enter a brand new Red Devil build into future seasons of the show. Osman posted a follow-up video in January 2021 addressing reaction to his purchase,[7] and a third video a month later which showed Red Devil destroying an office.[8] The three videos have a combined total of over 5.8 million views. Red Devil remains in the possession of Osman, though has not featured in any content since February 2021.
He has since collaborated with a number of YouTubers, including but not limited to I did a thing, iDubbbz and Ian Hecox of Smosh. Alongside a fellow content creator in Allen Pan, Osman co-hosts the podcast Safety Third, which guest starred BattleBots Giant Nut winner Aren Hill in Episode 67.[9]
In July 2023, Osman held a convention in San Francisco called Open Sauce, which featured numerous BattleBots and Norwalk Havoc Robot League competitors as displays, with an NHRL arena also present to stage fights.
See Also[]
- William Osman on YouTube
- William Osman on Instagram
- William Osman on Twitter
- William Osman on Facebook
- http://www.williamosman.com/
References[]
- ↑ https://www.facebook.com/battlebots/posts/our-beloved-safety-inspector-and-youtube-megastar-william-osman-invades-battlebo/10156167617956406/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AZgLAFAGDs
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asxGBgF7z0E
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0T1247mi8Q
- ↑ https://youtu.be/cOlKbNsVgsk?t=2142
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHHF2q6Sz94
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fLApNso5L4
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jovBrSSxxxc
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOlKbNsVgsk