Robots @ VMworld San Francisco and Barcelona 2013

[teamstorm]

Before the rumor mill kicks into gear I thought I should post this here.

In August 2013 we're planning to take Robots Live to San Francisco (26th - 30th August) with VMware (the company I work for) for our annual conference event (www.vmworld.com). In previous years VMworld has had 'The Killers' and 'Bon Jovi' play private parties as entertainment for delegates (over 20,000 in the US). 10 years ago at the first VMworld event the entertainment was Battlebots, and this year the company has decided it wants Robots as part of it's entertainment. There will then be a second event, in Barcelona (15th - 17th October).

Preliminary Invites have already gone out to those teams that have been selected as our primary choices for these events (based on number of robots per team, and reliability of the machines) - if you've not had an invite, should any primary teams not be able to attend you may still hear from us yet !

It's taken a lot of work since October last year to get us to this stage, and a massive thank-you to Robots Live for their efforts in helping coordinate the logistics for this (sea-freighting robots to the US and air-freighting them back in time for the European Championship event on the 7th and 8th of September is no mean feat), nor is packing 25 roboteers onto a trans-atlantic flight !

Hopefully this will be the start of more events of this type - but for now as a senior member of VMware it gives me great pleasure in being able to have brought the opportunity of this event to Roboteering !

Ed Hoppitt, VMware UK Ltd
http://www.vmware.co.uk

[terry]

So if your not included how much would it cost to be included ?

[psychostorm]

Ed, I'm here thinking "Is there an opportunity for paid work for me here?"

If there isn't, there isn't but you don't get work by not asking.

[PJ-27]

There must have been some sort of error, I haven't had an invite?

Just checked my spam folders, not there either. Please re-send.

[ewan]

Good work, sounds great

[teamshock]

Great work Ed!

We'll be there with Maelstrom and Manta.

[psychostorm]

There must have been some sort of error, I haven't had an invite?

Just checked my spam folders, not there either. Please re-send.

LOL. I thought I had front asking for a job.

Does team Bitza even have a HW?

Edit: Who's arena is SF using? Robogames or Robots Live?

[Ellis]

Just spotted this. Very interesting. We live in the south of Spain and we intend to make another of our biannual trips to the UK in September/October. We will be passing within touching distance of Barcelona on our normal trajectory. If you want a hand with anything you have able bodies here who can speak the language.

Good luck with it all!

[teamstorm]

Terry, depends on how you got your robot over - the traditional way has always been to take the robot in hold luggage on the plane in pieces and pay for the excess baggage. In that situation I would imagine that you could get the robot over for about £1000 along with yourself, add hotels, transfers in and the cheapest is probably about £3000 as you'd need a few people with you to get enough luggage allowance (BA allow you to pay for up to 3 bags of 32Kg for around £110 pp). You could always look into freighting which is what we'll be doing - I could put you in touch with the company and you could make your own arrangements.... hold fire though, if people aren't able to come we'll be working our way through a reserve list, although it's fair to say that people have ripped off my arm thus far !

Ceri - 'fraid not, current plan is Robots Live but watch this space

Ellis - interesting news, might be interested in a conversation

Ed

[terry]

Wow a lot of money !
Too be honest if I didn't make the top 25 robots to go then I wouldn't want to be the odd one out who had to pay to go and know mine wasn't good enough.