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China leads the world in robot fighting competitions, and Chinese robot builders hold the top places in the sport. Lin Wei watches the latest tournament and feels that the field is controlled by a small group of wealthy teams.
He meets Mara Chen and tells her that he wants to build an open-source robot. Mara says the project will need public help, not secret money. Even so, they agree to start a team with almost no money or equipment.
They posted an open call for volunteers online. The message asked for engineers, coders, builders, and test drivers. They also chose the name Rocky for the robot project.
Volunteers soon join from different cities and countries. Jian Sun offers help with mechanical design, Omar Patel with control software, and Aiko Tan with batteries and the power system.
The team sets one clear goal: they want to enter the next world robot-fighting tournament. They know that stronger rivals already have finished machines and much more experience. Lin Wei says they have to build fast and learn in public.