Raging C-3PO

In his science-fiction stories, elder nerdsman Isaac Asimov proposed three laws of robotics that, without going into a lot of detail, would have seriously hindered any robot hoping to participate in the Ultimate Fighting Championships. Taking a cue from the late Asimov, the fifth-annual Robofest lists about 30 rules constricting the behavior of robots (and none of the rules forbids a bot from injuring a human, but that's probably more or less implied). Today's competition at Union Station's Science City (30 West Pershing, 816-460-2020) starts at 12:30 p.m. with events for both kids and adults. There are two exciting competitions for robot builders — dinnerware demolition and the mini sumo competition — plus a line-following competition that's presumably way more exciting than it sounds. The kids can enjoy two competitions, with bots available for purchase, plus a thrilling and educational robotic play area. The future is now!
Sat., June 13, 12:30-4:30 p.m., 2009