Team Witch Doctor is a competitive robotics team based in Miami, Florida. The team participates in the BattleBots competition, which is a televised event featuring robotic combat. Witch Doctor is known for its unique design and impressive performance on the battlefield. The team is made up of a group of dedicated and talented individuals who work together to design, build, and operate their robot. Each team member brings their own set of skills and expertise to the table, which is crucial for the success of the team. Witch Doctor's robot is a fearsome machine that incorporates innovative design elements to give it a competitive edge.
In Episode 9, they went up against Whiplash and scored themselves another Judges' decision, and the match was a back-and-forth battle that was super exciting to watch.
There were impressive counters, intelligent robot control, and overall awesome maneuvering from both teams, but it was Witch Doctor who eventually earned the win. Andrea and Mike Gellatly co-hosted Tale of the Tape After Show alongside Team HyperShock, discussing each episode after it airs and often bringing fellow competitors onto the show as special guests.
Witch Doctor's robot is a fearsome machine that incorporates innovative design elements to give it a competitive edge. The robot is equipped with a powerful spinning weapon, which can deliver devastating blows to its opponents. This weapon is carefully designed and manufactured by the team to ensure optimal performance.
‘Witch Doctors’ Flex Skills on BattleBots
Most witch doctors believe in healing, but this Witch Doctor, designed by a team that includes two alumni, will be bent on maiming, scorching, and annihilating other robots.
By Barbara Gutierrez [email protected] 06-23-2016
Folktales tell us that most witch doctors believe in healing. But this Witch Doctor is bent on maiming, scorching, and annihilating anything in its path.
| Standing over their robots are, from left, Witch Doctor teammates Paul Grata, Jennifer Villa, Andrea Suarez, and Michael Gellatly. |
Designed by a team that includes two University of Miami alumni, Witch Doctor is a 220-pound robot, which, with its flame-throwing sidekick, Shaman, will try to destroy other robotic competitors in the second season of ABC’s BattleBots.
During the course of the season, which premiered June 23, 48 robots will fight in grueling three-minute matches, but only one will ultimately triumph.
Andrea Suarez, B.S., M.S. ’11, and Michael Gellatly, B.S. ’06, are banking on their robotic duo emerging victorious when they compete during the June 30 show.
“Our strategy is a little unusual because we decided to meet the 250-pound weight limit with two robots instead of one,” said Suarez. “Witch Doctor weighs 220 pounds and has a weapon that spins vertically, while Shaman only weighs 30 pounds and uses a large flamethrower to attack its opponents.”
Witch Doctor participated in the first season of BattleBots and made it to the quarterfinals, where it faced the most-feared robot of all: Tombstone.
Although Witch Doctor and his human handlers lost, they inflicted the most damage to Tombstone in season one.
Suarez and Gellatly met when she was in high school at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart, and he was at UM. At the time, she was competing in high school tournaments with light robots weighing a mere one and two pounds, and he was about to become president of the UM Robotics Team.
When they connected again at UM, they fine-tuned their skills as students in UM’s College of Engineering. Using steel, titanium, and aluminum, they were building electric robots “at a different level,” said Suarez.
“UM gave us the classes and the ability to refine what we knew and then apply it,” she said. “We had resources that we did not have before.”
Working with engineering graduate students and supportive faculty encouraged them to persevere, Gellatly recalls.
“Some people were critical of dueling robots,” said Gellatly. “But we knew that, although we were not saving lives, we were learning valuable engineering lessons.”
The friends continued to compete locally and nationally in college-level robotics competitions, later joining friends Paul Grata and Jennifer Villa to create the Witch Doctor team in 2010. Dressed in top hats and sporting skulls and bones, the team chose its name to appeal to children.
“We wanted to make sure that we drew in kids,” said Suarez. “We wanted children to be attracted to engineering without knowing that they were learning about engineering.”
Their strategy seems to be working. Later this year, the company Hexbug will debut a Witch Doctor toy. And in their day jobs, Suarez and Gellatly are actually enhancing, if not saving, lives. They both work in research and development at Zimmer Biomet, developing implants for traumatic injuries.
In addition to their technical skills, the team also focuses on strategy and teamwork. They analyze their opponents' weaknesses and develop a plan of attack to exploit those weaknesses. During the competition, they communicate effectively with each other to make split-second decisions and adapt to changing situations. The team's hard work and dedication have paid off, as they have achieved great success in the BattleBots competition. Witch Doctor has gained a reputation as a tough and formidable competitor, earning the respect of their peers and fans alike. Off the battlefield, Team Witch Doctor is also actively involved in community outreach and education. They visit schools and events to inspire and educate young minds about robotics and engineering. They emphasize the importance of creativity, critical thinking, and teamwork in the field of robotics. In conclusion, Team Witch Doctor is a highly skilled and innovative robotics team that excels in the BattleBots competition. Their dedication, expertise, and passion for robotics have earned them a well-deserved reputation as a force to be reckoned with..
Reviews for "Team Witch Doctor's Top 10 Most Epic Battles"
1. Emma - 1/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Team Witch Doctor." I found the characters to be poorly developed and the storyline to be predictable and lacking originality. The writing style was also underwhelming, with a lack of descriptive language and depth. Overall, I couldn't connect with the story or the characters, and it left me feeling unsatisfied as a reader.
2. Mark - 2/5 stars - While "Team Witch Doctor" had potential, it ultimately fell short for me. The plot felt disjointed and rushed, with several loose ends left untied. The dialogue between the characters also felt forced and unrealistic, making it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the story. Additionally, the book had several grammatical and editing errors that were distracting and took away from the overall reading experience. Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend this book to others.
3. Sarah - 2/5 stars - As a fan of fantasy novels, I was excited to read "Team Witch Doctor," but it didn't live up to my expectations. The world-building was lacking, making it difficult to fully understand the magical elements and how they fit into the story. The pacing was also inconsistent, with some parts dragging on and others feeling rushed. The writing style felt amateurish, with awkward sentence structures and repetitive phrases. Overall, I found "Team Witch Doctor" to be a disappointing read that didn't captivate me like I had hoped.
4. Michael - 2/5 stars - "Team Witch Doctor" felt like a watered-down version of other popular fantasy series. The characters lacked depth and were stereotypes of typical fantasy tropes. The plot lacked originality and failed to offer any surprises or twists. The dialogue was also stilted and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the characters or become invested in their journey. Overall, I found this book to be formulaic and uninspiring, and I wouldn't recommend it to avid fantasy readers.