logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2011
34m 22s

TechStuff vs. BattleBots

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode
In 1992, Marc Thorpe had a vision: What if people could build their own robots, and pit them against others? In this episode, Jonathan and Chris take a closer look at the history of Robot Wars and BattleBots. 
Up next
Jan 16
TechSupport: What Happens When AI Undresses You?
What would you do if AI took your clothes off? Elon Musk’s AI model, Grok, will strip women of their clothes when prompted and the results are all over X.com. “Nudify” apps and communities have been doing this for years, but now it’s trending on one of the biggest social media pl ... Show More
25m 59s
Jan 15
Mind the Business: Small Business Success Stories is back for Season 4
Hey entrepreneurs! Your favorite hosts Jannese Torres (Yo Quiero Dinero & Financially Lit!) and Austin Hankwitz (Rate of Return & Rich Habits) are back for Season 4 of “Mind the Business: Small Business Success Stories", brought to you by iHeartMedia’s Ruby Studio in partnership ... Show More
2m 16s
Jan 14
The Story: How Science Fiction Changes the Real World
Eliot Peper gets paid to dream about the future. He’s a science fiction writer who has stumbled into an unusual position: writing speculative fiction for Fortune 500 companies. He is also the Head of Story at Portola, which is an AI-companion company. Eliot is responsible for dev ... Show More
30m 44s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2021
Punish the Machine, Part 2
What will we do when robots and artificial intelligences break the law? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the issue of robot moral and legal agency. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listene ... Show More
1h 4m
Oct 2020
Killer Robots and the Future of War
Fully autonomous lethal weapons—robots that can select and engage targets without human intervention—are fast becoming possible. They might minimize casualties and protect civilians in times of war. But is it morally wrong to put a computer in charge of life or death decisions? C ... Show More
1h 3m
Apr 2020
Invention Playlist: A Motion Picture Mystery
As the Invention podcast ends, discussions of techno-history become part of STBYM again. So let's explore some past episodes of Robert and Joe's other series. Here's their sidebar with Scott Benjamin about a mysterious death in the history of motion picture technology... Learn mo ... Show More
54m 51s
Oct 2022
The Killer Robot Future Is Already Here
The killer robots are here and they’re not going away.  We’ve all seen footage of the cute robot dogs stumbling around with weapons strapped to their back, and loitering munitions (or so-called “suicide drones”) have become a fixture on the battlefield in Ukraine. There’s a gener ... Show More
42m 2s
Mar 2023
Mon. 03/20 – Robots All The Way Down
New bots to make video from text prompts. Fending off the bots from biting your style. Falling in love with the bots. In the streaming wars, the ad supported experiments are working, and pricing power is a thing. And the startup that says it’s about to introduce humanoid bots. Re ... Show More
17m 26s
Dec 2021
Weirdhouse Cinema Rewind: Robot Jox
What if the nations of the Earth solved all their problems with giant robot gladiatorial battles? That’s the concept behind 1990’s “Robot Jox,” directed by horror wizard Stuart Gordon and written by military sci-fi author Joe Haldeman. Join Rob and Joe for a discussion of mech po ... Show More
1h 23m
Apr 2020
Invention Playlist: The Motion Picture, Part 2
As the Invention podcast ends, discussions of techno-history become part of STBYM again. So let's explore some past episodes of Robert and Joe's other series. Let's continue with the history of motion pictures... Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwor ... Show More
43m 37s
Apr 2020
From the Vault: Flatus Ex Machina, Part 2
Why is it so hilarious when robots and artificial intelligence fail? What does it reveal about comedy itself and our technological anxiety? Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick explore in this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter. (originally published 3/28/2019) Learn more about your ad- ... Show More
41m 57s
Jan 2024
General purpose humanoid robots? Bill Gates is a believer
The robotics industry loves a good, healthy debate. Of late, one of the most intense ones centers around humanoid robots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
3m 54s