My how times have changed. Back in high school I participated in a mousetrap car battle.
Teams could build fast racers with the hopes of beating the opponent over the incline but without flying off the track. Or, teams could spring the mousetraps on offensive abilities and fling opposing vehicles out of the way. Compared to the exciting competitions being held today, this little design exercise in cost-benefit choices and energy conservation seems almost petty.
For example, held recently in Cambridge, MA was a battle to the death between autonomous robots. Using tools and software from Autodesk Fusion 360 and Mathworks, teams from the surrounding area converged on the local maker shop Artisan's Asylum. Fourteen days later, the bots were finished and ready to battle to the death. Check out images from the event here.