Let's get ready to rumble, robot style. Yes, it's time for the annual robot rally at Cal Poly Pomona on Friday.

Hundreds of mechanical men will battle it out through four unique challenges in the largest event of its kind in the nation.

This year, 600 students from 12 local schools are expected to bring their best and brightest robots to the arena. Many will enter, few will leave victorious.

A tough lesson to learn, even for artificial intelligence. But the kids at Shelyn Elementary in Rowland Heights believe they're up to the task.

Last year, one of its teams made it to the finals, taking second place in a field of 200. This year, the Rowland Unified school hopes to do even better with 40 teams from its fifth and sixth grades.

Fifth graders Gordon Choi, Timothy Harlow and Kyle Nacpil add a chainsaw to their robot at Shelyn Elementary School in Rowland Heights. (Photo by Gina Ward, courtesy of Rowland Unified)