Watertown, MA asked in Intellectual Property for Massachusetts

Q: Can we use the term "battle bots" to describe remote control wooden "bots" that kids build at our makerspace?

Middle school kids learn engineering skills by building remote control "bots" that battle in an "arena" and have fun. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit and do not do TV shows or compete with BattleBots TV show. We are a STEM education center. Is it trademark infringement to adopt the two words "battle bots" to describe this program, or would we have to use other non-descriptive words like "fighting cars" or "battling robots"? Our hope is that the term will actually help build student interest in engineering and maybe make the BattleBots TV show an inspiration for the students.

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2 Lawyer Answers

A: I would recommend you don't

Very likely to run into problems

Consult with an attorney to evaluate your situation

A: Its best to consult with an attorney.

While there is a significant chance that pursuing this term could raise serious issues in the future there may be alternative venues to take that will allow you to use the term you want.

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