Anticipation is building for the announcement that will unleash a
frenzy of excitement for more than 37,000 high school students
around the world and NASA will broadcast it live.
Teams race the clock to earn additional points in 2007's 'Rack and Roll.'Click image for enlargement. Credit: FIRST Robotics.
It's not
the announcement of the latest video game, cell phone or MP3
player, but the release of the 2008 competition scenario from the
For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology or FIRST
Robotics Annual Kick-off event in Manchester, New Hampshire.
On Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008, beginning at 10 a.m. EST, NASA TV will
broadcast the Manchester event on NASA's public and education
channels. Details for receiving NASA TV can be found on the NASA
TV Web site at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.
The event will also be Web cast at the NASA Robotics Alliance
Project (RAP) Web site at http://robotics.nasa.gov.
Teams also have the opportunity to participate in
approximately 40 local kick-off events from New York to Hawaii.
International teams in Brazil, Canada and Israel also have local
kick-off events.
Each year, FIRST develops a new
competition scenario with new twists and nuances to challenge
rookie and veteran teams alike. With minimal instructions and
identical parts kits, the approximately 1,500 teams only have six
weeks to analyze the game scenario and engineer a robot that best
addresses the scenario's challenges. At the end of the
build-period, teams must meet strict deadlines for packing and
shipping their robots to their chosen regional competition.
Sponsored by NASA, teams compete in the inaugural Bayou Region in New Orleans, Louisiana.Click image for enlargement. Credit: NASA.
Participation in FIRST robotics has grown significantly in its 16
seasons of competition and NASA has been an integral partner with
FIRST in making robotics fun, exciting and accessible. In 2008,
NASA through the Robotics Alliance Project is sponsoring six
regional competitions, including a new competition in Hawaii. NASA
helps establish new regional competition sites with grants and
technical and logistics expertise. NASA's goal is to help make the
competition sites sustainable within three years. Along with the
new regional competitions, NASA headquarters and 10 NASA field
centers provide grants to more than 200 teams including 164 rookie
and second-year teams building their robotics programs.
Join the excitement and stay tuned for the excitement of the
regional competitions starting on Feb. 28, 2008 and running
through the month of March. Teams will be competing for coveted
spots at the FIRST Championship event on April 17-19, 2008 in
Atlanta's Georgia Dome.
For more information about FIRST
Robotics, visit their Web site at http://www.usfirst.org.
Do you find robotics fascinating? Want to learn more?
Visit the NASA
Robotics Alliance Project Web site. NASA's RAP can serve as
your warehouse for robotics lessons, resources and information.