![Team 4536 - The Minutebots [NEW]](/uploads/4/3/8/9/43890635/1467406193.png)
What is FIRST?
FIRST stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology". The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is the high school level robotics competition known as "the varsity sport for the mind."
The mission of FIRST is: "To inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership." Two bedrock values of FIRST are "Gracious Professionalism" and "Coopertition".
The competition has a rather unique format. Each team works with a 3-team alliance to compete against another 3-team alliance. These are known as the Red Alliance and the Blue Alliance. Teams will be on different alliances throughout the duration of the competition. In each match, each team on an alliance receives the points achieved by the whole alliance in that match. In qualifying matches, teams are assigned randomly to the alliance, so in one match they may be on Red Alliance, and in the next match, they may be on the Blue Alliance. Each team accumulates the points they received in individual matches. At the start of playoff rounds, the 8 highest ranked teams (based on the statistics from the qualification matches) become alliance captains and may select the other teams on their alliance. At this point, it is important to know what the strengths and weaknesses of the other teams are to help you select the best alliance mates. The competition matches take place on a competition field, the exact details of which are announced at the Kickoff event.
FIRST stands for "For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology". The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is the high school level robotics competition known as "the varsity sport for the mind."
The mission of FIRST is: "To inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership." Two bedrock values of FIRST are "Gracious Professionalism" and "Coopertition".
- Gracious Professionalism is "a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.
- Cooperation is "displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition. It was founded on the concept and a philosophy that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other even as they compete."
- The competition is a key to the fun! At the Kickoff event, during the first week of January, a specific problem is announced (simultaneously across the country) which defines both the goals the robot has to achieve and the rules, both technical and strategic, that the robot and team must follow.
- Every team has 6 weeks from the Kickoff to design and build a robot to achieve those goals. At the end of the 6 weeks, all teams must "bag and tag" their robot. That means they must put the robot in a large plastic bag and seal the bag with a numbered zip-tie tag. They are not allowed to work on their robot again until it is unbagged on the Thursday of the competition.
The competition has a rather unique format. Each team works with a 3-team alliance to compete against another 3-team alliance. These are known as the Red Alliance and the Blue Alliance. Teams will be on different alliances throughout the duration of the competition. In each match, each team on an alliance receives the points achieved by the whole alliance in that match. In qualifying matches, teams are assigned randomly to the alliance, so in one match they may be on Red Alliance, and in the next match, they may be on the Blue Alliance. Each team accumulates the points they received in individual matches. At the start of playoff rounds, the 8 highest ranked teams (based on the statistics from the qualification matches) become alliance captains and may select the other teams on their alliance. At this point, it is important to know what the strengths and weaknesses of the other teams are to help you select the best alliance mates. The competition matches take place on a competition field, the exact details of which are announced at the Kickoff event.
"You have teenagers thinking they're going to make millions as NBA stars when that's not realistic for even 1 percent of them. Becoming a scientist or engineer is."
-Dean Kamen