MontNews.com

The Wissahickon High School FIRST Robotics team will be presenting their skills at the NBC GameX Video Game Expo in Oaks, PA.

Friday October 23 9:30 am – 8 pm
Saturday October 24 9:30 am – 8 pm
Sunday October 25 10 am – 7:30 pm

Location: Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA

Atlanta, GA — What happens when you gather geeks from around the world? Students interested in math and science gathered at the Georgia Dome for the FIRST robotics world championships. From Saudi Arabia to Israel and from Canada to Brazil, the youth traveled to Atlanta. There were over 500 high school teams from 22 countries. What happens when they get together? Well, they proved you do not need negative and positive to conduct electricity. The energy that flowed was 100% positive!

The children started the event with an opening ceremony “pep rally” hosted by some of the brightest adults that can be found. Woody Flowers, Dean Kamen, Bill Miller and executives from NASA, National Instruments and BAE Systems were among the dedicated adults in attendence.

“The US is in one of the biggest experiments in history,” said Woody Flowers. He is strategically obsessed with the economic situation. He believes the students are the most important element of a strategic plan to be rescued from the crisis. “We have a big, stubborn society to change.”

Co-operatition
Not only do the kids get serious hands-on experience with math and science, but they also get an advanced degree in business administration. The adults and students got into graduate level entrepreneurship and Intellectual Property (IP) rights.

The Chairman of the US Patent office announced that Dean Kamen received another patent. Unlike many of his previous patents that were for physical inventions, this patent was for business systems. The business system of co-operatition is how FIRST competitions are run — combining co-operation with competition. As well as receiving the patent, Mr. Kamen was also awarded trademarks for cooperation and gracious professionalism. In a display of gracious professionalism, Mr. Kamen assigned the patent and trademarks to the FIRST organization for $1 a piece.

Exploration
David Lavery, NASA Executive for Solar System Exploration, was awarded and recognized for his contributions as a volunteer. He announced NASA’s collaboration with Google.com on the ability to explore Mars in the same fashion as Google Earth. You can now use the technology to view every NASA image ever returned from Mars.

An astronaut from the upcoming space mission sent a video message declaring, “Let the games begin.” Yes, the robots would be singing “Georgia On My Mind”… if they only had one.

Stay tuned….

RELATED ARTICLES
Photo Gallery
Combating Global Warming Is Child’s Play For FIRST Robotics
More About FIRST Robotics

Ambler, PA — Local robotics teams that made the achievement of qualifying for the world championships are in Atlanta, GA. The Wissahickon High School Team 341 “Miss Daisy” obtained many awards this season including first place at the Western Regionals in San Diego, CA.

Team 341 arrived in Atlanta on Wednesday. On Thursday evening, they attended the third annual “Robo Prom”. The Robo Prom is a great way to experience these fierce competitors off the field. The geeks and nerds trade in their pocket protectors for dress slacks or cocktail dresses. Not only are these some of the smartest kids around, they are also courteous, kind and able to dance. And, no… they don’t all dance the robot

On Friday, the competition begins at the Georgia Dome. NASA is providing a live webcast at robotics.nasa.gov.

NASA's Mobile Webcasting

RELATED ARTICLES
Photo Gallery
FIRST: Driving Miss Daisy to Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia On My (If I Only Had a) Mind
Combating Global Warming Is Child’s Play
Hats Off To Ingenuity

Philadelphia, PA — The FIRST Robotics Philly Regional is taking place at Temple University. Fifty-nine high schools from the East Coast are competing in the Lunacy game. NASA works together with the FIRST organization to design each year’s game rules. This year a special surface was designed for the floor and special wheels for the robots. Together the floor and wheels simulate the 1/6th gravity a robot would experience on the moon. Balls called “moon rocks” are shot into the trailer being carried by the opposing teams.

What can make a competition really interesting are “alliances.” Forming a competition winning alliance takes strategy, strategy, strategy. During the first day and the morning of the second day, there are elimination rounds. Three high schools are randomly matched to form a “blue” alliance or a “red” alliance for each round. Since new teams are matched for each round, the strategy is about each individual round. At this regional, there were eighty elimination rounds.

After the elimination rounds, the top eight teams get to choose 2 teams. The strategy for the finals is about choosing which teams you want to be partnered with for the remainder of the competition.

The Wissahickon team (from Ambler, PA) was in fiftieth place going into the final alliance selection. It looked like they would have to pack up and go home. However, Lansdale Catholic had been scouting all season and picked Wissahickon for their alliance advancing them to the finals.

Find out more about robotics.

TEENS FROM PHILADELPHIA AREA EXHIBIT PROWESS FOR BUILDING, DESIGN AND STRATEGY AT FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION

Students Learn Mechanics and Maturity, Design and Determination From Professional Mentors at Philadelphia FIRST Regional, March 20th and March 21st

PHILADELPHIA, PA– High school students from 8 states and 46 area schools have been tasked with the challenge and excitement of designing and building an original robot in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition (www.usfirst.org). This week, at the Liacouras Center at 1776 N. Broad Street, six weeks of intense design and construction will culminate in the Drexel University hosted FIRST Robotics Competition Philadelphia Regional, where 55 teams of students and engineering and technical mentors will demonstrate their skill for science, mathematics, and technology. They will compete for honors and recognition that reward design excellence, competitive play, sportsmanship, and high-impact partnerships between schools, businesses, and communities.

“We are proud to sponsor this event and we encourage students to participate in FIRST Robotics with anticipation they will advance in the fields of science and technology. It creates both excitement and a challenge for the students while celebrating their role as scientists and engineers,” said Dr. Selcuk Güceri, dean of the College of Engineering.

Over a six-week timeframe, students work with professional mentors to design a robot that solves a problem using a “kit of parts” and a standard set of rules. Once these young inventors create the robot, their teams participate in regional competitions that measure the effectiveness of each robot, the power of collaboration, and the determination of students.
In this year’s game, “LUNACY™,” robots are designed to pick up 9″ game balls and score them in trailers hitched to their opponents’ robots for points during a 2 minute and 15 second match. Additional points are awarded for scoring a special game ball, the Super Cell, in the opponents’ trailers during the last 20 seconds of the match. “LUNACY” is played on a 54’x27’ low-friction floor, which means teams must contend with the laws of physics.

Founded by inventor Dean Kamen, Drexel University’s 2007 Engineer of the Year and creator of the Segway? Human Transporter (HT), FIRST was created to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people, their schools, and their communities. Currently in its seventeenth year, the FIRST Robotics Competition anticipates its largest season ever with over 1,500 teams from every state in the U.S., Brazil, Canada, Chile, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, and the U.K. competing in 41 regional competitions. More than 1200 students will compete at the Philadelphia Regional to earn a spot at the Championship to be held April 17-19 at The Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia.

“The FIRST Robotics Competition is not just about the design and building of sophisticated robots. These students also develop maturity, professionalism, teamwork, and mentoring skills that enrich their lives,” said Dean Kamen. “Many of our students develop an affinity for their science and math courses, go on to study engineering, technology, or science in college, and also pursue employment opportunities with sponsoring companies.”

This season, participating FIRST students are eligible to apply for over $9.5 million in scholarships from leading universities, colleges, and companies. Scholarship announcements will be made at the FIRST Championship in April.

Since its beginning, FIRST has had a positive impact on students and academic communities. Research has shown that FIRST students’ attitudes about science, math, teamwork, and the working world significantly improved after participating. The students’ self image also improved, particularly in minority groups. In addition, interest in internship and employment opportunities with sponsoring companies increased.

FIRST Robotics Competition Philadelphia Regional sponsors and volunteers come from some of the most highly regarded organizations in the area, including Drexel University, PECO, DuPont, Rohm & Haas, Motorola, and ETC. Sponsors provide resources including time and talent from professional mentors, services, equipment, financial contributions, and volunteers.

About Drexel University’s College of Engineering
Since its founding in 1891, Drexel University’s College of Engineering has emphasized its strengths in engineering, science and technology to train students to become the leaders of the future. The College has the largest undergraduate private engineering program among the nation’s private universities and is Drexel’s flagship school with more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate students specializing in experiential and global education. For more information on Drexel University’s College of Engineering, please visit http://www.drexel.edu/coe.

ABOUT FIRST
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With the support of many of the world’s most well-known companies, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition and FIRST Tech Challenge for high-school students, the FIRST LEGO® League for children 9-14 years old, and the Junior FIRST LEGO League for 6 to 9 year-olds. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.usfirst.org.

San Diego, CA — What would you pay for an experience like this? Kids from all over the place have landed at the San Diego Sports Arena to do battle with robots. The FIRST Organization offers students a unique opportunity. Plenty of parents would pay hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars for the chance that their children could participate in such a program. One of the beauties of FIRST is you do not have to be born with a silver spoon in mouth. Any child can participate. It’s not just for the elite. And, it gives you the chance to rise up and be the cream of the crop.

First of all, you get to build a robot. How many schools still have gymnastics teams? How many schools still offer driver education programs where the students actually get to drive? The fact is — fewer and fewer schools offer programs that are impacted by liability insurance. FIRST is a pleasant exception. Kids get to work in sophisticated machine shops, drilling aluminum, sawing steel, soldering, welding and riveting. At the same time, they are taught the importance of safety. That’s what makes it possible. That and the adult mentors that bring real-world experience into the schools. In fact, NASA has a mobile machine shop on site at the arena with their own crew of mentors. Wow!

Kids in the Pits Working on Robots

That’s just the beginning. Here at the Western Regional competition in San Diego a student traveling from Pennsylvania is a fine example of some of the other possibilities FIRST has to offer. This particular student is part of the build team that works in the pits and with the machine shop. She also was an ambassador. Ambassadors are students that help promote the sport of robotics to people of all ages. They take elementary school visitors down into the pits for a close-up experience with the robots, as well as, taking adult VIPs on tours. An Admiral from the Navy, the Mayor of the city and CEO s from some of the largest corporations get to interact one-on-one with the ambassadors. How many kids get this kind of career exposure?

Who knows what other possibilities will present themselves at a FIRST event. Today, the student from Pennsylvania finished touring the VIPs and then was interviewed for fifteen minutes on the radio. TV stations were filming and writers were writing about her. How many kids get opportunities like this? How much would a parent pay for such a chance?

Should you get a chance to thank Dean Kamen, the sponsors, the mentors or the students, it would be worth your while. Just consider the wealth of their investment in our future?

Dean Kamen In San Diego, CA

Related Articles
About Dean Kamen
FIRST: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology

Lunacy: Robots In Space
Robots Take Over the San Diego Sports Arena
Robots Drop Their Bolts & Go Nuts

San Diego, CA — The first day of the FIRST Western Regional competition got under way this morning at the San Diego Sports Arena. But, it wasn’t without some tense moments late into last evening. The two teams traveling the furthest distance, the Brazilian team and the Wissahickon, PA team, had to overcome any feelings or rivalry after some unusual circumstances took control over the Brazilian robot.

Team Brazil was expecting a well oiled machine to great them at the stadium. However, upon arrival, it was discovered that their robot was shipped to the wrong state. When it arrived in Memphis, TN, it dumbfounded customs and was quarantined. Having traveled such a great distance, it looked like Team Brazil was going to be shut out.

Team Brazil

However, FIRST robotic’s motto, Gracious Professionalism, came to the rescue. Despite troubles preparing their own robot, the team from Pennsylvania dropped their own bolts and went nuts. Scavenging parts from throughout the pits, the two teams worked to the last minute assembling a robot. Right before the final buzzer, the teams got the robot approved for competition.

When queried about performing such a feat, Wissahickon team member Chris Brouse said, “I’m getting use to it. This is not the first time this sort-of thing has happened. A couple years ago we were at a competition when a team showed-up under the assumption they were suppose to build their robot on-the-spot. We worked into the night then, too.”

The karma of gracious professionalism seems to be coming back to kiss them in the bot. Late into the preliminary rounds, the Wissahickon team is in first place.

If you ever want to see intense innovation and intellect, experience how intense a FIRST robotics event can be. Come and check it out. It’s free of charge and sure to charge you up.

San Diego, CA — The first day of the FIRST Western Regional competition got under way this morning at the San Diego Sports Arena. But, it wasn’t without some tense moments late into last evening. The two teams traveling the furthest distance, the Brazilian team and the Wissahickon, PA team, had to overcome any feelings or rivalry after some unusual circumstances took control over the Brazilian robot.

Team Brazil was expecting a well oiled machine to great them at the stadium. However, upon arrival, it was discovered that their robot was shipped to the wrong state. When it arrived in Memphis, TN, it dumbfounded customs and was quarantined. Having traveled such a great distance, it looked like Team Brazil was going to be shut out.

Team Brazil

However, FIRST robotic’s motto, Gracious Professionalism, came to the rescue. Despite troubles preparing their own robot, the team from Pennsylvania dropped their own bolts and went nuts. Scavenging parts from throughout the pits, the two teams worked to the last minute assembling a robot. Right before the final buzzer, the teams got the robot approved for competition.

When queried about performing such a feat, Wissahickon team member Chris Brouse said, “I’m getting use to it. This is not the first time this sort-of thing has happened. A couple years ago we were at a competition when a team showed-up under the assumption they were suppose to build their robot on-the-spot. We worked into the night then, too.”

The karma of gracious professionalism seems to be coming back to kiss them in the bot. Late into the preliminary rounds, the Wissahickon team is in first place.

If you ever want to see intense innovation and intellect, experience how intense a FIRST robotics event can be. Come and check it out. It’s free of charge and sure to charge you up.

San Diego, CA — Q: How can a bunch of kids take over the San Diego Sports Arena? A: With robots.

How can these kids gain the knowledge and money necessary to build robots… real robots? The FIRST Robotics foundation is the vision of world renowned inventor, Dean Kamen. Though Mr. Kamen has donated a huge amount of time and money, it is with the help of other corporate sponsors and mentors that the organization has been able to flower. In fact, at this years Western Regional competition, the robot named “Miss Daisy” was able to travel from Pennsylvania to Southern California due to the gracious professionalism of the sponsors and mentors. (Gracious professionalism is one of the principles the organization is built upon — teaching the students how to be more than just good sports.)

The Western Regional competition has several corporate sponsors that include BAE Systems and Motorola. Unfortunately for many of the schools, the current economic environment has brought about a huge decline in corporate sponsors. When asked about sponsorship, Steve Stark of the Motorola Corporation said, “The sponsors are important but it’s the mentors that really make FIRST special.” Mentors are volunteer adults that help the teams build and grow. “The mentors get to work with the kids and show them about the real world. One of the key points of FIRST are these mentors. They help educate the students about the big picture, how to make a plan, reach out to the community, get funding and build a working robot. The mentors are often adults experienced in the corporate world. People that work in fields, such as, engineering, mathematics and the sciences are hands-on with the children.”

Motorola has a Philanthropy Division that helps to fund school teams and regional competitions. Without this type of corporate stewardship, these types of programs would not be possible.

One of the teams at the Western Regional is Team 2599 the Alternative Education School of Chula Vista, CA. The school is made up of students that often have not been accepted by the traditional education system. In addition, the students usually do not have the financial support necessary to excel. FIRST robotics has helped change the life of the kids in the community. Stefania Mendizabal is a senior from Chula Vista. She said, “FIRST inspires. Our sponsors, Qualcomm, Boeing, AT&T, Best Buy, Olive Garden, The Home Depot You Auto Know, Albertsons, Goodrich, Dixieline, BAE Systems, WalMart, Vons and Dynegy have help make our team possible. Dynegy has been unbelievable. They sent out mentors to work with us.” Though it’s Stefania’s first year in FIRST, the experience has been life changing. Now, she is considering continued education and a career as an engineer, scientist or in public relations. Public relations might just be her calling. Today she pursued the job of ambassador. An ambassador at a FIRST event meets with potential sponsors, government officials and other VIPs to promote support for the FIRST organization. She also hopes to meet with teachers and students from elementary schools that will be attending the event to help spread her enthusiasm.

Dennis Jenks, the FIRST Engineering Technical Coordinator for Land and Armaments from BAE Systems, has been involved with FIRST for eleven years. Speaking with him for just a moment reveals his vigor for robotics. Because of Mr. Jenks security clearance, he was not able to discuss the details of how FIRST has impacted his own career. Fortunately, he was able to provide a living example of a completed FIRST cycle.

Mr. Jenks met Travis at the beginning of his robotics experience. Their paths crossed many time over the years. Travis joined a robotics team in high school. After graduating, he moved away to college. Life just was not the same with a robotics team. He became closer friends with a student that had been on another robotics team in high school. They both were interested in being mentors for a robotics team. The problem — there was no local high school with a team. The solution — find a school and start a team. That is exactly what they did. This caused Travis’s and Mr. Jenks paths to criss and cross some more.

Upon graduating from college, Mr. Jenks was influential in Travis being hired by BEA Systems. “Travis’s involvement in FIRST robotics was definitely a major factor in my interest in bringing him on board with BAE.”

What are a child’s chances of a prosperous career from joining the high school football team or basketball team? On the other hand, FIRST robotics has a generous supply of college scholarships and job placement.