Life-changing program inspires young people to become individual economic
stimulus packages and pursue opportunities in science and technology
Over $9 million in scholarship funds available
MANCHESTER, N.H.--(Business Wire)--
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) launched its
eighteenth FIRST Robotics Competition season today with a Kickoff of a new
robotics game called "Lunacy" at Southern New Hampshire University in
Manchester, NH, hometown and headquarters of FIRST.
"Forty years ago, NASA fueled a generation`s imagination with the success of
Apollo 11. As we celebrate that remarkable feat of technology and engineering
with our 2009 game, "Lunacy," we are sparking more of that kind of inspiration
through the FIRST Robotics Competition," said FIRST founder, Dean Kamen. "Just
as NASA scientists landed a man on the moon and returned him safely to earth in
1969, so too will these young people go on to explore new frontiers and develop
breakthrough technologies that will change the world."
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an annual competition that helps students
discover the rewards and excitement of science, engineering, and technology.
More than 42,000 high-school students on 1,686 teams from the U.S., Brazil,
Canada, Chile, Germany, Israel, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines,
Turkey, and the U.K. are participating in this year`s competition.
"In today`s social environment, FIRST has a chance to re-define the larger
economic and moral playing field," noted Dr. Woodie Flowers, FIRST national
advisor and Pappalardo professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "Our students can be their own economic
stimulus packages by leveraging their skills into self-sustaining careers and
help with the issues we face in the 21st century."
In the "Lunacy" game, 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 low-friction floor, which means teams must
contend with the laws of physics.
At today`s Kickoff, teams were shown the game field and received a Kit of Parts
made up of motors, batteries, a control system, and a mix of automation
components - but no instructions. Working with mentors, students have six weeks
to design, build, program, and test their robots to meet the season`s
engineering challenge. Once these young inventors create a robot, their teams
participate in competitions that measure the effectiveness of each robot, the
power of collaboration, and the determination of students.
Sponsored by NASA, PTC, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Worcester Polytechnic
Institute, the exciting Kickoff event gave teams the opportunity to see the new
game for the first time. Teams across the nation and in Canada, and Israel
watched the proceedings via NASA TV broadcast or webcast from 52 local Kickoff
sites, many of which also offered workshops and a chance to meet other teams.
The agenda included presentations by FIRST founder Dean Kamen; PTC executive
vice president and chief product officer James E. Hepplemann; NASA program
executive Dave Lavery; FIRST chairman John Abele; FIRST national advisor Dr.
Woodie Flowers; and FIRST president Paul R. Gudonis. The program also featured
the premiere of the 2009 FIRST Safety Video, presented by the Fabricators and
Manufacturers Association and Underwriters Laboratories.
In 1992, the FIRST Robotics Competition began with 28 teams and a single 14 x 14
foot playing field in a New Hampshire high school gym. This season, 1,686 teams
- including 322 rookie teams - will participate. Forty regional competitions in
the U.S., Canada, and Israel, plus seven district competitions and one state
championship in Michigan, will lead up to the 2009 FIRST Championship at the
Georgia Dome in Atlanta, April 16-18. FIRST programs are operated by over 85,000
dedicated volunteers worldwide, many of them professional engineers and
scientists who mentor the next generation of innovators.
To find FIRST Robotics Competition events and teams in your area, visit
www.usfirst.org and click on the map in the top right corner.
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.
Since its beginning, FIRST has had a positive impact on students and academic
communities. Participating high-school juniors and seniors are eligible to apply
for more than $9 million in scholarships from leading universities, colleges,
and companies. Research has shown that FIRST has significantly improved
students` attitudes about math and science and has fostered a culture of
teamwork, leadership, and self-confidence. In fact, FIRST participants are 50%
more likely to attend college, twice as likely to go on to major in science or
engineering, three times as likely to major specifically in engineering, and
four times more likely to expect to pursue a career in engineering than a
comparison group of students with similar backgrounds in high school math and
science.
FIRST Founding Sponsors include Boston Scientific Corporation, Baxter
International Incorporated, The Chrysler Foundation, DEKA Research & Development
Corp., Delphi Corporation, General Motors Corporation, Johnson & Johnson,
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Motorola Incorporated, and Xerox Corporation.
FIRST Strategic Partners include BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, FedEx
Corporation, General Motors Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, NASA, National
Instruments, Rockwell Automation, and Rockwell Collins.
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.
For FIRST
Marian Murphy, 603-666-3906 ext. 409 (Office)
mmurphy@usfirst.org
Copyright Business Wire 2009
