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Slashdot Goes to the FIRST Robotics Competition (Video)

Posted by Roblimo on from the machines-are-getting-smarter-and-stronger-every-day dept.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) has robot competitions all over the United States. FIRST was founded by inventor Dean Kamen. According to Wikipedia he has said that the FIRST competition is the invention he is most proud of, and he predicts that the 1 million students who have taken part in the contests so far will be responsible for some significant technological advances in years to come. In any case, Robert Rozeboom (samzenpus) was at the Michigan FIRST championship with camcorder in hand, and brought back some great shots of robots at work -- or maybe play. They fired off volleys of Frisbee-like discs, ran into each other, and climbed metal pyramids, either independently or under the control of their human masters. There was a pretty good crowd in the stands, too, to cheer on the robots. Or more likely, to cheer on the robots' human masters, since we're not yet at the point where robot masters invite their robot friends to competitions where they show off their humans.

13 of 41 comments (clear)

  1. Volunteer Judge reporting in! by ThorGod · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I was a rookie judge at one of the FRC events this year. The whole experience was inspiring. The teams function much like non-profit organizations with the business of designing robots to achieve that year's challenge. They take in funds and output competent students and competitive robots. It's amazing to see how involved some of their outreach is. Some teams setup mini competitions for their local elementary or middle schools. Not to forget all the electrical, mechanical, software, general, and team skills the students learn along the way.

    --
    PS: I don't reply to ACs.
    1. Re:Volunteer Judge reporting in! by k6mfw · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I second that. Last year, I spent only two hours helping. This year I signed up as an inspector and spent all of Thurs, most of Fri and Sat at San Jose event. It is interesting to see how teams operate. I think most of the action is in the pit area (that's where everything has to come together). Some had all members working on the robot and those not hands-on were working the bench or logistics (getting stuff, watching what other teams do). Then some teams have a few members working but others seem to just "hang out" (hey, adults are like that at many work places). And some teams had the adults doing much of the work (not a good thing, the youngsters should do everything). Adults (mentor and advisors) should be the ones "hanging out." Let the students experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.. It was loud, fast pace, go-go-go... I'm signing up next year.

      Some teams were very well honed in their craft, others such as first time teams were just struggling to get their robots passed inspection, getting systems to work (i.e. frisbee toss), and couple groups barely made it (i.e. cleared their bumpers and submitted their BOM 15 seconds before closing time of 8 pm). I tell ya, this real world stuff can be a real PITA. There was a team had a solenoid jam while waiting in line for upcoming match. Like mad they stayed with it (didn't ***freak out***) and finally fixed the problem. One team had problems with their shooter, and had a match coming up. Another team saw their predicament and gave their time slot for the practice area (you can score points with gratiuous professionalism, FIRST is not winner-take-all like a demolition derby). This team was able to troubleshoot their shooter before the match.

      One team that impressed me is where they changed entire chassis (from primary to alternate robot) on Thursday and finished it time for inspection sign-off. This major change is something most teams would never attempt (not enough time). How they do it? They designed and built entire robot including chassis. When they sought sponsors, they seek money, parts, and materials donations. Some sponsors want to design and build the chassis, students then do the rest. Because all team members intimately knew their hardware, it was not too big to make a major change.

      --
      mfwright@batnet.com
    2. Re:Volunteer Judge reporting in! by stokessd · · Score: 2

      I judged two years in a row at the local FIRST competition. I don't do it anymore because the awards are an "everybody is a winner" type of event. In the two years I judged, one or two teams were head and shoulders above the other teams, and deserved to clean up. But the judges agonized and spread out the awards to everybody. That does both the winners and losers a disservice and doesn't reflect how life really works. It was an interesting idea, but the lack of awards based on merit sort of soured it for me.

      Sheldon

  2. Re:High School Students by ThorGod · · Score: 2

    An FRC team takes many resources. The community and school have to be involved, and they really need a good mentor. I don't mean a teacher or engineer that's just going to do all the work for the team. I mean a volunteer that's willing to devote 20-40 hrs per week to students.

    --
    PS: I don't reply to ACs.
  3. Re:FIRST post by OakDragon · · Score: 2

    I'm pretty sure this is not the "first" robotics competition, I don't care how loudly you shout it.

    --
    Dark Reflection
  4. Re:FIRST post by Dins · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm pretty sure this is not the "first" robotics competition, I don't care how loudly you shout it.

    I mean, I don't RTFA any more than the next guy, but it's in the very first line of the summary:

    "FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)"

    Going to assuming you were being snarky...

  5. Student on a team by octopuscabbage4414 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'm a high school senior who has been on the school's robotics team for 2 years and it's really one of the best thing the school has to offer for kids interested in programming and engineering. It's one of the few organized clubs where nerdy kids can come together and talk about stuff they like and actually do something they like. I worked on programming and electronics and it's really the only way I've seen to learn how to build a program with other people correctly, a skill that I believe is going to be incredibly valuable in college and beyond.

    1. Re:Student on a team by i+kan+reed · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well as someone who was in FIRST a decade ago, and is now an adult, it was probably the most useful experience of my pre-college life. Your impressions probably aren't far off.

  6. Re:High School Students by i+kan+reed · · Score: 3, Insightful

    FIRST was probably responsible for 90% of my most useful education in highschool. It was that and calculus. Learning by making real things produces far, far better results.

    Learning about torque in a (sadly) typical high-school physics class: memorize formula and plug values into formula for test.
    Learning about torque in FIRST club: use torque calculations through various gear ratios to calculate how fast you can get up a ramp and beat the other robots there. You see the value, because you use the knowledge to make something.

    Normal schooling in the U.S. seems like an attempt to disconnect knowledge from its value.

  7. Many thanks. by nospam007 · · Score: 2

    "In any case, Robert Rozeboom (samzenpus) was at the Michigan FIRST championship with camcorder in hand, "

    Thanks for the warning, I almost clicked on the video.

  8. Re:High School Students by radtea · · Score: 2

    I was an FRC mentor for several years and it was both incredibly demanding and incredibly rewarding. You'll see high-school students go from clueless newbies in their first year with the team to competent, confident and capable young men and women by the time they're done.

    A lot of it is the unplanned activities. One of my favouite memories is teaching a couple of students some vacuum technique for ensuring the pneumatic system was sealed properly. The students are motivated, interested and eager to learn, and you get to see their competencies undergo these sudden upward steps where they are frustrated and confused one minute and doing the job properly five or ten minutes later.

    It's really worthwhile for everyone, and if anyone had told me how much fun it would be to work with teenagers I would have laughed my head off. But it turns out it is.

    --
    Blasphemy is a human right. Blasphemophobia kills.
  9. Re:High School Students by Kozar_The_Malignant · · Score: 2

    According to the video, there are now more high schools in Michigan with FIRST teams than with hockey teams. Also, be warned. The video contains shots of nerd "dancing." It all looks like great fun.

    --
    Some mornings it's hardly worth chewing through the restraints to get out of bed.
  10. Six Year FIRST Mentor and Competition Organizer He by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Slashdot, FIRST is something you should be involved in. Sadly, this is probably the most demanding thing that kids do in high school. You get six weeks to solve a hard problem with NO CHANCE OF SUCCESS. I have been at more than one competition where a team showed up with a robot that was non functional or operative in any way. It is very similar to running a startup company, you need about $10,000 for a FIRST season because robots ain't cheap.

    The stuff that kids play with is all real-world and they learn everything from gear ratios to wire gauges to computer programming to cost optimization to getting along as a team when a deadline looms, resources are running out and infighting and finger pointing begins. It is all such happy fun.

    When people ask me to explain FIRST, I tell them it is like building the Space Shuttle with High Schoolers.

    Now, here is the punchline. After 6-years of doing this I have gotten to see what the kids do next. Amazing things. They are often head and shoulders above the rest at their respective schools. They get it. They understand work ethic, team work, and how to make decisions under pressure. This kids are becoming the top employees and leaders just like Dean mentioned.

    All high schools should have a program for kids similar to this. So many kids in school learn to play the game and coast on through. There is no coasting in FIRST, it is do or die trying.