FIRST Tech Challenge
Encyclopedia
The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), formerly the FIRST Vex Challenge (FVC), is a mid-level robotics
competition targeted toward high-school aged students. It offers the traditional challenge of a FIRST Robotics competition but with a more accessible and affordable robotics kit. The ultimate goal of FTC is to reach more young people with a lower-cost, more accessible opportunity to discover the excitement and rewards of science, technology, and engineering.
and the IFI Robovation platform. FIRST
, RadioShack
, and Innovation First collaborated to develop an improved version of the IFI Robovation kit. The kit was significantly upgraded and called the Vex Robotics Design System. For the 2008 Season Pitsco developed a platform that uses the NXT brick
along with additional hardware and a new structural framework under the new name of TETRIX
. Using aluminum parts that will allow participants to add Lego parts and sensors the kit includes 4 DC motors and larger wheels. In addition to hardware changes, the system may now be programmed using NXT-G, RobotC
, and LabVIEW
.
In 2005-06, FIRST piloted the FIRST Vex Challenge as a potential program. The pilot season brought together over 130 teams to compete in 6 regional tournaments in a 1/3 scale FIRST Frenzy: Raising the Bar
. Fifty teams participated in the FVC tournament at the FIRST Championship in April, 2006. On April 29, 2006 the FIRST Board of Directors voted to extend FVC for the 2006-07 season.
In Summer 2007, after two seasons as the FIRST Vex Challenge, FIRST announced that the program would be renamed the FIRST Tech Challenge.
period followed by an operator-controlled period. Depending on the year, the autonomous period can range from 20 to 45 seconds and the operator period lasts 2 minutes.
Along with building a robot, FTC teams are required to create an 'Engineering Notebook' that documents their build season and team experience. It helps teams to reflect on positive and negative experiences and how to improve. It also shows the judges at tournaments what the teams have done.
, there is no 'ship day' when the robot has to be finished; it can be worked on up to and immediately after competitions. Competitions occur from November through March, with the World Championship in April.
There are several ways for teams to qualify to compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship. Teams are automatically invited if they win the Inspire Award or are captain of the winning alliance at a Championship Tournament. Remaining slots are given in order to first pick for winning alliance, second pick for winning alliance, and Think Award winners, all at Championship Tournaments.
For Teams
For Individuals
Robotics
Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
competition targeted toward high-school aged students. It offers the traditional challenge of a FIRST Robotics competition but with a more accessible and affordable robotics kit. The ultimate goal of FTC is to reach more young people with a lower-cost, more accessible opportunity to discover the excitement and rewards of science, technology, and engineering.
History
The FIRST Tech Challenge grew out of the existing FIRST Robotics CompetitionFIRST Robotics Competition
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...
and the IFI Robovation platform. FIRST
First
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one.First or 1st may also refer to:* First , minor summit below the Schwarzhorn in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland* First , mountain in Bernese Alps in Switzerland...
, RadioShack
RadioShack
RadioShack Corporation is an American franchise of electronics retail stores in the United States, as well as parts of Europe, South America and Africa. As of 2008, RadioShack reported net sales and operating revenues of $4.81 billion. The headquarters of RadioShack is located in Downtown...
, and Innovation First collaborated to develop an improved version of the IFI Robovation kit. The kit was significantly upgraded and called the Vex Robotics Design System. For the 2008 Season Pitsco developed a platform that uses the NXT brick
Lego Mindstorms NXT
Lego Mindstorms NXT is a programmable robotics kit released by Lego in late July 2006.It replaced the first-generation Lego Mindstorms kit, which was called the Robotics Invention System. The base kit ships in two versions: the Retail Version and the Education Base Set . It comes with the NXT-G...
along with additional hardware and a new structural framework under the new name of TETRIX
Tetrix Robotics Kit
TETRIX Robotics is a robotic kit by Pitsco, Inc., intended for educational purposes and the FIRST Tech Challenge.-Building system:The main structural TETRIX pieces are aluminum channel with a trademarked hole pattern that enables connections at multiples of 45°. The pieces are attached using bolts...
. Using aluminum parts that will allow participants to add Lego parts and sensors the kit includes 4 DC motors and larger wheels. In addition to hardware changes, the system may now be programmed using NXT-G, RobotC
Robotc
Robotc is an Integrated development environment targeted towards students that is used to program and control LEGO NXT, VEX, and RCX robots using a programming language based on C....
, and LabVIEW
LabVIEW
LabVIEW is a system design platform and development environment for a visual programming language from National Instruments. LabVIEW provides engineers and scientists with the tools needed to create and deploy measurement and control systems.The graphical language is named "G"...
.
In 2005-06, FIRST piloted the FIRST Vex Challenge as a potential program. The pilot season brought together over 130 teams to compete in 6 regional tournaments in a 1/3 scale FIRST Frenzy: Raising the Bar
FIRST Frenzy: Raising the Bar
FIRST Frenzy: Raising the Bar was the 2004 game for the FIRST Robotics Competition. The game included elements from previous years' games, including mobile goals, "capping" goals with large inflatable balls, and others...
. Fifty teams participated in the FVC tournament at the FIRST Championship in April, 2006. On April 29, 2006 the FIRST Board of Directors voted to extend FVC for the 2006-07 season.
In Summer 2007, after two seasons as the FIRST Vex Challenge, FIRST announced that the program would be renamed the FIRST Tech Challenge.
Competition
The game challenge is different every year, and as such, many aspects change year-to-year. However, games are typically played on a 12' by 12' square field covered in carpet. The game is played by two alliances (red and blue) of two teams each, for a total of four robots on the field each match. The robots typically cannot exceed 18" in height, width or length. In each match, there is an autonomousAutonomous robot
Autonomous robots are robots that can perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous human guidance. Many kinds of robots have some degree of autonomy. Different robots can be autonomous in different ways...
period followed by an operator-controlled period. Depending on the year, the autonomous period can range from 20 to 45 seconds and the operator period lasts 2 minutes.
Along with building a robot, FTC teams are required to create an 'Engineering Notebook' that documents their build season and team experience. It helps teams to reflect on positive and negative experiences and how to improve. It also shows the judges at tournaments what the teams have done.
Schedule
In September each year, FIRST announces the game challenge to FTC teams at Kickoff. Unlike FRCFIRST Robotics Competition
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an international high school robotics competition organized by FIRST. Each year, teams of high school students compete to build robots weighing up to , not including battery and bumpers, that can complete a task, which changes every year...
, there is no 'ship day' when the robot has to be finished; it can be worked on up to and immediately after competitions. Competitions occur from November through March, with the World Championship in April.
Events
Official FTC events are Qualifying or Championship Tournaments; unofficial are Local or Scrimmage Tournaments. Championship Tournaments are events in which certain winners are invited to the World Championship. Qualifying Tournaments exists in areas with a large number of teams. Winners of Qualifying Tournaments are invited to Championship Tournaments.There are several ways for teams to qualify to compete in the FIRST Tech Challenge World Championship. Teams are automatically invited if they win the Inspire Award or are captain of the winning alliance at a Championship Tournament. Remaining slots are given in order to first pick for winning alliance, second pick for winning alliance, and Think Award winners, all at Championship Tournaments.
Awards
The following are awards presented at official Championship and Qualifying Tournaments:For Teams
- Inspire Award
- Innovate Award
- Motivate Award
- Connect Award
- Think Award
- Design Award
- Winning Alliance Award
- Finalist Alliance Award
For Individuals
- Compass Award
Competition themes
In the past, the challenges have been based on several different themes:- 2012 - Bowled Over!Bowled Over!Bowled Over!, released on 10 September 2011, is the 2011-12 robotics competition for FIRST Tech Challenge. Two alliances compete to score racquetballs into alliance-colored scoring goals. The name refers to two bowling balls on the field used for scoring points.-Alliances:In each match, the four...
- 2011 - Get Over It!Get Over It!Get Over It! is the robotics competition event for the 2010-11 FIRST Tech Challenge. Two teams compete to score points by depositing colored batons in various types of goals...
- 2010 - Hot Shot!Hot Shot!Hot Shot! is the robotics competition event in the 2009-2010 FIRST Tech Challenge. Two teams compete to score points by depositing whiffle balls into designated areas.-Field Description:...
- 2009 - Face OffFace Off (FIRST)Face Off is the 2008-2009 competition event of FIRST Tech Challenge. Two teams compete to score points by placing pucks into designated areas.-Game rules:...
- 2008 - Quad QuandaryQuad QuandaryIn the 2007-2008 FIRST Tech Challenge robot competition, Quad Quandary is the first challenge theme replacing the former FIRST Vex Challenge, with similar general rules regarding the specifications of the robot and the game play...
- 2007 - Hangin'-A-RoundHangin'-A-RoundHangin'-A-Round was the name of the robotics contest at the 2006-2007 FIRST Vex Challenge. The contest involved building a robot from a kit that could attain a higher score than the opposition by placing the softballs into the colored goals, possessing the “atlas ball”, and by being parked on the...
- 2006 - Half-Pipe HustleHalf-Pipe HustleHalf-Pipe Hustle was the first official FIRST Vex Challenge game, taking place in 2005-2006. In this challenge, robotics teams built robots from the Vex design kit to compete in competitions across the United States and in other nations, in matches consisting of a 45-second autonomous period,...
See also
- FIRSTFirstFirst or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one.First or 1st may also refer to:* First , minor summit below the Schwarzhorn in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland* First , mountain in Bernese Alps in Switzerland...
- FIRST Organization - Vex Robotics Design System
- FIRST Lego LeagueFIRST Lego LeagueThe FIRST® LEGO® League is an international competition organized by FIRST for elementary and middle school students ....
- FIRST Championship
External links
- Official FIRST website
- Official FIRST LEGO League website
- ChiefDelphi - Unofficial FIRST Forums
- NI FTC Community Page- For LabVIEW Users
- Robot Gossip
- Unofficial Wiki on FIRST
- New FTC platform