Team 1370 Blue Charge

Middletown Robotics, Team 1370

About FIRST

FIRST

"The FIRST [For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology] Robotics Competition is an exciting, multinational competition that teams professionals and young people to solve an engineering design problem in an intense and competitive way. The program is a life-changing, career-molding experience—and a lot of fun. In 2007, the competition will reach over 30,000 high-school-aged young people on over 1,300 teams in 37 regional events. Our teams came from Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Israel, Mexico, the U.K., and almost every U.S. state. The competitions are high-tech spectator sporting events, the result of lots of focused brainstorming, real-world teamwork, dedicated mentoring, project timelines, and deadlines." — USFIRST.org

  • CONSTRUCT:

    Build a robot out of aluminum, steel, iron, plastic, rubber tubing, pretty much anything you can think of and weld, cut, slam, stretch, drill, saw, and bolt it all together to make one mean machine.

  • CONFIGURE:

    Use MPLAB to program the robot's electronic systems to do a number of tasks, such as starting, stopping, and reversing the motors to make it move, shoot, swing, jump, fly, glow, etc., and make all of it work with the operator interface and controllers provided in the kit.

  • CALIBRATE:

    Test your robot over and over again, making sure all the motors, electronics, sensors, camera, transmission, and interface work in perfect unison and with as little extra code as possible.

  • CUSTOMIZE:

    Add decals for your sponsors, pimp out your team with a set of vibrant colors.

  • COMPETE:

    Think you've got a mean machine? Prove it! FIRST has a yearly competition featuring hundreds of teams across the United States that is guaranteed to put your soldier of metal to the ultimate test. Perform well, and you may have a chance in winning one of many various awards.