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FIRST Robotics Competition Team

Macquarie UniversityA/Prof Michael HeimlichElectronics Engineering

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Agenda

• What is FIRST• What is FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)• What does a FIRST team look like• Your FIRST Experience• What to do next

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What is FIRST

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FIRST

• Programs– Junior FIRST LEGO League (JFLL): 5-8– FIRST LEGO League (FLL): 9-14– FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC): 14-18

Started in1992 by inventor of Segway

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What is FIRST

• Principles– Inspiration

– Mentoring by professionals– Recognition

– Competitions– Gracious Professionalism

– Principles & practice– Community service

– Beyond competition– Set goals and achieve them

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FIRST Results

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What is FIRST Robotics Competition

…one person’s perspective

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Introducing Fenix1• Graciously donated by FRC Team 2342 “Team Phoenix”Greater Nashua FIRST Robotics,

Merrimack, New Hampshire USA

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My 1st FIRST Experience: The Challenge

• Car racing with a twist

• Herding & Hurdling the ball

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My 1st FIRST Experience: The Design

• 1st year team

• Let’s get something working!

• Lots of points for hurdling

• More times around the track

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My 1st FIRST Experience: The Solution

• What’s with the ladder?• Why build it if you can buy?

• Simple, robust drive train• Driving robot in 2 weeks

• Stable platform• Cg shifts when ball is raised

• Sensitive drive station• Amazing video game player as driver

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What Does A FIRST Team Look Like

Macquarie UniversityFIRST Robotics Competition Team

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It takes a village to make an FRC team

FIRST SponsorsFamily

Other FIRST Teams

Other FIRST

Resources

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Team Organization

Subteam leadership•Mentor leader•Student leader (team nominated)

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Who can be on the team

• Build Team– Mechanical - SolidWorks– Controls – soldering & sensors– Software – C++/Labview– Systems - budgeting

• Marketing Team– Web – Web design– Photo & Video - PhotoShop– Animation - ???

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Who can be on the team?

• Communications– Woodie Flowers Award submission– Sponsor communications

• Business– Complete accounting of team– Business plan award submission– Safety– Training

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So….

Who can be on the team?

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Welcome to your FIRST experience

• September - 1 or 2 meetings– Organize students & mentors

• October & November - 1 or 2 meetings– Mentors – assigned to subteams– Student CVs – due October 5th– Interviews (if necessary)– Training sessions – begin October 12th

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Welcome to your FIRST experience

• December – 1 or 2 meetings– Teamwork– Design Process

• January and February – 40+ days & nights!!!– Build Season –

• Kick-off - January 10th (US EST)

– Ship Date• February 17th (US EST)

• Late Feb or Early March– Regional Competition in Hawaii, CA, or NH

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Welcome to your FIRST experience

• Students– This is your team– You Design, Build, Test, Ship, Drive

• Mentors– This is their team– You Teach, Guide, Demonstrate, Chaperone, Encourage

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Welcome to your FIRST experience

• How do I get to go to the US to compete?– Qualify for team financial subsidy

• Subteam participation component• Community service component• Team fundraising component• Gracious professionalism component• Team nomination component

– Pay your own way• Still need to “earn” your way onto completion work crews

– Drive team– Pit crew

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Welcome to your FIRST experience

• To Learn More…during the season– www.chiefdelphi.com

• Great resource through forums• Meet other FRC-ers

– www.thebluealliance.net• Team stats• Video-taped matches

– www.usfirst.org• Challenge info, rules, etc.• More forums

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Welcome to your FIRST experience

• So….what is the team name???

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FIRST Australia – year one goals• Set up Core team

– Recruit 1-2 mentors for each 4-8 students– Satellite team in Melbourne

• Recruit at large number of secondary schools– Get enough students for 2-4 teams

• Community service– Help with FLL tournament

• Build robot

• Compete at premiere regional tournament in US– Hawaii, California or New Hampshire– Meet with FIRST founders

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FIRST Australia – years 2-4 goals• Disperse team members to form other teams

– Goal: 2-4 other teams per year

• Sydney mini-tourney– Need at least 4 teams– Invite NZ teams

• Sponsors’ FRC scholarships

• Mentor workshops

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What to do next…

• Students– Release forms

• Parent permission• Subteam task• Photo/video (model) • Medical

• Mentors– NSW DET background check

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Thank you!!!

Macquarie UniversityMacquarie University Faculty of Science

Macquarie ICT Innovations CentreBAE Systems

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