What is FIRST?
FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is an organization that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology and engineering.
What is the Sharon Youth Robotics Association?
The SYRA is a community organization in Sharon Massachusetts, dedicated to the support of FIRST LEGO League (FLL) and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) competition among our youth. In addition to their individual meetings, all of our teams meet together every week during the FIRST competition seasons. Organization, training and mentoring from coach and team peers help to develop rookie teams and constantly improve veteran teams. The opportunity to practice competition helps to prepare them for the state qualifying tournaments.
What is the FIRST LEGO League?
The FIRST LEGO League (FLL), considered the "little league" of the FIRST Robotics Competition, is the result of a partnership between FIRST and the LEGO Company. FLL extends the FIRST concept of inspiring and celebrating science and technology to children aged 9 through 14, using real-world context and hands-on experimentation.
With the help of LEGO® MINDSTORMS™ technology, young participants can build a robot and compete in a friendly, FIRST-style robotics event specially designed for their age group. Using LEGO bricks and other elements such as sensors, motors, and gears, teams gain hands-on experience in engineering and computer programming principles as they construct and program their unique robot inventions.
The FLL has been issues challenges to an international mix of teams since 1998, and is expected to approach 7000 teams in the fall of 2005. Past challenges can still be accessed.
What is the FIRST Tech Challenge?
The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) can be considered the "Junior Varsity" of the FIRST Robotics Competition, is a result of a partnership between FIRST and several sponsors and suppliers. FTC extends the FIRST concept of inspiring and celebrating science and technology to smaller teams that lack the resources or funding to participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition.
With the help of Tetrix technology, participants can design and build a robot to answer the announced challenge. Tetrix robots are intermediate in size - larger than LEGO Mindstorms FLL robots, smaller than the 130lb FRC robots, designed to fit in an 18" cube. The program was initiated in the spring of 2005, with a demonstration challenge at the World Championship.
What is the FIRST Robotics Competition?
The FIRST Robotics Competition is an exciting 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. The competitions are high-tech spectator sporting events, the result of lots of focused brainstorming, real-world teamwork, dedicated mentoring, project timelines, and deadlines.
The FRC has been issues challenges to an international mix of teams since 1992, and is expected to approach 1000 teams in the spring of 2006. Past challenges can still be accessed.
Last modified: 12/05/14 All Rights Reserved, © 2013 by Team Unlimited [FTC 0001]