FIRST: For the Inspiration and Recognition or Science and Technology
FIRST, an abbreviation for For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, is an organization that runs and sponsors robotics competitions around the world. These competitions include Jr.FIRST Lego League (Jr.FLL), FIRST Lego League (FLL), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). FIRST was founded in 1992 by Dean Kamen (inventor of the Segway). He worked to give students exciting experiences in the fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) while instilling ideals of good sportsmanship and character with the ideas of Coopertition and Gracious Professionalism, which are incorporated into all four FIRST competitions.
Click here to learn more about FIRST.
Click here to learn more about FIRST.
FTC: FIRST Tech Challenge
FTC or FIRST Tech Challenge is one of four programs run by FIRST. FTC teams build an program robots that fit into 18"x18"x18" cubes and compete within both autonomous and teleop sessions on an annual challenge's game field. Teams also work to spread FIRST and its values to the community, and bond together as a team. FTC teams utilize the Lego NXT system, the Lego parts system, the Tetrix system by Pitsco, and the new Matrix system among other more generic parts, for building their robots. The RobotC and Labview softwares are used in FTC to program these highly competitive robots.
Click here to learn more about FTC.
Click here to learn more about FTC.