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Unlike many competitions, each year FIRST creates an entirely new game challenge. This year is no different.
OVERDRIVE, the new game for the 2008 season of FRC, is a racing-type game that involves robots moving quickly counter-clockwise around a track on the field, earning points for passing over their own finish line.
Another dimension of the game is present with the addition of large, 40" wide balls, called Trackballs. These balls start the game on a metal jungle-gym-like structure called the Overpass. Once they are taken off this Overpass, the balls are meant to be pushed around the track or thrown back over the Overpass to earn points.
Each match starts with a 15 second Hybrid Mode, a mix between an autonomous mode and a teleoperated mode. In Hybrid Mode, robots earn 4 points for each line they pass, an additional 2 points if they move a Trackball over any line, and 8 points for knocking a Trackball off the Overpass. The RoboCoach, a new addition to the Drive Team, can control the robot using a regular infra-red remote control.
In Teleoperated mode, robots get 2 points for passing their finish line, 2 additional points for passing the finish line with a Trackball, and 8 points if you Hurdle the ball, where the robot "throws" the Trackball over the Overpass.
In Endgame, the final 15 seconds of the game, robots can place the Trackballs back on the Overpass for an additional 12 points.
Events
In 2008, Team 2056 will be competing in several events including:
2008 Waterloo Regional
Hosted at the University of Waterloo, this is the fourth year for this event, and the second for our team competing in it.
March 21-22, 2008
http://www.firstrobotics.uwaterloo.ca/
2008 Greater Toronto Regional
The 2008 Greater Toronto Regional is the largest Robotics event hosted in Canada. Home to over 60 teams annually, this is also our second time competing in this event.
March 28-29, 2008
http://www.firstroboticscanada.org/site/index.php
2008 FIRST National Championship
The "superbowl" of FIRST Robotics. If we do well in our regional events, Team 2056 hopes to be attending the championship in 2008.
April 17-19, 2008
http://www.usfirst.org/community/frc/content.aspx?id=432&menu_id=80
IRI (Indiana Robotics Invitational)
This is "Where the Egos Come to Play". As an off-season invitational event, we hope to be invited back to defend our title.
July 17-19, 2008
http://www.indianaroboticsinvitational.org/iri/
First
What is FIRST?
Known as US First, FIRST organizes competitions specializing in science and technology. Along with promoting science and technology education, FIRST promotes leadership and confidence among the teams competing. The non-profit organization holds competition for students of all ages throughout North America and Internationally.
Why Get Involved?
While the competitions themselves offer an exciting challenge, they also offer much more. By designing and building a robot from scratch, students are given hands on education and learning in the field of science and technology . With "Gracious Professionalism" being a key component of FIRST, competitions also promote teamwork, leadership and confidence. Lastly many Universities offer scholarships to those involved in FIRST, last year 9 million dollars was offered in scholarships.
FIRST Events
FIRST offers several levels of events for specific age groups, they include:
FIRST Robotics Challenge:
This is the premiere division of US FIRST. Open to highschool students, these challenges represent the high-watermark of FIRST competitions.
FIRST Vex Challenge
Much like the Robotics Challenge, Vex Challenge offers the same challenges and skills required, but on a much smaller scale. Suitable for highschool students, this is the more affordable series for rookie teams to compete in.
FIRST Lego League
This international series created for children, age 9-14, represents a stepping stone for children to take an interest into the science and technology fields, as well as later FIRST competitions.
Junior FIRST Lego League
The Junior FIRST Lego League offers the same teamwork, confidence building structure as the other series, but for the younger crowd. Aged between 6-9 the Junior FIRST Lego League represents the stepping stone for greater things.