Over 1,300 teams entered the 2007 First (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition (FRC). Each team, consisting of 15 to 25 high school students and a few engineer-mentors, received an identical kit from which it will design and build a robot to meet the annual engineering challenge.
Between 40 and 70 teams will make it to next month's regional competitions. Regional winners will advance to the national championship in Atlanta on April 12-14.
Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway Human Transporter, founded First "to create a world where science and technology are celebrated . . . where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes." Participants of the event, sponsored in part by Bishop-Wisecarver Corp., Pittsburg, Calif., will share nearly $8 million in scholarships.
For information about First or the First Robotics Competition, visit www.usfirst.org.
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