Good Afternoon Teams,
Next question. How should we geographically define overlap as it relates to accessibility of FIRST programs? The group working on the long range plan want to define a measurement of distance between FRC and FTC programs that makes it possible for students to have access to both programs (to participate on both teams at some point). How far apart can teams be and still have students participate in both? How far is too far?
Again, I’ll tally your answers Tuesday afternoon and get back to the group working on the long range plan.
131 days until Kickoff
See you then!
Monday, August 29, 2011
What do you think? 1 of 2
Good Afternoon Teams,
On the 17th I asked for your input about what to call the events that evolve from the Michigan District Pilot and you were good enough to share your opinions. The term still hasn’t been finalized (I’ll let you know when it is.), but whenever it is discussed around here I can say “the teams tell me they prefer districts”.
Now I have another question for you. (Two actually, but to keep the discussions separate I’m going to post them in separate blogs.)
Which comes first, FRC or FTC? No, this isn’t a question of value. It’s more of a chicken and the egg type question. Which happens more often? A FRC team is formed in an area and eventually FTC teams pop up, or a FTC team is formed and eventually one or more FRC teams develop in the area? Other than building an interactive map showing FRC & FTC team growth over time and space, (which we don’t have the time or manpower to do) we don’t have any easily accessible data to answer that question. So, what is your experience?
I’ll tally your answers Tuesday afternoon and get back to the group working on the long range plan.
Thank you.
131 days until Kickoff
See you then!
On the 17th I asked for your input about what to call the events that evolve from the Michigan District Pilot and you were good enough to share your opinions. The term still hasn’t been finalized (I’ll let you know when it is.), but whenever it is discussed around here I can say “the teams tell me they prefer districts”.
Now I have another question for you. (Two actually, but to keep the discussions separate I’m going to post them in separate blogs.)
Which comes first, FRC or FTC? No, this isn’t a question of value. It’s more of a chicken and the egg type question. Which happens more often? A FRC team is formed in an area and eventually FTC teams pop up, or a FTC team is formed and eventually one or more FRC teams develop in the area? Other than building an interactive map showing FRC & FTC team growth over time and space, (which we don’t have the time or manpower to do) we don’t have any easily accessible data to answer that question. So, what is your experience?
I’ll tally your answers Tuesday afternoon and get back to the group working on the long range plan.
Thank you.
131 days until Kickoff
See you then!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
I'll be off site tomorrow
Good Afternoon Teams,
Thank you to everyone who responded to last week’s call for Beta Teams. 58 applications have been collected so far and there is room for more. The deadline is Friday Sept 2nd at noon EST so get your application in. We’ve started to review the choices, but won’t make any decisions until after the deadline. Teams will be notified on Sept 16th and will have to sign a disclosure statement right away. I’ll keep you updated.
For those of you who asked, Frank has an update on the cRIO FRCII.
The Dean’s List Winners met with Dean last week and he asked them to round up missing FIRST Alumni. They’ve started a FIRST Alumni Facebook page Be sure to tell your team members and alumni. I enjoyed the chance to talk with the Dean’s list winners. They had some very interesting and insightful comments that I plan to take back to the GDC.
Boys Latin School of Maryland takes its FRC team 2534The Lakers seriously enough to honor their Regional win.
FIRST President, Jon Dudas is in the running to speak at the next South by Southwest conference You can vote for his panel “Building the Next Generation of Innovators” here. Deadline Sept 2nd.
137 days until Kickoff
See you then!
Thank you to everyone who responded to last week’s call for Beta Teams. 58 applications have been collected so far and there is room for more. The deadline is Friday Sept 2nd at noon EST so get your application in. We’ve started to review the choices, but won’t make any decisions until after the deadline. Teams will be notified on Sept 16th and will have to sign a disclosure statement right away. I’ll keep you updated.
For those of you who asked, Frank has an update on the cRIO FRCII.
- The last day to purchase the original FRC cRIO is Friday, Sept 30th. 8 slot controller with 2x 9201, 2x 9403 and 1x 9472 modules $750 at the FRC discounted price.
- The new cRIO FRCII may be ordered by teams starting Monday, Oct 3rd. 4 slot controller with 1x 9201, 1x 9403 and 1x 9472 modules $525 at the FRC discounted price. Chassis only (no modules) $285 at the FRC discounted price. Initial deliveries will ship either late November or early December.
- NI will give registered FRC teams one Discount Credit each calendar year. The FRC discount may be used to purchase the new cRIO FRCII kit (with modules), the chassis only (no modules) or both (1kit plus one chassis) as long as the items are purchased in a single order.
- FRC teams that were registered for the 2011 season may use the 2011 discount right away. Teams that register for the 2012 season may use the 2012 discount starting Oct 3, 2011. Teams that consume both credits will not be able to order additional FRC discounted hardware until Jan 1, 2013. Discount credits may not be carried forward. (Teams may, however, order additional original cRIOs and cRIO FRCIIs at an educational discount price.)
- Call 1-866-511-6285 to order
- Software for programming the new cRIO FRCII will not be available until kickoff. Beta teams will be testing this software starting in September.
- Teams may continue to use the original FRC cRIO in competition this year.
 | |
| Local teams demo their robots and discuss their designs with suppliers |
 |
| Representatives from Microsoft, Intel, Gates Corporation and Grainger deep in discussion |
Boys Latin School of Maryland takes its FRC team 2534The Lakers seriously enough to honor their Regional win.
 |
| This photo warms my heart. |
FIRST President, Jon Dudas is in the running to speak at the next South by Southwest conference You can vote for his panel “Building the Next Generation of Innovators” here. Deadline Sept 2nd.
137 days until Kickoff
See you then!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Do you have a better name for it?
Good Afternoon Teams,
The GDC met in Manchester this past weekend and were able to winnow the pool of potential 2013 games down to the top three choices. (Which is a lot harder than it sounds. A lot of these ideas have the potential to be really good.) Next month we’ll gather to face the challenge of turning the top idea into a functional game head on.
Work on the 2012 game is progressing as planned. We’re finalizing the game manual, procuring game elements and constructing updates to the game fields. We have a short list of three possible game names and Marketing is vetting the options. With any luck we’ll have a game name this week and can start ordering branded material.
Because the GDC members would be traveling home on Sunday night at the same time the i.am.FIRST show aired, we were able to show the group a copy on Saturday during a break. It was a lot of fun watching the show with such a dedicated group of FIRST fanatics. If you didn’t see will.i.am’s show about FIRST, I’d point you towards an online link for the video, but the i.am.FIRST production team has made it very clear that an official copy has not been posted yet. All copies of i.am.FIRST Science is Rock and Roll currently on line are unauthorized. When I can point you towards the official version, you can be sure I will.
We are gearing up for the annual Suppliers’ Summit occurring later this week. Our generous suppliers are coming in from all over the country to meet with our Kit of Parts team, provide feedback on their experience, make suggestions on the future Kits of Parts, and have dinner at Dean’s house. They will also have the opportunity to meet with a few local teams to get feedback directly from some of their end users. I plan to slip in and out of the events as my schedule allows.
We are also expecting a visit from the 2011 Dean’s List Award winners this week. They will be visiting DEKA (Dean’s Research and Development facility), touring FIRST (no they won’t be given any hints about this year’s game), and participating in the Supplier’s Summit dinner at Dean’s home. I’m looking forward to my chance to meet with them. Last year’s DLA winners were full of good ideas and valuable insights. I expect this year’s group will be just as articulate and well informed. You can follow Lydia @deanslist2011 and Tina @tina_dutra
What is your team planning to do this fall and winter? We need FRC teams to Beta Test the 2012 software and new hardware elements this September through December. If your team is interested and has the time, fill out the application online. Feel free to share this announcement with teams you know may be interested. An email blast to all teams will go out probably later this week.
I want your opinion. We’re going back and forth on what to call the new qualification events. The Michigan District Pilot is over and this year we will introduce a qualification structure based on lessons learned. Michigan and a second region will be hosting 2012 qualification events that lead up to a State/Regional Championship. The problem is, we can’t agree on what to call the events. Michigan used the term “District”, and technically the events are “Qualification”, but neither term seems just right. Do you have a suggestion? Please vote/make suggestions in the comments section. I’ll tally them up and take the results back to the staff discussions.
I see the question on last week’s blog about when will the new cRIO FRCIIs be available for purchase, but I can’t give you a date yet. Frank Merrick (the Deputy Director of FRC) is discussing the time line with NI right now. When we know, I’ll share with you.
143 days until Kickoff
See you then!
The GDC met in Manchester this past weekend and were able to winnow the pool of potential 2013 games down to the top three choices. (Which is a lot harder than it sounds. A lot of these ideas have the potential to be really good.) Next month we’ll gather to face the challenge of turning the top idea into a functional game head on.
Work on the 2012 game is progressing as planned. We’re finalizing the game manual, procuring game elements and constructing updates to the game fields. We have a short list of three possible game names and Marketing is vetting the options. With any luck we’ll have a game name this week and can start ordering branded material.
Because the GDC members would be traveling home on Sunday night at the same time the i.am.FIRST show aired, we were able to show the group a copy on Saturday during a break. It was a lot of fun watching the show with such a dedicated group of FIRST fanatics. If you didn’t see will.i.am’s show about FIRST, I’d point you towards an online link for the video, but the i.am.FIRST production team has made it very clear that an official copy has not been posted yet. All copies of i.am.FIRST Science is Rock and Roll currently on line are unauthorized. When I can point you towards the official version, you can be sure I will.
We are gearing up for the annual Suppliers’ Summit occurring later this week. Our generous suppliers are coming in from all over the country to meet with our Kit of Parts team, provide feedback on their experience, make suggestions on the future Kits of Parts, and have dinner at Dean’s house. They will also have the opportunity to meet with a few local teams to get feedback directly from some of their end users. I plan to slip in and out of the events as my schedule allows.
We are also expecting a visit from the 2011 Dean’s List Award winners this week. They will be visiting DEKA (Dean’s Research and Development facility), touring FIRST (no they won’t be given any hints about this year’s game), and participating in the Supplier’s Summit dinner at Dean’s home. I’m looking forward to my chance to meet with them. Last year’s DLA winners were full of good ideas and valuable insights. I expect this year’s group will be just as articulate and well informed. You can follow Lydia @deanslist2011 and Tina @tina_dutra
What is your team planning to do this fall and winter? We need FRC teams to Beta Test the 2012 software and new hardware elements this September through December. If your team is interested and has the time, fill out the application online. Feel free to share this announcement with teams you know may be interested. An email blast to all teams will go out probably later this week.
I want your opinion. We’re going back and forth on what to call the new qualification events. The Michigan District Pilot is over and this year we will introduce a qualification structure based on lessons learned. Michigan and a second region will be hosting 2012 qualification events that lead up to a State/Regional Championship. The problem is, we can’t agree on what to call the events. Michigan used the term “District”, and technically the events are “Qualification”, but neither term seems just right. Do you have a suggestion? Please vote/make suggestions in the comments section. I’ll tally them up and take the results back to the staff discussions.
I see the question on last week’s blog about when will the new cRIO FRCIIs be available for purchase, but I can’t give you a date yet. Frank Merrick (the Deputy Director of FRC) is discussing the time line with NI right now. When we know, I’ll share with you.
143 days until Kickoff
See you then!
Friday, August 12, 2011
New addition to the family
Good Morning Teams,
The first of the new cRIO-FRCIIs arrived in Manchester this week. By the time I could get downstairs to take a picture, the engineers on the first floor had already hooked it up to one of their test stations. FRC, NI and WPI will be using these stations to test and verify new images, library functionality and sensor support as we prepare for 2012. We might even connect them to new technologies, you never know.
I understand teams would really like to know the 2012 competition schedule; unfortunately it is still too much in flux for me to share. We have 8 venues contracted and another three dozen engaged in the contract process (but not finalized yet). Then there are the venues we’re starting negotiations with and the venues we‘re still trying to pin down. It is a long and involved process and if we share the list before the majority of contracts are in hand, there’s always the potential for unintentionally giving a venue the upper hand in negotiations. I can, however, tell you that we will be keeping week one limited to just a few events like last year. We will be beta testing this fall and are planning a week zero event in order to ensure week one runs smoothly. Then we will be doubling up on FTAs at week one events to make sure everyone is ready and the season goes flawlessly. When I have the 2012 competition schedule finalized, you will be the first to know.
148 days until Kickoff
See you then!
The first of the new cRIO-FRCIIs arrived in Manchester this week. By the time I could get downstairs to take a picture, the engineers on the first floor had already hooked it up to one of their test stations. FRC, NI and WPI will be using these stations to test and verify new images, library functionality and sensor support as we prepare for 2012. We might even connect them to new technologies, you never know.
I understand teams would really like to know the 2012 competition schedule; unfortunately it is still too much in flux for me to share. We have 8 venues contracted and another three dozen engaged in the contract process (but not finalized yet). Then there are the venues we’re starting negotiations with and the venues we‘re still trying to pin down. It is a long and involved process and if we share the list before the majority of contracts are in hand, there’s always the potential for unintentionally giving a venue the upper hand in negotiations. I can, however, tell you that we will be keeping week one limited to just a few events like last year. We will be beta testing this fall and are planning a week zero event in order to ensure week one runs smoothly. Then we will be doubling up on FTAs at week one events to make sure everyone is ready and the season goes flawlessly. When I have the 2012 competition schedule finalized, you will be the first to know.
148 days until Kickoff
See you then!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Have you seen this?
Good Afternoon Teams,
There’s just 10 days left until the i.am.FIRST special premieres on ABC (Sunday, Aug 14 7/6c). You can learn more about the show here.
jcpenney is a big supporter of FIRST. They are currently running a Pennies from heaven challenge to both promote their philanthropic venture and to raise more support. You can check it out on line.
And, if you didn’t see it in the comments section for Tuesday’s blog, Team 3096, Finney High School from Detroit, and the Michigan Engineering Zone (MEZ) will be featured on Thurs 8/4 at 8PM in "Detroit in Overdrive" on the Plant Green channel. More info and a channel finder here.
156 days until Kickoff
See you then!
There’s just 10 days left until the i.am.FIRST special premieres on ABC (Sunday, Aug 14 7/6c). You can learn more about the show here.
jcpenney is a big supporter of FIRST. They are currently running a Pennies from heaven challenge to both promote their philanthropic venture and to raise more support. You can check it out on line.
And, if you didn’t see it in the comments section for Tuesday’s blog, Team 3096, Finney High School from Detroit, and the Michigan Engineering Zone (MEZ) will be featured on Thurs 8/4 at 8PM in "Detroit in Overdrive" on the Plant Green channel. More info and a channel finder here.
156 days until Kickoff
See you then!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
8.02.11
Good Afternoon Teams,
I couldn’t let today go by without wishing you a Happy WiFi Day. Thank you, WiFi, for all you do for FRC. May teams experience minimal packet loss and excellent QOS in the coming year!
In other news, this video by team 1816 Edina Robotics was just brought to my attention. It’s good to know teams are already preparing for the upcoming season. I find their behavior (and meeting location) very inspiring.
158 days until Kickoff
See you then!
I couldn’t let today go by without wishing you a Happy WiFi Day. Thank you, WiFi, for all you do for FRC. May teams experience minimal packet loss and excellent QOS in the coming year!
In other news, this video by team 1816 Edina Robotics was just brought to my attention. It’s good to know teams are already preparing for the upcoming season. I find their behavior (and meeting location) very inspiring.
158 days until Kickoff
See you then!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Every four years
Good Afternoon Teams,
Presidential candidate Governor Jon Huntsman met with Dean at DEKA today and always thinking of ways to promote FIRST, Dean brought him across the street to FIRST Place. Dean introduced the Governor to the campers in FIRST place who demonstrated Lego and FTC robots. Then they spoke with team 151 Tough Techs who were kind enough to come in on short notice with their Lunacy robot to talk about FRC and demonstrate a ‘big bot’ for the Governor.
I didn’t get any pictures because I was busy answering questions and meeting with members of the press. The Associated Press, The Boston Globe, The LA Times and The Concord Monitor (a NH paper) interviewed Dean and Governor Huntsman and spoke with the campers and FRC Team members. Our local ABC affiliate WMUR and representatives from NBC filmed the event so you may see us on the news.
Now, I really have to get back to work.
159 days until Kickoff
See you then!
Presidential candidate Governor Jon Huntsman met with Dean at DEKA today and always thinking of ways to promote FIRST, Dean brought him across the street to FIRST Place. Dean introduced the Governor to the campers in FIRST place who demonstrated Lego and FTC robots. Then they spoke with team 151 Tough Techs who were kind enough to come in on short notice with their Lunacy robot to talk about FRC and demonstrate a ‘big bot’ for the Governor.
I didn’t get any pictures because I was busy answering questions and meeting with members of the press. The Associated Press, The Boston Globe, The LA Times and The Concord Monitor (a NH paper) interviewed Dean and Governor Huntsman and spoke with the campers and FRC Team members. Our local ABC affiliate WMUR and representatives from NBC filmed the event so you may see us on the news.
Now, I really have to get back to work.
159 days until Kickoff
See you then!
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