FIRST Tech Challenge

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The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), formerly the FIRST Vex Challenge (FVC), is a mid-level robotics competition targeted toward high-school aged students. It offers the traditional challenge of a FIRST competition but with a more accessible and affordable robotics kit.

The ultimate goal of FTC is to reach more young people with a lower-cost, more accessible opportunity to discover the excitement and rewards of science, technology, and engineering. The FIRST Tech Challenge grew out of the existing FIRST Robotics Competition and the FIRST Robovation platform. FIRST, RadioShack, and Innovation First collaborated to develop an improved version of the FIRST Robovation kit. The new kit is significantly upgraded and is called the Vex Robotics Design System.

In 2005-06, FIRST piloted the FIRST Vex Challenge as a potential program. The pilot season brought together over 130 teams to compete in 6 regional tournaments. Fifty teams participated in the FVC tournament at the FIRST Championship in April, 2006. On April 29, 2006 the FIRST Board of Directors voted to extend FVC for the 2006-07 season.

In Summer 2007, after two pilot seasons as the FIRST Vex Challenge, FIRST announced that the program would now be named the FIRST Tech Challenge and be an official FIRST program. The continued use of the Vex robotics system in future FTC seasons is uncertain at this time as FIRST is currently exploring the use of other robotics platforms.^[1]

[edit] Competition themes

In the past, the challenges have been based on several different themes:

• 2007 - Quad Quandary
• 2006 - Hangin'-A-Round
• 2005 - Half-Pipe Hustle

[edit] See also

• Hangin'-A-Round - Vex 2006 competition
• FIRST - FIRST Organization
• Vex - Vex Robotics Design System
• FIRST Lego League

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official FIRST website
• Official FIRST Tech Challenge website
• Official FIRST LEGO League website
• ChiefDelphi - Unofficial FIRST Forums
• Robot Gossip
• Unofficial Wiki on FIRST