Immersion in technical boot camp culminates at 2002 FIRST at Epcot

Emily M. Smith
ASME NEWS

After six weeks of intense intellectual labor in a technical boot camp, and after many more months of fine-tuning, the capabilities of hundreds of robots designed and built by teams of students and professionals were tested in April in the final event of the 2002 FIRST competition.

Thousands of fans watched robot teams compete in the final "Zone Zeal" during FIRST.

 

The championship, held at Epcot in Orlando, Fla., was supported by hundreds of ASME members who worked on teams, served as judges and offered technical support to any team in need. Most of the robots had competed in regional competitions during March.

To earn points, the robots in this year's challenge had to collect soccer balls and place them in goals, which then had to be moved into specified zones — in less than two minutes.

To accomplish that task, several teams created a mini-robot that was deployed from the mother robot to help carry out the mission.

A mini-robot attempts to relocate the goal in a match during the FIRST competition final.

 

The 291 teams that competed in the final "Zone Zeal," as this year's competition was known, came from Brazil, Canada, Puerto Rico and the United States. During the championship, 26 of those teams earned awards.

The championship event at Epcot was attended by an estimated 20,000 people.
FIRST was created to instill an appreciation of science and technology in young people and their schools. FIRST teams function as partnerships among schools, businesses and local communities.

For details about participating in FIRST, visit www.asme.org/education/precollege.

See related story in this month's Mechanical Engineering magazine.

 

back to news & features