Home~ The CocoNuts Fast Facts History Accomplishments Biographies Alum-nuts Our Robots Our Impact Mission Statement Mentoring High Altitude Robotics Extravaganza Community Involvement Public/Media Outreach Current Projects About FIRST What is FIRST? FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) FIRST Technology Challenge (FTC) FIRST Lego League (FLL) Junior FIRST Lego League (JFLL) Sponsors Team Sponsors High Altitude Robotics Extravaganza Sponsors Become a Sponsor Contact Us Contact Information Donation Information Online Contact Form How to Get Involved Team Resources Event Calendar Team Webmail Chatroom Helpful Links Media Photo Gallery "News Feed" Blog The CocoNuts Robotics Website by Vitas Zukowski is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

What is FTC? The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) is designed for those who want to compete head-to-head, using a sports model. Teams of up to 10 students are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete in an alliance format against other teams. The robot kit is reusable from year-to-year and is programmed using a variety of languages. Teams, including coaches, mentors and volunteers, are required to develop strategy and build robots based on sound engineering principles. Awards are given for the competition as for well as for community outreach, design, and other real-world accomplishments.     This year's game, titled Bowled over is played on a 12'x12' field with two Alliances – one “red” and one “blue” – composed of two teams each. The game consist of a 30 second Autonomous followed by a 2 minute driver controlled period. The object of the game is to score more points than your opponent's alliance by placing racquet balls into crates and then stacking the crates. Teams will be challenged to complete tasks during autonomous and driver controlled periods and will score special racquetballs and six pound bowling balls for additional points. There are a total of 100 racquetballs available to both teams as scoring objects in the game. The field also holds 12 stackable Ball Crates that teams can fill with racquetballs and stack for additional points, and two bowling balls that can be scored during the autonomous or end game period for additional points. The field includes two home zones comprised of a platform and a ramp, and two protected zones where a team may stack their crates without fear of having them toppled by their opponents. During the Autonomous period teams are rewarded for their robots driving to specific places on the field, setting crates upright, and placing a bowling ball in a specific place on the field. All of this is done AUTONOMOUSLY. During the teleoperated period teams score by driving their robot to score balls in crates and stacking the crates. The final thirty (30) seconds of the Driver Controlled Period is called the End Game. Each Alliance is challenged to push their Bowling Ball onto their Home Zone or to elevate stacks of Ball Crates to score additional points based on the height of the Ball Crates. For the Complete Game manual download CLICK HERE. For the game anumation and other game files CLICK HERE. ~Go to the official FIRST Tech Challenge Website ~Go to the Arizona FTC Website What is Unique About FTC? Getting to design, build, and program robots Applying real-world math and science concepts Developing problem-solving, organizational, and team-building skills Competing and cooperating in alliances and tournaments Being able to earn a place at the FIRST World Championship Qualifying for close to $7 million in college scholarships Above text copyright of usfirst.org   Any comments, suggestions, or concerns about the website? Then email us! Page last updated 10-10-2011