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Hello Teams! Once again, I�m pleased to let you know that FIRST Tech Challenge will invite teams to apply for a waitlist spot for the FIRST World Championship tournament that serves their region. As we expand the event to 160 teams in both Houston and Detroit, I�m glad to have the opportunity to share the excitement of this grand event with even more students! Here�s what you need to know about the waitlist: Your team can apply for the waitlist for the Championship Tournament that serves your region through the team dashboard at firstinspires.org .  Login to your team's dashboard Click on the pull down button labeled "Event Options" and select "View Team Events" Click on the button labeled "Find An Event" Click on the Blue Name of the Championship Event that appears The event will pop open in a new window Click on the button labeled "Waitlist". You will then be registered to the waitlist. The waitlist is open now, and will remain open throug...

With the new advancement strategy for our 2018-2019 season, FIRST � Tech Challenge will be inviting teams to FIRST Championship as they qualify from their state and regional championship events. Once a team qualifies they will receive an email invitation from FIRST Tech Challenge Headquarters. This invite will include important next steps in the registration process as well as badging, hotel, and travel information. A team will not be able to sign up for a hotel room until their championship event-host has sent their team information to FIRST Tech Challenge HQ, and they have accepted their email invitation from FIRST Tech Challenge. Once a team has confirmed that they will be attending FIRST Championship, they will be able to book their hotel room blocks.   We strongly recommend booking your team�s hotel rooms through FIRST . When you book with FIRST , you will: Stay close to all the event action Receive guaranteed low rates at FIRST -reviewed and sanctioned hotels Enjoy FIRST...

Introduction Game rules <RE13> and <RE14> in the Game Manual Part 1 have been modified to allow the use of USB Video Class ( UVC) Compatible Cameras for computer vision-related tasks.   Teams have the option of using an externally connected camera instead of the Android smartphone�s built-in camera for computer vision tasks. The advantage of using an external camera is that the camera can be mounted in a location that is convenient for vision-related tasks while the Android Robot Controller can be mounted where it is convenient for Robot Controller-related tasks. The disadvantage of using an external camera is there is additional complexity introduced with the USB-connected camera.   An external camera adds costs and weight to a robot and it needs to be wired correctly to run properly. What type of external camera can be used? The system supports �UVC� or USB Video Device Class cameras.   Theoretically, if a camera is UVC compliant, then it should work with...

The Motorola E4 phone is approved for use in the  FIRST  Tech Challenge. In fall 2018, teams reported seemingly random disconnects between the Driver Station and Robot Controller devices when the E4 phones were used. Note that although this issue was first reported with the Motorola E4 phone, it also occurs with the Motorola G5 and G5 Plus phones.   The disconnects can occur when the Motorola E4 phone is acting as the Driver Station, and an op mode has been selected and initialized, but not started.  In this situation, if the Robot Controller  waits for a  start  command from the Driver Station, the phones might momentarily disconnect and cause the op mode run to stop before the start command is received.   There is a solution to this problem.  It involves rewriting your op mode so that the Robot Controller sends telemetry messages to the Driver Station while it is waiting for the start command.  Doing this seems to prevent the devices f...

FIRST Tech Challenge Tech Update:   Teams participating in the FIRST Tech Challenge can now use Google�s TensorFlow Machine Learning technology to detect and track Gold and Silver game elements. Teams can access Google�s TensorFlow technology through Blocks or Java programming.   TensorFlow can identify Gold and Silver game elements using an Android device�s built in camera or through an externally connected camera. A detailed tutorial is available that demonstrates how to use this TensorFlow technology is available here!  TensorFlow is Google's "machine learning" technology. It is a form of artificial intelligence. The software can "learn" and identify patterns and use this to do things like recognize when a Gold block is placed in front of the camera. For our software, Google "trained" the system (by showing it pictures of our Gold and Silver blocks in different positions and under different lighting conditions and backgrounds) so it would learn what...

�Why are you playing with robots?� If you�re like many FIRST � participants you�ve undoubtedly been asked this question when your friends or family hear about your robotics team. Everyone understands �team� and most know what a robot is, but many can�t connect how you might be competing and assume you�re just playing with technology. It�s not a big step from that to simply categorizing your efforts as a geeky outlet. �Good for Marissa, she�s playing with robots�� But what you want them to know is through these �geeky� robotics competitions, FIRST is developing future innovators, technology leaders, and creative problem solvers. You and your team are channeling your raw curiosity to think critically and seek ways to improve the world around   you � and you�re having fun while doing it. At, FIRST we fight this same battle against projections like this. Amplifying the FIRST experience, expanding access to our programs, and convincing sponsors and volunteers to join the mission. How...

Attention astronauts , we have an important update to the current mission at hand. The Dean�s List Award recognizes the leaders and ambassadors from each FIRST Tech Challenge Team. It awards the Captain Kirk�s in our world today. The Dean�s List Award first took off in 2010, when Dean Kamen himself realized that for FIRST to fulfill its mission of inspiring youth, he needed leaders that exemplify the core values of FIRST who could help spread the word and fuel the mission of FIRST . These leaders are the captains of their own destinies, ignoring the limitations set by space. They would consist of students already inspired by FIRST programs to make sure that generations to come are able to experience the positive impact of FIRST . As with the Dean�s List program that may already be in your school, the FIRST Dean�s List identifies the captains within FIRST who will fuel the mission we work to uphold. Each FIRST Tech Challenge team can nominate up to two students who are in the 10 th...

Before your team explores uncharted planets in ROVER RUCKUS presented by Qualcomm, explore practicing with field and scoring elements. This season�s FIRST� Tech Challenge field is out-of-this-world, and what better way to blast past other teams than practicing with precision on the field you'll be competing on! Here are some other reasons having your own ROVER RUCKUS presented by Qualcomm partial field will benefit your team:  Get hands-on experience with this season�s game elements This year�s game elements will look familiar to some of you. The gold cubes are from Block Party and the silver balls hail from Cascade Effect. Manipulating these objects depends on knowing their size and weight. How you collect these objects and load them onto the lander are up to you. If you don�t have these elements from prior seasons, you�ll need at least a few to design your bot. Program your robot to exact field specifications The playing field is 12 feet by 12 feet again this season. The cra...