MANCHESTER, N.H.--Nov. 19, 2001--FIRST LEGO� League (FLL) Teams from all over the country get ready for the dangerous world of icebergs, frostbite, carnivorous animals and mile-high slushies in the biggest snow squall of the century in response to this year's Challenge - ARCTIC IMPACT! FLL teams attempt to master the extremes as they travel to remote arctic regions in a race against time battling ice storms, 120 mile per hour winds, and temperatures reaching -40 degrees. These colossal storms could strike at any time resulting in conditions too harsh for humans to face alone. Can FLL Teams save the expedition and complete the Missions before disaster strikes? 19 State Tournaments taking place across the country beginning in December will decide. Visit www.firstlegoleague.org for the full tournament schedule.
More than 17,000 young people across the U.S. will compete in ARCTIC IMPACT, amazing their mentors and teachers in what they call "Hard" Fun. While the theme is a stark contrast from last year's VOLCANIC PANIC, the spirit of this year's FLL Challenge remains the same. FLL team members muster all their resources, wit and creativity as they solve technological problems using LEGO elements as their tools. As in previous years, FLL Teams will be building and programming a robot to complete various Missions for this season's Challenge. If the past success of the competitions is any indication, FLL teams won't let this year's "harsh climate" prevent them from creating some of the most ingenious robotic solutions imaginable.
FLL is known as the friendly, high-tech sporting event that challenges young participants to design, build and program fully autonomous robots using the LEGO MINDSTORMS(TM) Robotics Invention System(TM). Through the annual Challenge, teams of up to 10 children and an adult coach are given a problem that requires them to create a programmed robot capable of implementing their unique solution to successfully complete the mission. ARCTIC IMPACT requires teams to build a robot that can match the challenges found in the coldest regions of our world. Teams have the chance to compete for awards in areas where their team has excelled, such as: programming, mechanical design, strategy, problem-solving, sportsmanship and teamwork.
"FIRST LEGO League is about reaching these kids when it's important," says FIRST Founder, Dean Kamen. "This is a crucial time in their lives and the more positive experiences they have with science, math and technology, the better chance they have for success in their future. The FLL process is, in every way, a microcosm of a real business. In a successful business, you start out with a problem, not enough resources, you don't know what the competition is doing and you have to invent, design, develop, prototype, rebuild and deliver a working solution. This is the heart of FLL."
Inspiring curiosity among 9-14 year olds in science and technology is the goal of the FIRST LEGO League. Developed by FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) through a partnership with the LEGO Company, FLL presents an interactive program that captivates kids' interest in science and technology as they learn the dynamics of teamwork and problem solving.
"One of the biggest issues we talk about in schools right now is that we spend a lot of time giving kids things to do, but not a lot of time telling them what to do with that information," says Constance Lippert, Software Engineer for Bell & Howell Information & Learning. "This competition is the closest experience to a 'real world' technical challenge that a child could hope for in a traditional educational environment today."
Teams are generated through schools, Boy and Girl Scout troops, YMCAs and other youth-based organizations. Participants gather for Local and State Tournaments during the month of December, as well as events and exhibitions that continue throughout the year. To learn more about FIRST and its programs, visit www.usfirst.org.
"We receive countless reports from educators and parents on the benefits that have come to their children as a result of working hands-on, minds-on with the LEGO MINDSTORMS robotics products," says Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen, President and CEO, LEGO Company. "We continually strive to reach all children with engaging and fun learning experiences and the FIRST LEGO League, which was created through our partnership with FIRST, is one of the finest ways we are reaching that goal."
The technology used in the FLL program is from the LEGO MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System, the result of a ten-year collaboration between LEGO and the MIT Media Labs. The heart of each robot is the RCX(TM), an autonomous microcomputer that can be programmed using a PC. The RCX serves as the brain of the robotic inventions by using light and touch sensors to take input from its environment, process data and signal output motors to turn on and off. Users first build their robot from more than 700 LEGO elements and then create a program for their invention using RCX Code, a simple but powerful programming language. Next, they download their program to the RCX using a special infrared transmitter. Creations then can interact with the environment, fully independent from the computer. To learn more about LEGO MINDSTORMS, visit www.LEGOMINDSTORMS.com.
FIRST is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1989 to interest and inspire young people in science, engineering and technology. FLL is one of several FIRST programs and initiatives. To learn more about FIRST and all its activities, visit www.usfirst.org.
