Just a quick note to fill you in on the first annual FTC Sponsor Summit meeting held yesterday at PTC headquarters in Needham, MA. Rockwell Collins, General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems and PTC all attended.
We spent over six hours sharing with them the vision for FTC while they shared with FTC and FIRST their ideas and offers to help us realize the vision.
It was a great connection and we're really fortunate to have such great sponsors.
Some things to look for next season include a rev'd up FTC kickoff, more grants for teams, and more visibility of FTC both within the FIRST family of programs and abroad.
We'll be running international pilot events and further expanding the international presence that FTC enjoyed this season.
Lot's of great stuff going on during the "off-season"
Stay tuned!
Ken
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Patch to update RobotC through August
I posted earlier in response to a number of emails we got regarding the expiration of the license for RobotC. The 2009/2010 season license ran out at the start of this month.
Why did it run out?
The business model that Carnegie Mellon Robotics employs (the developers of RobotC) is based on software licensing. The commercial arrangement they've made with PITSCO, distributor of the FTC kit, is based on some amount of money for each FTC kit sold. The FTC kit includes the season license for RobotC.
The FTC business model is a hybrid falling somewhere between the FLL and FRC models. As you probably know the FLL kit is wholly a LEGO set of parts, which LEGO offers to registered FLL teams.
The FRC kit is a combination of parts from a variety of sponsors who donate and/or discount parts and vendors that sell FIRST parts. FIRST kits these and arranges logistics to ship about 2,000 FRC kits to arrive to teams at kickoff.
The FTC kit is a combination of parts from PITSCO, LEGO, Carnegie Mellon Robotics, National Instruments, and HiTechnic. PITSCO is the "general contractor" to pull together these parts and ship them to teams eligible to buy them after registering with FIRST. PITSCO also developed the actual TETRIX portion of the FTC kit.
All in all this system works pretty well to provide a kit with enough variety and capability to give our teams the raw material they need to solve the annual challenge or game.
Each of these commercial partners believes in FIRST and the mission. Each also has to make some return on their investment to justify developing, manufacturing, and supporting their part of the overall kit.
You can probably see areas where this causes friction, but for the most part it works pretty well.
So - now that we've come all the way around the barn - what can we do to support RobotC events (workshops, scrimmages, etc.)?
The folks at Carnegie Mellon have agreed to offer a bridge to get teams, coaches, and mentors to the next season by providing a patch. If you go to this website http://www.robotc.net/ftc/ you can extend your current version of RobotC through August.
Thanks to the people at CMU Robotics.
Talk soon,
Ken
Why did it run out?
The business model that Carnegie Mellon Robotics employs (the developers of RobotC) is based on software licensing. The commercial arrangement they've made with PITSCO, distributor of the FTC kit, is based on some amount of money for each FTC kit sold. The FTC kit includes the season license for RobotC.
The FTC business model is a hybrid falling somewhere between the FLL and FRC models. As you probably know the FLL kit is wholly a LEGO set of parts, which LEGO offers to registered FLL teams.
The FRC kit is a combination of parts from a variety of sponsors who donate and/or discount parts and vendors that sell FIRST parts. FIRST kits these and arranges logistics to ship about 2,000 FRC kits to arrive to teams at kickoff.
The FTC kit is a combination of parts from PITSCO, LEGO, Carnegie Mellon Robotics, National Instruments, and HiTechnic. PITSCO is the "general contractor" to pull together these parts and ship them to teams eligible to buy them after registering with FIRST. PITSCO also developed the actual TETRIX portion of the FTC kit.
All in all this system works pretty well to provide a kit with enough variety and capability to give our teams the raw material they need to solve the annual challenge or game.
Each of these commercial partners believes in FIRST and the mission. Each also has to make some return on their investment to justify developing, manufacturing, and supporting their part of the overall kit.
You can probably see areas where this causes friction, but for the most part it works pretty well.
So - now that we've come all the way around the barn - what can we do to support RobotC events (workshops, scrimmages, etc.)?
The folks at Carnegie Mellon have agreed to offer a bridge to get teams, coaches, and mentors to the next season by providing a patch. If you go to this website http://www.robotc.net/ftc/ you can extend your current version of RobotC through August.
Thanks to the people at CMU Robotics.
Talk soon,
Ken
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Ideas for FTC kickoff
FTC Nation is preparing for a variety of things including the AP conference, 2010/2011 game design, launch of the new Samantha WiFi module, and a huge influx of FTC teams in Texas. Thank goodness for the off season.
In addition we're also thinking about FTC kickoff. This year that will happen Saturday, September 11th.
In past years we've released the game animation video with commentary from myself and several others. We encouraged our Partners to hold regional kickoffs with their teams and unveil the game there too. Last year there were 17 of these regional kickoffs.
This year we want to amp it up a bit more.
Post some ideas on what you'd like to see for the FTC kickoff. We've got a great opportunity to carve out a kickoff that's fun and exciting without being tied to any existing "cook book."
If you're an adult reading this - make sure you ask your teams. One comment I recently got back is "we need to stop asking the adults what the kids want - let's just ask the kids!" I agree.
Thanks,
Ken
In addition we're also thinking about FTC kickoff. This year that will happen Saturday, September 11th.
In past years we've released the game animation video with commentary from myself and several others. We encouraged our Partners to hold regional kickoffs with their teams and unveil the game there too. Last year there were 17 of these regional kickoffs.
This year we want to amp it up a bit more.
Post some ideas on what you'd like to see for the FTC kickoff. We've got a great opportunity to carve out a kickoff that's fun and exciting without being tied to any existing "cook book."
If you're an adult reading this - make sure you ask your teams. One comment I recently got back is "we need to stop asking the adults what the kids want - let's just ask the kids!" I agree.
Thanks,
Ken
Friday, May 7, 2010
RobotC Expiration
The team license for RobotC expired at the start of May. This has put several volunteers at a significant disadvantage in planning/executing workshops and other events.
I am working with the Carnegie Mellon folks now to try and arrange a fix for this.
One patch type fix is downloading the free 30 day trial from the RobotC/CMU site for the new version 2.02. Programs that you developed on version 2.01 (last seasons version) will work on 2.02.
More to follow... but don't stop holding workshops, scrimmages, and other FTC events this summer!
Ken
I am working with the Carnegie Mellon folks now to try and arrange a fix for this.
One patch type fix is downloading the free 30 day trial from the RobotC/CMU site for the new version 2.02. Programs that you developed on version 2.01 (last seasons version) will work on 2.02.
More to follow... but don't stop holding workshops, scrimmages, and other FTC events this summer!
Ken
Thursday, May 6, 2010
FTC Outreach
All,
Just a couple thoughts on how we reach out to new FTC teams. I'll take any feedback you care to share in the comments section.
We've been experimenting with different forms of outreach here at FTC. With a small staff and limited resources we have to "pick our spots" with regard to larger scale activities.
At this point I'm pretty confident saying that most teams get involved in FTC through word-of-mouth. Teams that have experienced FIRST and FTC are the best advertisements for the program.
That method is great - and it's really how FIRST has grown to date - but there are ways to get more folks involved. The FIRST mission is to change the world by inspiring the next generation of technology leaders... and the sooner the better.
This year FTC exhibited at the NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) Conference in Philadelphia. We collected many "leads" from interested teachers, followed up with some information, and sent these contacts to the appropriate Affiliate Partners. We're also participating in the Boy Scout Jamboree later this summer. Some 43,000 Boy Scouts will have a chance to see what FTC's all about including getting their hands on robots.
We've been asked, and will speak at a few events that should pull in more technical volunteers and sponsors.
We're expanding in India, China, and a few other selected regions. Right now Nancy Paul, one of our Partner Services Managers, is in Taiwan working with new potential Affiliate Partners.
Lot's of stuff going on. Part of all this is to measure the return on effort/expense with regard to how effective we are at attracting new teams, volunteers, etc.
If you're taking part in any of these activities yourself give us some feedback and let us know what's working. If you've got any great ideas share them here.
Thanks,
Ken
Just a couple thoughts on how we reach out to new FTC teams. I'll take any feedback you care to share in the comments section.
We've been experimenting with different forms of outreach here at FTC. With a small staff and limited resources we have to "pick our spots" with regard to larger scale activities.
At this point I'm pretty confident saying that most teams get involved in FTC through word-of-mouth. Teams that have experienced FIRST and FTC are the best advertisements for the program.
That method is great - and it's really how FIRST has grown to date - but there are ways to get more folks involved. The FIRST mission is to change the world by inspiring the next generation of technology leaders... and the sooner the better.
This year FTC exhibited at the NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) Conference in Philadelphia. We collected many "leads" from interested teachers, followed up with some information, and sent these contacts to the appropriate Affiliate Partners. We're also participating in the Boy Scout Jamboree later this summer. Some 43,000 Boy Scouts will have a chance to see what FTC's all about including getting their hands on robots.
We've been asked, and will speak at a few events that should pull in more technical volunteers and sponsors.
We're expanding in India, China, and a few other selected regions. Right now Nancy Paul, one of our Partner Services Managers, is in Taiwan working with new potential Affiliate Partners.
Lot's of stuff going on. Part of all this is to measure the return on effort/expense with regard to how effective we are at attracting new teams, volunteers, etc.
If you're taking part in any of these activities yourself give us some feedback and let us know what's working. If you've got any great ideas share them here.
Thanks,
Ken
Monday, May 3, 2010
HotShot Lives
Thought you all might want to know that HotShot lives on.
Tomorrow, May 4th, India will rollout a seven team pilot event using HotShot as the game. Thanks to a partnership between NRB Bearings, and PTC, seven kits, a full field, and the HotShot game was shipped to India for the pilot.
The initial response in India was overwhelming. In one region over 3,900 students applied for just 30 openings on three FTC teams.
Cost is always an issue, and India faces more economic hurdles than many regions. Scaling up FTC in India presents several challenges however the tremendous interest there is a great starting point.
Tomorrow, May 4th, India will rollout a seven team pilot event using HotShot as the game. Thanks to a partnership between NRB Bearings, and PTC, seven kits, a full field, and the HotShot game was shipped to India for the pilot.
The initial response in India was overwhelming. In one region over 3,900 students applied for just 30 openings on three FTC teams.
Cost is always an issue, and India faces more economic hurdles than many regions. Scaling up FTC in India presents several challenges however the tremendous interest there is a great starting point.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Registration Opens Tomorrow
Don't forget to register with FTC starting tomorrow. This season registration is again $275 per team. Also keep an eye out in your area for off season FTC events. Contact your local Affiliate Partner for any that are in your area
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