Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions or you are confused about FIRST, Indiana FIRST, and our team, then you might find these questions/answers useful. If you are still unsure about something after reading through these, then feel free to send us a message through the Contact Us Page. We would be glad to answer your question and add it to the list of FAQs.

Who started FIRST?

The founder of FIRST is Dean Kamen. He organized the program to help high school students. He is also known as the creator of the Segway, a motorized scooter.

What is FIRST?

FIRST is an international organization dedicated to inspiring high school students about technology and engineering. It was created in 1992 to be an impetus for high school students to take a science or engineering course in college. The FIRST program has now spread outside the US and has programs in Singapore, the United Kingdom, Canada, and other nations.

What does FIRST stand for?

FIRST is an acronym. The full name is “For Inspiration & Recognition of Science and Technology.”

What is the purpose of FIRST?

FIRST is designed to provide an enjoyable experience to high school students such that they may go into a field related to engineering and science. Dean Kamen saw a pressing need for such a national program. “...to create a world where science and technology are celebrated... where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes...” Dean Kamen uses engineering and ingenuity daily and believes that our high schoolers need FIRST to experience how fun, enjoying, and rewarding engineering is.

What is the FIRST logo?

The FIRST logo consists of a triangle, a circle, and a square all linked together. This reflects the togetherness aspect of FIRST robotics. The different shapes represent the diverse participants of the program working together.

How long has FIRST been in existence?

FIRST was started in 1992 with 28 teams who competed in a New Hampshire high school gym. They played the “Maize Craze” game. Today, there are about 1300 teams worldwide with about 20,000 students participating nationwide.

How does a rookie team get started?

A rookie team usually gets started by a mentoring effort through people who have had previous experience with the FIRST programs. If a person sees enough interest in an area, he/she may start a team in conjunction with a high school. Many teams have team mentors (other teams that have had previous experience and want to help other teams start up). Much more information on starting a FIRST team is available at www.usfirst.org.

What are “mentors”?

Mentors are either teams or people who are interested in the FIRST program. Team mentors (above) help rookie teams get off the ground. People mentors can be professionals, parents, teachers, and high school students from the local community who help the team. Many teams are parent and teacher mentored. Some teams (those who are better established) may use professional engineers to mentor. Many teams, like WBI 461, use local university students to mentor.

How many team members are on WBI 461?

On Westside Boiler Invasion, there are currently 42 students and 15 advisors.

Are all teams the same?

No. Every team has different numbers of students and advisors. Team size depends on interest every year. Also, some teams do not compete in every category of competition--many teams only make a robot. Team structure (IT, TECH, PR) differs from team to team.

Does FIRST have any other programs?

FIRST has four main programs: FIRST Robotics, FIRST Lego League, FIRST Tech Challenge, and FIRST Place. FIRST Robotics and FIRST Tech Challenge are geared for high school students, while FIRST Lego League, a competition using the LEGO Mindstorms kit to build robots, and FIRST Place, a hands-on learning center located in New Hampshire, are geared for younger children. Details of FIRST Robotics, FIRST LEGO League, and FIRST Tech Challenge can be found by clicking on “General Information” at the top of our menu.

What are the costs related to teams?

FIRST teams have two main sources of cost. The first source is the actual acquiring of parts and the costs directly related to making the robot. The other cost is in traveling to regionals, and, if the team qualifies, the national tournament. The plane/bus costs for a team of 20-30 students can pile up quickly. On WBI 461, traveling costs are about $1000 per person to go to each three tournaments. Each student is thus required to raise $300 to go to tournaments.

What is the game (and the kick-off)?

Every year, FIRST comes up with a game that FIRST teams must build robots to play. This year's game is called “Breakaway.” In this game, robots have to navigate over two bumps in the field and score regulation-size soccer balls into the goals. The kick-off is the annual event in January when the game is officially announced. The game is unveiled and demonstrated to the public on this date. From the kick-off to the date the robot must be shipped to the first regional, teams have six weeks to build a robot that can play the game announced in the kick-off.

Do you have to be a geek to go to nationals?

It certainly depends on what “geek” means to you. If it means that you enjoy working towards a goal such as putting together an animation or building a robot from the ground up, and then going to competitions around the nation to watch your creations compete and cooperate to win matches and awards while having a blast with friends and teammates, then, yes, absolutely. Otherwise, if you define “geek” as someone who is boring and talks constantly about computers, then no. You don’t have to be, though you certainly can be.

What is the process of building a robot?

Once the game is released, our TECH team starts its arduous process of designing the robot. Our TECH team splits into design teams who each come up with a prototype robot. After some high level arguing, the three ideas are picked apart and a robot is designed that integrates the best parts of every design. In the following 5 weeks of the season, the robot is CADed (digitally made on a computer) and then physically built. Building the robot isn’t the focus of FIRST, but it is the most arduous process.

How are Indiana FIRST teams organized?

FIRST teams in Indiana are unique from teams in the rest of the country in that they have formed a state-wide organization called IndianaFIRST. IndianaFIRST oversees coordination of off season events, trains teams, helps to connect mentors, sponsors, and the community with teams, and tries to facilitate the success of the existing teams in the state as well as strive to encourage the development of FIRST within the state and beyond.

What is IRI?

The IRI is the Indiana Robotics Invitational, a statewide event for Indiana teams after the national competition. It is held annually in early July.

How is WBI different from the rest of the teams?

WBI has a lot of team members. We are one of the larger teams in FIRST. Also, our team is a constant on the national circuit. We are one of the high performing teams in FIRST.

What awards has WBI won?

Visit our awards page for the most up-to-date information.

Where is WBI located?

WBI is located at West Lafayette High School in West Lafayette, Indiana

Who mentors the 461 team?

Team 461 is lucky to have Purdue University, an engineering powerhouse, nearby. Engineering students from Purdue, usually those who are in an engineering major or did robotics in high school, are 461’s mentors. These mentors are chosen in the September before the season in an arduous process. Thus, unlike other teams, we are not run by professionals.

How can I make a donation?

Our team is sponsored by several major entities. However, money is always a need. All students are required to fundraise $350--and their parents cannot just write a check. Donations are always welcome. Please contact Kristina Bender, the Industrial Relations Coordinator, at ir@purduefirst.org to donate to Purdue FIRST Programs, or donate directly to WBI 461 at wbiwebadmin@gmail.com.

What community projects has 461 undertaken?

Team 461 is involved with numerous community projects throughout the year. We have collected money for the Lupus Foundation, showcased our robot at Pay-Less, and are collecting pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. We are also doing a canned food drive for Lafayette Food Finders, and are hosting the Community Open House. We are also hosting the Purdue Boilermaker Regional this year.

What becomes of those “461 geeks”?

“461 geeks” often end up in different technical fields. It is not uncommon for a former 461 geeks to go into Engineering, Technology, Computer Science, et cetera. However, experience gained from being part of 461 will always come in handy, no matter what field a “461 geek” goes into.

How do 461 meetings work?

We start the meeting off splitting into our various sub-teams. There are three sub teams: Technology (Tech), Information Technology (IT), and Outreach and Initiatives (OI). The Tech sub-team often works in the shop and builds the robot. The IT sub-team works on the computers on animation and the maintenance of the website. OI works on our fundraisers and community events. They work on our Chairman’s Award, the most prestigious award given by FIRST, which entails the achievement of our team.

What awards can be won from FIRST?

In FIRST, there are many different awards that can be won. First and foremost, at each regional and the national competition, awards are given out to the teams who place, with the usual first place getting a gold medal, second getting a silver, etc. There are also many other awards, such as the Rookie All-Star Award (given to the highest placing team that is in its first season), the Website Design Award (given to the team whose website fits various criteria the best as determined by a committee), the Daimler Chrysler Team Spirit Award (for the team that cheers the best and generally shows the spirit of FIRST), and the Leadership in Control Award (awarded to the team which has superior programming of their robot). The most prestigious award in FIRST (considered even more prestigious than winning a competition) is the Chairman’s Award. This award is given to teams based on a submitted document by the team that shows how their team best embodies the spirit of FIRST.

What is the composition of the FIRST season?

The official FIRST season begins in January, with the kick-off and the beginning of the six weeks in which teams can build their robot. During these six weeks, the robot must be completely built, after which teams are required to ship it to their first regional. In March, every week for five weeks, anywhere from five to seven regionals occur in various parts of the United States, Canada, and Israel. Teams are allowed to enter two out of the twenty-seven possible regionals. After these regionals are finished in early April, teams travel to the national competition in mid-to-late-April.

How does one qualify for the national tournament?

Unlike the regionals, only certain teams can go to the national competition. In order to go, a team can either be awarded a spot by FIRST or can qualify in various ways. Teams that win a national Chairman’s Award (no easy feat!), the seven remaining teams that registered in or before 1992, the national winners of the previous year’s competition, and the team that won the Engineering Inspiration Award, an award given for advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within the local community, at nationals the previous year are automatically given a spot at nationals. Teams who do not fall under these fields can qualify by winning a Chairman’s Award at a regional, winning an Engineering Inspiration Award at a regional, winning a Rookie All-Star Award at a regional, and winning a regional competition. Teams who do not qualify in these ways can still attend the national competition using the “Tier system.” Under the tier system, teams in certain brackets (or “tiers”) are offered a chance to accept a spot at nationals. FIRST divides the teams into brackets based on how long it has been since they attended the national competition, beginning with teams that have never attended nationals or that attended at least 8 years ago. From a certain date to another date, any team in the tier that applies for a spot at nationals is accepted. After the second date has been passed, FIRST moves on to the next tier, again setting a deadline for the teams within to apply. This process continues until all of the tiers have been covered. If a team did not apply during the time FIRST gave them, the spots that go unclaimed are left open to all teams that aren’t already going on a first-come-first-served basis.

Who is Dean Kamen?

Dean Kamen is the founder of FIRST and inventor of the Segway Personal Transporter. He is only the coolest guy on the planet.. He has his own island and his own currency. An interesting fact: there is a secret room in Dean’s house that is only accessible by pulling on the “Ingenious Inventions Volume 4” book in his library.

Where can I buy FIRST merchandise?

In 2006, FIRST opened an online store selling robotics-related t-shirts, caps, and other clothes and accessories. Teams can also purchase game pieces and other game-specific objects online. The link is www.logoloc.com/first/.