I like watching battlebots too, but mainly for the interesting ideas. I also see nothing wrong with someone who wants to participate. But I'd like to know that people understand the difference between battlebots and F.I.R.S.T.
The focus of Battlebots is to entertain and for the producers to make money by hosting the spectacle. No problem. Everybody's happy.
The focus of F.I.R.S.T. is students and that creates a problem. Battlebots, wheather it was their intent or not, has a perceived violent facet. It doesn't matter what the participants think or say in interviews, their robots engaged in a gladiator style arena is going to make the viewing public think it's a violent sport. I have my opinion and so does everybody else, but most people I talk to THINK Battlebots is only about destruction and don't consider...or care.. if anyone learned anything.
F.I.R.S.T. has to distance itself from Battlebots because of this perceived violence. Complacency is equivalent to endorcement and F.I.R.S.T. can't afford to become guilty by association. The focus of F.I.R.S.T. is to encourage high school students to seek careers in science and technology with robotics as the vehicle for this encouragement.
If F.I.R.S.T. were considered just a stepping stone to the Battlebots arena, how many high schools would buy into the program? Zero, None, Zilch! High school administrators are already concerned with the violence they already have in schools without endorcing some kind of program that glorifies destruction.


Another two cent's of mine... I must be in the hole at least a dollar by now!


Best Wishes


Steve Alaniz




"Sure those robots are cool... but if you can't play nintendo on them, what good are they?" - Hilary Forth

s_alaniz
 

YES! I AM LOOKING FOR THAT TAPE AS WELL!!! do you have it on comp or tape tape?

THIS IS GONNA KICK SOME BUTT

yes, your probably right about Dean not knowing who the HECK those guys were!

Also, this is off topic but OH WELL!!!! BOO TO YOU!!!

Remember last year at the Nats- when Dean said that he was going to get his friend that owns this softdrink company to be a BIG sponsor for FIRST and even asked him? Well is it Coca-Cola and are they a big sponsor this year???? OR who is it?

P.S I just got the BB game and it KICKS!
and also, we are suppose to do the HS competition for BB.. thats once FIRST finishes

I myself am actually opposed to the HS Battlebots series. If you ask me, it's a blatent invasion of FIRST. If high schoolers want to play with the big guys, I am fine with that. But when you specifically target the high schoolers with their own seperate competition, that is crossing the line.

Besides, 1 can of Dew says it wont be half as successful as FIRST has been, mainly because of the violence issues stated above, and the fact that it is now invading FIRST's territory. You know the big sponsers wont stand for that.

Eddie-

you are right. I chose FIRST over BB. but i dont mind making a robot for BB show... surely I see other things that can be done with that money that is much beter SUCH AS FREAKING ATTENDING THE NATIONALS (big price diff) but its not my choice. Its better than nothin

I seem to think Big D is becoming more and more of a sellout. He used to be really dynamic and psyched about FIRST. Now it seems publicity and money are coming more and more into the picture. Yeah, It will/would be great to have more people interested in sports but (kickoff: "make more robust robots") I think things are moving toward BB under the cover of science & tech. Who knows.

BLASPHEMY!!!

Personally I kinda agree with you...
Dean has never been my fav person.

Deano on Battlebots
 

Nola Garcia - #59 Team Coordinator for six years
BattleBots National Education Director 1 year

Just a few points

*Schools can and DO participate in both FIRST and BattleBots IQ

*Dean Kamen and Trey Roski and Greg Munson ( the founders of Battlebots) are three GREAT human beings - all of them have taken $$ they made in industry and put it into programs for kids. By the way Trey and Greg admire Dean VERY much and recognize his contributions to mankind!!

*Battlebots like any other tv show makes $$ - BB gives the builders a lot of $$ for tv appearances as well as a LOT of money from toy sales- Team Loki from Miami generally gets over $15,000 per year from it. Team Loki also mentors FIRST Team #59

*Dean has repeatedly said that FIRST is about inspiration NOT education - BattleBots has a robotics curriculum for high schools - they haven't charged the schools even a dime for it. Registration for BattleBots IQ is only $100/ team

*Dean has said that the goal of FIRST is to get more kids interested in science and engineering - many have been inspired and as a result of FIRST and the millions of viewers of BB lots of kids are wanting to be a part of upper level science, physics and technology classes as well as the BB IQ Curriculum Program

*There are thousands and thousands of high schools across the country, only 650 are involved in FIRST this year , that leaves a whole lot more that might want to be a part of the High School BB Curriculum Program , so it isn't necessary to pull them away from FIRST

*Lastly, if a school has a football team, a hockey team, a basketball team , I gaurantee that more kids will get hurt with those sports than BB. I have witnessed many fights after football games and basketball games and not ONe after a BattleBots match.
Wise people allow for different expressions of interest and involvement. Like I have said before - you don't have to hate strawberry ice cream because you like vanilla - you can appreciate both.

Team #59 will be at KSC Regional and Nationals ready to have lots of fun and see our friends form the past 6 years. good luck to all!!

Since this thread won't die....
 

This is what happened.

The BattleBots season kickoff show downloaded available video from B-roll of the Segway launch. This Segway public video was orginally fed via satellite and obtained from the Segway launch event (presumably from another media group) and compiled into a 50 second segment about Segway. If begins on BattleBots with, "First we travelled by foot, then cars, now the Segway".

The video clip contains Segway launch footage which is primarily Dean speaking and demonstrating the product. The BattleBots narrator chimes saying the Segway is good for city or suburban environments. The clip shows individuals riding around on Segways (again from launch event) and the BattleBots narrator says, "Add a weapon and this guy is ready for Battle Bots."

The BB show containing this clip aired on 10 p.m Eastern on Tuesday, January 15. It may have been repeated.

FIRST and Dean were not at all involved with this clip pickup; we were surprised by it. We do not intend to provide any public comment on the pickup of Segway footage.

"First we travelled by foot, then cars, now the Segway".

That is NOT the way it began... It was WAAAAAAAAAY cornier than that.