Thread: (NEW) Future Innovator Award presented by the Abbott Fund
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Unread 06-01-2012, 10:30
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AKA: Ed Barker
FRC #1311 (Kell Robotics)
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Re: (NEW) Future Innovator Award presented by the Abbott Fund
Quote:
Originally Posted by Petey View Post
Ed: what do you think of the timing? Is this something that can happen during the FIRST season? Or is this something that could best happen during the offseason, to be awarded during the FIRST season?

This is a new award and I am very interested in what others think about it.
We have been doing this 'outside of FIRST' - now 'inside of FIRST' thing for 5 years now. We won the EEA award from SeaWorld, and we are a two year Lemelson-MIT Inventeam.

I can tell you several things for SURE.
  • Doing development work during the FRC season is very demanding. I would tend to warn against it.
  • Doing development work in the off-season is fantastic. It helps build a great team. It hones skills. It helps build 'public value' if you promote it.
  • It isn't quite clear to me yet what will 'clear the bar' in terms of how developed and tested the idea has to be.
  • I do not see anything, nor to I expect to see anything that says that it needs to be done during the build season. FIRST has been telegraphing loudly the desire to showcase 'outside of FIRST competition' innovation for at least 7 months. My guess is they received limited responses to their inquiries over that time. I think they would be pleased to see teams working during the off-season to promote invention, innovation, and creating 'public value' for FIRST programs.

About two years ago I had an opportunity to meet with Dean and talk about the topic of 'going outside of FIRST' with other types of innovation. At the time I was frustrated a little with our inability to get other FIRST'ers to 'get it' especially in light of our success in the rest of the world 'getting it'. Dean was emphatic that he 'got it' and just keep doing what we do best.

I'm just reading the tea leaves here but from reading the inquiries sent to all teams over the past year, Dean's comment to me and other, and the selection of Jon Dudas as the new FIRST president, and his role as past head of USPTO, it doesn't surprise me that this award is now in existence. It just took a little longer than expected. But that doesn't matter. It is here now.

Take the long view. Go for it now, Go for it later. Have fun inventing.
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