New Book on history of robot competitions - and FIRSt

[Elgin Clock]

Originally posted by gearheads
Woodie sent me that photo. It's from a competition in the early '70s! Will someone please ask him at an event why the column in the background says "women women women?" i have been dying to know for two years.
brad

It was the 70's man, ya know, womens lib and all!!! lol
That is an interesting picture to say the least.

[gearheads]

Hi all, just wanted to revive this thread and tell you that in next week's newsweek, i've got a story on robotics and an accompanying piece - plugging the book, of course - on the wide world of robot competitions. FIRST and 2.70 are mentioned prominently and, heres the big draw, the photo that we used is the second classic picture that Woodie gave me, the partner of the one posted in this thread. And it is every bit as priceless!

cheers,
brad

[Tiffany]

I just read this book last week and as a one-time FIRST student a few years ago, I re-registered on this board to see what people were saying about it. Im surprised theres not more discussion.

The chapter on FIRST is very good but somewhat critical. It traces Woodie's history and tells the story in his past that is responsible for his vocal distaste of all forms of violence in our culture. Then it moves into Dean's story and the reasons he had for starting FIRST. Seems he was feeling bad about his other charitable effort, a science museum in New Hampshire. The two joined forces and started FIRST. They had two goals: 1) inspiring kids with the correct values, and 2) getting robot competition onto TV to begin to change the cultural priorities of the nation (science not baseball, football etcetera).

As the FIRST movement grows, however, it becomes clear that the two goals conflict each other. The more they concentrate on driving home "the right values", the less appealing it is for television. One of the most interesting revelations of the whole book, in my opinion, was how several tv producers visited FIRST in the late 90s and had their eyes opened to the possibility of broadcasting robot competitions. But each came to the same conclusion, that the FIRST games were too complicated to show to a mass audience. So they went off and put other events on TV. This is apparently how both Robot Wars and the show Robotica got on TV. How ironic is that? its a sad commentary on our society in a sense.

Anyway i think the book is worth picking up, and it answers alot of the questions i always had about FIRST. Its a bit critical of Dean in the end and whether thats fair or not should be open to discussion.

TL

[Adam Y.]

The more they concentrate on driving home "the right values", the less appealing it is for television. One of the most interesting revelations of the whole book, in my opinion, was how several tv producers visited FIRST in the late 90s and had their eyes opened to the possibility of broadcasting robot competitions.

Yeah the problem is that if you can't explain a game in five minutes then it really is not fit for television. The simplicity of the games was how they got on tv. You can explain most sports in one or two sentences but it takes a lot of time to get the gist of a First competition.

[gearheads]

I posted this on the Silicon Valley regional thread as well:

If anyone is looking for some fun after Friday's prelims, I am having a book party and reading at Stanford book store for "Gearheads."

From 5 to 7 p.m. we are having a robot expo, with robots from Stanford and the local builder community. From 7 to 8, I am doing a reading and book signing.

Everyone is invited!

Thanks,
brad stone

details:
Friday, March 28
Stanford Bookstore, Stanford, CA
519 Lasuen Mall
5:00 to 7:00 PM. Robot Expo! Email me if you want to bring a machine!
7 PM reading and signing

[Wetzel]

I picked up a copy. (By pickedup, I special ordered) It shall be my airplane book enroute to SJ. Depending on how it is, I may try to get over there and get it signed.


Wetzel

[gearheads]

Wetzel, i did not see you at Stanford. I shudder to think whether that reflects your opinion of my manifesto. Do tell - what did you think of the book?!
brad

[Wetzel]

In all honesty, I completely forgot. I read about half the book on the plane, and was so busy with the regional that I didn't have time to read more. So far it is an interesting read. So far, it has been all about the business side of Robot Wars. I have a 6 hr drive to LA on Wensday, and should be able to read more.

My lack of time to goto Stanford should not be interpreted as disaproval of the book.


Wetzel
~~~~~~~~~~~
/me goes and reads some more

[gearheads]

Here's a little anecdote I can share. I went to the Silicon Valley regionals last weekend, and asked Dean whether he had read the book. (I had given it to him last month in Monterey at a technology conference.) He said he had, and told me he had "good news and bad news." The good news, he said, was that everything I wrote about FIRST was accurate, and that I even reminded him of events & feelings in the evolution of FIRST that he had forgotten about.

The bad news, he said, was that he had considered buying 10,000 copies of the book to distribute to prospective sponsors, teams and students. But he said - and I had to reluctantly agree - that what I wrote was not exactly appropriate for FIRST marketing literature. Still, it was a stab in the heart... 10K copies sounds mighty nice right around now.

Anyway, folks, pick up the book and tell me what you think! And if you have any questions, criticisms or whatever, I am here checking on the forum ocassionally to address them.

Cheers,
Brad

[Kyle]

I have just about finished reading the book, and i want to say that is one of my new favorites. the book has brought new light on to robotics competition to me. I am now on a frantic search to see any thing from SRL(go buy the book to find out what SRL means) pics ,videos, i want to see some of the things they did. I wanted to say Brad has written a very, very good book you all should go out right now and buy the book, run go now don't finish reading this run now and get it.

I wanted to thank MR.stone for writing the book, it has really given me something to think about such as how the whole robotics thing started,and how it has evolved and meant so much to so many people.

I really liked the book and i think anyone interested in robotics will to.

[ahecht]

I just finished the book, and really enjoyed it. My only complaint is that it was a bit repetitive, in that several stories were told in context of something else, and then got their own chapter later on. Other than that, it was very enlightening (and interesting to see how FIRST was indirectly resposible for battlebots going off the air).

The Gearheads Book Party and Robot Extravaganza sound really cool -- to bad its the same day as the Championship!

[Adam Y.]

I am now on a frantic search to see any thing from SRL(go buy the book to find out what SRL means) pics ,videos, i want to see some of the things they did.

They have a website after doing a little research and wondering who was that person. Just type it in a search engine.

[Jupee]

I jsut found this thread today, and I went to the book overview and it called Dean Kamen a supergeek!! This guy was a multimillionare in his 20's--he is a genius and I don't think he deserves to be called a supergeek. That's my two cents on that.
I look forward to reading the book and I'm excited by what other people have said about it. Thank you for doing this and helping to (hopefully) promote FIRST to more people!!

[Elgin Clock]

My local Barnes And Noble didn't have it today. They told me "Well it came out in February, but none were ordered for this store....."
The nerve...
Don't they realize we have a major influx of robotics enthusiasts within a 50 or more mile radius here???

<sigh> I guess I'll have to try some nearby Waldenbooks stores tomorrow.

I'm hoping to read this on the plane down to TX.

[Melissa Nute]

Originally posted by gearheads
Woodie sent me that photo. It's from a competition in the early '70s! Will someone please ask him at an event why the column in the background says "women women women?" i have been dying to know for two years.
brad

Notice how in the pic, the woman thing is only a poster b/c it is ripped at one point on it...

In the 1970s a play called The Women came out...it could always be advertisement for that