**FIRST EMAIL**/Reminder - Autodesk FIRSTbase now open/FIRST Safety Animation Contes

[Rich Wong]

Greetings Teams:

This is a reminder that the Autodesk FIRSTbase website is now available for teams to download this season's software. Please also remember that if you are submitting for the FIRST Safety Animation Contest, you must use either this year or last years Autodesk 3ds Max software. The deadline for submission is Friday, December 15th, 2006.

If you missed the previous announcements on FIRSTbase or the Safety Animation Contest, we are providing the information again below.

Go Teams!

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FIRSTbase

Autodesk has developed a new website specifically for FIRST Robotics teams called FIRSTbase. The website is your destination to download your free 2007 FRC season Autodesk software, access training, the Autodesk Kit of Parts, the Autodesk Design Competition, FIRST resources and team communications.

Download Autodesk® Inventor™11 and Autodesk® 3ds Max® 9. Design your robot, use it to enter the Autodesk Design Competition, or just learn more about the Autodesk software. Only FIRST Robotics teams are eligible for this exclusive offer so take advantage of this benefit now!

If you are the main contact of your FIRST Robotics team, you will need to register yourself and your team to activate your account. More details are available on the Autodesk FIRSTbase site.

Register your team today on www.autodesk.com/firstbase


SAFETY ANIMATION CONTEST

FIRST is having its third Annual Safety Animation Contest to encourage teams to work and behave in a safe manner during the 2007 Robotics season. It will also give students a chance to use the software provided by Autodesk and develop their skills. The theme is Surrounded by Safety. Entering this contest will be good practice for the Autodesk Animation Award during the regular FRC season. Animations must focus on one of the following behaviors:

· Always wearing safety glasses
· Keeping a safe work area
· No running or horseplay
· Proper lifting and transportation of robots
· Safe tool usage practices
· Proper battery charging practices

The animations should be 15 to 30 seconds long and contain one of the above behaviors. Teams can use software from this year ( which will be released in the beginning of November), or last year to create their animation. Submission will be done by mailing your entry on a DVD to: FIRST Safety Animation, ATTN: Sue Robinson, FIRST, 200 Bedford St., Manchester, NH, 03101. You must also include a completed Entry Form in your submission packet to finalize your entrance into the competition. Please note that your submission will become the property of FIRST and the right to use and display it belongs to FIRST.

The deadline for submission is Friday, December 15, 2006. Please note that your DVD must be received at FIRST by that date. Please allow ample time when you mail your entry. The winning animation will be highlighted during the FIRST kickoff on January 6, 2007. We also intend to show this animation at the beginning of each regional, as we did last year. Take into consideration that a clear and precise audio portion of the animation is very important. As with every FIRST Award, only those submissions portraying Gracious Professionalism and good sportsmanship will be considered.

Go Teams!