FIRST Global Challenge

[Tyler Olds]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pajzF106O50

Official FIRST competition that will take place in different country capitals each year. The first one will take place in July in Washington DC.

http://first.global/

We'll be discussing this on our shows over the next couple weeks.

[bdaroz]

So... FRC Champs but 1 per country?!?

I'm missing something here.....

[itsjustjon]

Originally Posted by bdaroz

So... FRC Champs but 1 per country?!?

I'm missing something here.....

It appears to be a separate program from FRC. I believe it's the next tier above the progression of FIRST Program (JrFLL, FLL, FTC, FRC, Global).

Could be wrong, but Global appears to also be FRC with a humanitarian twist.

[Big-b]

Originally Posted by bdaroz

So... FRC Champs but 1 per country?!?

I'm missing something here.....

Seems like the best of each country builds a new robot with a new challenge. This year, it is about "access to clean and drinkable water"

[Roboshant]

english build systems guide: http://first.global/wp-content/uploa...-Guide-1-1.pdf
U.S team: http://first.global/nations/team-united-states/

[Samueldobens]

It will be very interesting to see if people move from FRC to First Global like a lot of people move up the current FIRST ladder of programs.

[droneexpert87]

Very interesting, i'm looking forward to seeing how the teams to represent a country with a lot of FRC teams already established (like the US) will be picked.

Also, if you take a look at the manual that's on the website (http://first.global/wp-content/uploa...-Guide-1-1.pdf), it looks as if this competitions robots will be completely different from FRC.

Edit: I just saw the post two above me, seems like the US Team has already been picked.

[Christopher149]

Originally Posted by Roboshant

english build systems guide: http://first.global/wp-content/uploa...-Guide-1-1.pdf

My first thought was, "hey, new REV parts for FTC!"

[Jacob Bendicksen]

Originally Posted by Big-b

Seems like the best of each country builds a new robot with a new challenge. This year, it is about "access to clean and drinkable water"

Not to be that guy, but...water game?!?!

[Samueldobens]

Originally Posted by Jacob Bendicksen

Not to be that guy, but...water game?!?!

Yes, absolutely a water game.

[tjf]

First point, they actually got a freaking water-game. I'm shocked.

Secondly... What are the restrictions on this? Who can actually do this?

EDIT: Still high-school students. "FIRST Global invites one team from every nation to participate in an international robotics event that builds bridges between high school students with different backgrounds, languages, religions, and customs."

[Roboshant]

Initial thoughts:

Build system looks relatively simple, robots seem to be more of a FTC or VEX EDR type of scope. Should be relatively easy to put together for inexperienced teams from some of these poorer countries. Frankly, I do not think this will become a program that competes with FRC or FTC, or will be something that FRC teams look to progress up to.

The very fact that there is only 1 team from each nation sets a cap on its potential growth. I feel that this competition is primarily for second and third world nations, so that they can work on amazing solutions for the future as well as introduce FIRST as a whole to their countries. Having a single national team makes it much easier for teams in poorer areas to receive funding. Hopefully when these people are introduced to our program they will increase the presence of other FIRST programs in their countries.

[PayneTrain]

I can hardly imagine what it will be like to have a single event where all of the nations involved in FIRST have an opportunity to compete against one another.

#loweffortposting

[cadandcookies]

Looks like REV's FTC offerings may be the kit of choice. Depending on the scale of the challenge, that sounds pretty good to me-- we've been extremely happy with their parts for FTC.

Also looks like they have some new products on the horizon (like a pulley system!!!). Very much excited to see what FIRST Global ends up looking like.

Also, I really like that control system, at least physically. Hopefully FIRST likes it to and we get to use it for FTC in a year or two.

[Steven Smith]

The very fact that there is only 1 team from each nation sets a cap on its potential growth. I feel that this competition is primarily for second and third world nations, so that they can work on amazing solutions for the future as well as introduce FIRST as a whole to their countries. Having a single national team makes it much easier for teams in poorer areas to receive funding. Hopefully when these people are introduced to our program they will increase the presence of other FIRST programs in their countries.

I see it more as a marketing/PR type of thing that is intended to drive growth in the other FIRST programs, versus getting growth purely within itself. As noted, they won't be striving for team growth as much as visibility/exposure, both for the FIRST program tree as well as individual efforts to expand FIRST into areas in the developing world.