Anybody seen this? FIRST - VEXrobotics?

[Tazlikesrobots]

I've heard rumors of a partnership betweend Innovation FIRST and Radio Shack . Looks like they were true!

[TheMuffinMan]

We were interviewed today by a FIRST memeber, about VEX, from what he said, it'd be it's own competitions with much less cost, $1000-2000 for the kit and about the same for entry, he said they'd be available at radio shacks, and have a FIRST flyer in them, to get people into the bigger beefier bots after 1 or 2 seasons with the little guy, sounded neat

[Leav]

I have read the whole thread, but by the looks of their site, it seems that they are promoting this as a product. like x-mods, or ZipZaps.....

is InnovationOne a rip-off of InnovationFirst, or just a kind of merger?

-Leav

[Jon K.]

Originally Posted by TheMuffinMan

We were interviewed today by a FIRST memeber, about VEX, from what he said, it'd be it's own competitions with much less cost, $1000-2000 for the kit and about the same for entry, he said they'd be available at radio shacks, and have a FIRST flyer in them, to get people into the bigger beefier bots after 1 or 2 seasons with the little guy, sounded neat

http://www.usfirst.org/Vex_Invite.htm

Vex Robotics Design Systems Kits (estimated at $300 per kit)

[Joe Matt]

We too got interviewed, and I must say, it looks impressive. There are two different types of groups they are focusing on it looks like...

a.) Schools who want to set up one (or more!) teams and then send those teams to regionals/nationals.

b.) Kids getting the kit for Christmas, then competing them in the park, like a mini competition.

From the looks of it, they want to attack the casual segment, along with the giant mega teams who can only have a few students work on the robot. Their idea is to have everyone building these bots. Imagine school wide tournaments!

[Adam Y.]

Kids getting the kit for Christmas, then competing them in the park, like a mini competition.

Forget kids. I want one. I always thought that Radio Shack was moving away from educational materials when they got rid of all their electronics books. I guess they wanted to shift their line from a more technological point of view. (Boebot, basic stamp, robots)

[Jay5780]

I thought I would do a product search on the RadioShack website for vex, what I got was a redirect to the vex competition website.

[team222badbrad]

Originally Posted by Jay5780

I thought I would do a product search on the RadioShack website for vex, what I got was a redirect to the vex competition website.

I was just going to post this, but you beat me to it!

Wishing I could be at Nats to see this VEX stuff, anyone willing to pay my way and attend class for me?

[Andrew Y.]

ok from what i know, FIRST is trying out a new type of competition, VEX

u would use the kit and build a robot (durr)

Team 1002 has joined this competition, why? because it sounds KOOL
I think it will be a cool thing, not to hard, but not to easy.

good luck to all the teams doing VEX and all FIRST teams

[Joe Matt]

Sparky signed up too, hopefully we'll get it too.

*crosses fingers*

[SizzelChest330]

Hmmm The F.I.R.S.T VEX Inovation (http://www.usfirst.org/Vex_Invite.htm) says

Teams Receive (at no cost):
4 Vex Robotics Design Systems Kits (estimated at $300 per kit)
Vex Inventor’s Guide
The Challenge, Team Manual, Game Rules, and Field Specifications
Team and Tech Support for assistance, questions, and information
Vex Celebration and FIRST Vex Challenge Awards Ceremonies
Wrap Celebration held on Saturday night

when they say "No Cost" does that mean the kits and entry fee and all that are payed for???

[Pi Is Exactly 3]

That's what I've understood. The only thing you need to pay for is transportation and a room to stay in.


And food of course.

[SizzelChest330]

Originally Posted by Pi Is Exactly 3

That's what I've understood. The only thing you need to pay for is transportation and a room to stay in.


And food of course.

Thats alot of Freebies!!! 4 kits!!! over $1200 stuff free!!! wish I could do it but it will probobly hack up alot of time in between FRC Regionals and Championship event...

Maybe ill just buy one to mess around with myself...

[Pin Man]

I hope they select us to be a team... This would be a great experience... A lot like Edu Bot...

[Tazlikesrobots]

The local news ran a story about a robotics competition taking place at Radio Shack's corporate headquarters and it turns out that they were demonstrating the VEX kits. For what I saw it is basically the Edubot kits with better parts and a remote control!

Looked pretty neat! Can't wait to get my hands on a kit