FIRST Team Receives Prestigious Lemelson-MIT Grant

[Brandon Martus]

Congratulations to Team Overdrive..

FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) “Team Overdrive” is in good company as one of this year’s recipients of the Lemelson-MIT Foundation InvenTeam Program grants ─ a national initiative that awards grants to high-school students for inventions which address practical solutions to real-world problems. FIRST Founder, Dean Kamen, was the recipient of a Lemelson-MIT Invention Award in 2002, when he was named an outstanding living American inventor-innovator who significantly benefited society.

Read More: http://www.usfirst.org/who/content.aspx?id=11822

[Akash Rastogi]

For future reference, as I predict you'll be seeing this number a lot , Team Overdrive is FRC 2753.

Congrats guys!!!

P.S. Championship Rookie All-Star much? *knocks on wood*

[smurfgirl]

Congratulations Team Overdrive! I'm very impressed with your efforts. This is exactly the kind of work that will change the world, even if you're beginning one village at a time. I think your vision extends far beyond just FIRST Robotics... but it looks like you're going to have a great season (and hopefully many more) here, too!

[psyco_klown]

Congats Team Overdrive! From Rosie Robotics a former recieptent of the MIT-Lemelson Inventeam.

[Lowfategg]

Thanks everyone,

Our team is very excited about being part of a project that can benefit the poorest in the world. Over a billion people in the world live on less than $1 per day. We decided to help these people by inventing a simple machine for the threshing of Sorghum and Millet in Sub-Suharan Africa. Currently they us a very ancient technology (mortar and pestle). Whereas in the USA, we use big farm machines, they do all of their harvesting by hand. So far, it has been a fantastic experience. It has been difficult for the past couple of weeks keeping up with the InvenTeam project while doing our FRC robot design. But we are excited to put our robotic talents to work for others. We are going to MIT in June to present our results!

To bad this year's game did not involve threshing sorghum!

[comphappy]

Congratulations, I started a team that won that grant a few years ago as well. It is a lot of work (more then robotics IMO) but very rewarding, PM me if you have any questions or need any help.

[KathieK]

Congrats! Knowing your team as it existed in FTC, I know you'll bring much to the FRC program as well...

[Rosiebotboss]

I want to echo Shawn's comments. Congrats. The MIT-Lemelson InvenTeam program is a great opportunity for you. Josh Schuler runs a quality program for young innovators.

You join a long line of FIRST InvenTeams, Rosie in 2004 (pothole prediction and repair), Royal Assault in 2005 (Jester drive wheelchair) come to mind. I know there are more.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by KathieK

Congrats! Knowing your team as it existed in FTC, I know you'll bring much to the FRC program as well...

It was great fun to watch them competing at Brunswick Eruption this fall. The smiles on their faces - everyone's faces: students, parents, mentors - was so great to see. They were clearly having a good time and enjoying the event. I'm glad to see this opportunity given to this team.

Good luck and keep us posted with the threshing project - it will make an impact, I'm sure.

All the best,
Jane

[danshaffer]

As another former InvenTeam-er, I'd like to say congratulations!
I'd also like to warn you that if you let your build season run through June, you guys are going to be very tired. That said, if you let your build season run through June, you will do something amazing, and hopefully make a difference now.
Good luck, and feel free to hit me up if you have any questions.