Each outstanding example of engineering and design excellence was reviewed by a panel of experts from industry and academia and judged to be award-worthy in the categories of creativity, design excellence,controllability, and quality.

FIRST Robots: Rack 'n Roll features 30 award-winning robots from the 2007 FIRST Robotics Competition, which partners youth and mentors to design and construct robots for exciting sportslike competition. The annual event draws leading robot designers who simultaneously compete and cooperate to introduce students to the rewards of science and engineering. The 2007 campaign was made up of thirty-seven competitions on three continents, and it included 1,300 teams (from seven countries) and more than 32,000 high school students.

Each outstanding example of engineering and design excellence was reviewed by a panel of experts from industry and academia and judged to be award-worthy in the categories of creativity, design excellence,controllability, and quality. The 30 robots and design teams featured in this book are exemplars: a collection of the finest designs and teams,chosen from over 200 award-winning design teams in the 2007 FIRST Robotics Competition.

Team profiles document the design and development process that turn innovative ideas into sophisticated, high-performing robots.Trade secrets are unveiled to showcase advanced technology and provide an intimate understanding of what it takes to design and build an award-winning robot.

FOREWORD BY DEAN KAMEN

INTRODUCTION: 2007 FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION: RACK 'N' ROLL

FIRST KIT OF PARTS

DELPHI DRIVING TOMORROW'S

TECHNOLOGY AWARD

Team 118

Team 173

Team 375

Team 1086

Team 1985

Team 1987

GENERAL MOTORS INDUSTRIAL DESIGN AWARD

Team 25

Team 75

Team 111

Team 148

Team 330

Team 1126

MOTOROLA QUALITY AWARD

Team 100

Team 190

Team 234

Team 384

Team 1114

Team 1714

ROCKWELL AUTOMATION

INNOVATION IN CONTROL AWARD

Team 33

Team 40

Team 386

Team 418

Team 1629

Team 1731

XEROX CREATIVITY AWARD

Team 79

Team 357

Team 1100

Team 1319

Team 1448

Team 1612