2018 DetroitFIRST Tech Challenge

Team Orientation

FIRST Champ Website and App

Website: https://www.firstchampionship.org/detroit-home

Free Mobile App Name: 2018 FIRST Championship

Available in:

• Apple Store

• Google Play Store

Look at the FIRST Tech Challenge section

(listed in the menu) for the most updated

information.

You do not need a

passphrase to open the

App. Just click on the city

guide you require.

Gracious Professionalsm

…Gracious professionalism is part of pursuing a meaningful life.” – Woodie Flowers

• A way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.

• Gracious professionals learn and compete like crazy, but treat one another with respect and kindness in the process.

• Please remember that our volunteers are donating their time to help our event run. Please treat them graciously and with respect.

Before Arriving

• Make sure you’ve filled out the Consent & Release formonline or bring a paper copy.

• Pack ROBOTS, tools, spare batteries, and spare parts carefully.

• Make sure team number is on the outside of the front cover of your engineering notebook.

• Register in Experient, include team and spectator names so that you can print all your badges quickly and easily.

• Read the A-Z guide and FIRST Tech Challenge A-Z Addendum.

What to Bring

• Robots, tools, spares

• Engineering Notebook (with your team number on the outside of the front cover)

• Team Attire

• Safety glasses for everyone in your group

• Closed-toe shoes

• Chairs (if you want them for your pits)

• Accessories (optional)

• Water bottle, mints/gum, etc.

• Tiara Friday

• Suspender Saturday

• Gracious Professionalism

• Copy of the Game Manual Part 1 and 2

• Copy of the latest and greatest game forum

When You Arrive

• Early Bird check-in is Tuesday, 3pm-6pm, in Hall A

• Check-in at the Team Registration table in the Pits

• Pick up printed team and spectator badges at registration kiosk

• Set up team pit space

• Look through your team packet, save your driver and coach buttons (You will not receive spares)

• Check out schedule

Cobo Center – 1st Floor

Cobo Center – 2nd Floor

FIRST Tech Challenge Competition Area

Team Schedule

Team Pits

• Team pits will be 10’ x 10’ x 10’

• Must be safe and structurally sound

• Teams will receive (1) 6’ table and (1) power source

• Pits will not have any chairs (please enjoy our bleacher seating or bring your own)

• Pits will be divided by 3’ pipe and drape

Matches

• Wed Saturday

• Each team will compete 9 times

• We will have volunteer queuers, helping teams get to the right place at the right times, but teams are responsible for getting to their matches on time

• Please listen and be respectful to our queuers.

• Match questions are solved using the question box, and will be addressed by a head referee

• Please make sure to bring official backup for your question, including a copy of the game forum or a copy of the Game Manual, and your gracious professionalism.

• Please use the question box within 2 matches during the qualification rounds.

Judging

• Judging interviews are pre-scheduled on Wednesday. We can not accommodate schedule changes.

• Judge Interview Session (20 min).

• Judges will ask the teams if they have a presentation, teams will be allowed 5 uninterrupted minutes, after which judges may interrupt them.

• Please bring your engineering notebook to your judging appointment.

• Judges will visit the pits, and watch matches at the fields during the rest of the week.

• Our Judges are looking forward to learning about your team.

Inspection

• Inspection appointments are pre-scheduled on Wednesday. We can not accommodate schedule changes.

• Robot Field Inspection will be held at the competition fields

• The lighting will be set to competition levels during inspection so that teams can calibrate their robots. Please use this time to calibrate your robots.

• Robot Hardware Inspection will be held at your own pit, inspectors will come to you.

• Our inspectors are working to help your team be successful, they can’t wait to see your robots.

Load In

Team Load In will be Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday morning. It is important to note that drivers must stay with their vehicles at all times. You will drive down W. Fort Street (heading in toward downtown Detroit).

Vehicles will be directed when they can turn right onto 2nd Avenue and proceed across W. Congress Street and enter into rear loading dock at Cobo Center. FIRST Tech Challenge teams will be loading into Hall A. We will have signage and volunteers to direct you.

Load Out

Team load out is Saturday at 8:00 am - 3:00 pm. If teams are loading out during the morning or later in the afternoon you will load out the same way that you loaded in on Tues/Wed, at the back on the loading docks. Please note that FRC will be loading out at the same time and there will be congested traffic.

If you are able, and driving a passenger vehicle, FIRST Tech Challenge teams will be able to load out the front doors, from 1:30pm – 3:00pm. If you do not meet these requirements you will use the general load out procedure.

Step #1 - On Saturday, April 28th when your team is completely packed and ready to load out, bring your packed equipment to the que near door A at the loading docks.

Step #2 - Call your driver and have them proceed to W. Fort Street (heading in toward downtown Detroit). There will be 1 lane designated for FIRST Tech Challenge vehicles on W. Fort Street. Do not get into the FIRST Robotics Competition lane or the driver will be asked to circle around the block to get into the correct lane.

Team vehicles should arrive within 10-15 minutes from the team in the pit. Driver cannot arrive before team is in que at the loading dock.Vehicles will be directed when they can turn right onto 2nd Avenue and proceed across W. Congress Street and enter into rear loading dock at Cobo Center.

Your driver will be provided a loading dock space number as they pull into the loading dock area.

Drivers must stay with their vehicle at all times.

Step #3 – Move your packed items to the assigned dock space number when told by the load out volunteers.

Events and Ceremonies

• FIRST Tech Challenge Competition Kickoff: Wed 3pm

@ the FIRST Tech Challenge Competition Fields.

• FIRST Welcome Party: Thurs 6pm @ Ford Field.

• FIRST Tech Challenge Judged Award Ceremony and Division Finalist Awards: Sat 12pm @ the FIRST Tech

Challenge Competition Fields.

• FIRST Closing Ceremony: Sat 6:30pm @ Ford Field

Wednesday Events and Ceremonies

• FIRST Tech Challenge Driver’s Meeting, 2pm @FIRST Tech Challenge Competition Fields

• Join the celebration and kickoff the competition on Wednesday at 3pm.

Thursday Welcome Party

Music:

Spazmatics @ 6pm

Party on the Moon @ 7:30pm

Live Band Karoke

Silent Disco

Games:

Arcade Games

Giant Board Games

Outdoor Games

Interactive Art Walls

Thursday Alumni Mixer

7:30 - 9:00 PM

Ford Field, Gridiron Club

For the second year we’re bringing together all the FIRST Alumni at the FIRST Championship for light refreshments and an opportunity to celebrate together. Hear from our event sponsors and special guests from FIRST while you reconnect with old friends and make new ones!

Daily Event Activities

Innovation Faire

Join us for a Maker Faire-inspired area featuring FIRST Sponsors, Alliances, Suppliers, Scholarship Providers, and other Special Guests. All FIRST Championship attendees are encouraged to participate in the FIRST Innovation Faire, where attendees can receive exciting giveaways, witness new technology demonstrations, and participate in fun, hands-on activities for all ages.

Hours:

Wed: 11am – 5pm

Thurs: 10am – 5pm

Fri: 10am – 4pm

Scholarship Row

Check out our Scholarship providers and speak with college and university reps.

Thurs: 10am – 5pm

Fri: 10am – 4pm

Championship Conferences and Program Activities

• Championship Conferences

The 2018 FIRST Championship Conferences will be held on Wed,

April 25 - Fri, April 27 in Detroit, MI. They are free of charge and

open to all.

• FIRST LEGO League Jr. Expo

• FIRST LEGO League World Festival

• FIRST Robotics Competition Championship

Closing Ceremonies

Closing Ceremony will celebrate the three final

matches, the Inspire Award, and the Chairman’s

Award. The primary speakers will be Don Bossi,

Woodie Flowers, and Dean Kamen.

#FIRSTChamp Social

• Join our Facebook Event!

• Use hashtags to connect to #FIRSTChamp!

• #STEMSquad, #BuildBrighter, #FIRSTInspires, #omgrobots

• Tag us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram

• Facebook: @FTCteams

• Twitter: @FIRSTweets @ftcteams

• Instagram: @first_official_

Questions?

On site? - We have answers!

• Championship Website: https://www.firstchampionship.org/first-tech-challenge-detroit

• Championship App

• Pit Admin

We can’t wait to see you there!

It’s going to be a blast!