Reveal the Robots

As competition weekend in Manchester approaches, several area FIRST Robotics teams participated in an unveiling and test run over the weekend at Nashua High School South.

On Friday night at 6 p.m., teams, including Merrimack's Chop Shop 166, revealed their robots to share tips and techniques.

Each team was given five to 10 minutes to explain the process they went through, problems and solutions. The event was taped with hopes of airing it on local community television stations. Following the event, teams and mentors were invited to the school cafeteria for an ice cream social.

Merrimack's FIRST Robotics team, along with others competing this season, have spent more than a month working on robots to participate in this year's challenge, Rebound Rumble.

Rebound Rumble is a competition that requires members of three teams to form an alliance to compete against an alliance of another three teams. Robots from each team take the playing field and must shoot compact, foam basketballs at three levels of basketball hoops, each worth different points.

In addition to scoring baskets to score points, there is a final element of “coopertition” at the end of the match that earns additional point for all of the teams in the two alliances if robots from the opposing alliances are balanced on a bridge between each side of the playing field at the match's ends.

FIRST was founded 21 years ago by Segway creator Dean Kamen. According to the FIRST website, Kamen's vision was "To transform our culture by creating a world where science and technology are celebrated and where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders."

Read more about Merrimack's First Robotics team:

FIRST is About the Journey, Not Just Competition

Chop Shop 166 Continues to Foster FIRST Ideals

'If I'm Not Having Fun, I'm Not Doing It'