Gentlemen, Start Your Robots

Fifty-two robots and nearly 2,000 high school students competed in the regional FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competition held April 1-2 in Inglewood, Calif.

Teams were given six-weeks to design and build a robot to perform a particular task.  This year, the game is "Triple Play," in which robots are required to move pyramid-shaped game pieces to goals on a three-by-three grid.

FIRST is a non-profit organization whose mission is to generate an interest in science and technology. Many teams are sponsored by companies and mentored by volunteers from the community.

Winners from this round move onto the national robotics competition at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, April 21-23.  More than 500 teams from around the world are scheduled to compete.

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-- LiveScience Staff

Credit: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory