Section
THE AWARDS
9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
9 THE AWARDS ...........................................................................................................................3
9.1 Regional Awards ........................................................................................................................................3
9.1.1 Chairman's Award - Regional ..............................................................................................................3
9.1.2 Regional Competition Awards..............................................................................................................3
9.2 THE CHAIRMAN'S AWARD 2006 ........................................................................................................4
9.2.1 Overview...............................................................................................................................................5
9.2.2 First-Year (Rookie) and NASA Grant Teams:......................................................................................5
9.2.3 Submission Information........................................................................................................................5
9.2.4 Judging Process.....................................................................................................................................7
9.2.5 The Allaire Medal - Leadership Exemplified .......................................................................................8
9.2.6 Hall of Fame .........................................................................................................................................8
9.3 THE FOUNDER'S AWARD ....................................................................................................................9
9.4 THE WOODIE FLOWERS AWARDS ...................................................................................................9
9.4.1 Award is Students' Choice....................................................................................................................9
9.4.2 Spirit of the Award..............................................................................................................................10
9.4.3 Judging Criteria...................................................................................................................................10
9.4.4 Entry Requirements ............................................................................................................................10
9.4.5 Submission Deadline ..........................................................................................................................10
9.4.6 Entry Process ......................................................................................................................................10
9.4.7 Prior Regional Woodie Flowers Award Winners ...............................................................................11
9.5 THE AUTODESK INVENTOR AWARD 2006....................................................................................11
9.5.1 Purpose of Award: ..............................................................................................................................11
9.5.2 Competition Period: ............................................................................................................................11
9.5.3 Award Overview.................................................................................................................................11
9.5.4 Award Description ..............................................................................................................................12
9.5.5 Award Criteria ....................................................................................................................................12
9.5.6 Judging Criteria:..................................................................................................................................12
9.5.7 The Judging Process ...........................................................................................................................13
9.5.8 Entry Deadline: ...................................................................................................................................13
9.5.9 Entry Requirements: ...........................................................................................................................13
9.5.10 Prizes and Prize Rules:......................................................................................................................14
9.5.11 Scores................................................................................................................................................14
9.5.12 Autodesk Inventor Award 2006 Entry Form ...................................................................................15
9.5.13 Inventor Archive Consent/Release Authorization ............................................................................18
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9.6 THE AUTODESK VISUALIZATION AWARD 2006 ........................................................................19
9.6.1 Award Updates: ..................................................................................................................................19
9.6.2 Award Overview.................................................................................................................................19
9.6.3 About Autodesk 3ds Max animation software....................................................................................19
9.6.4 The Judging Process ...........................................................................................................................22
9.6.5 Autodesk Visualization Award 2006 Submittal Checklist..................................................................23
9.6.6 AUTODESK VISUALIZATION AWARD 2006 Entry Form...........................................................25
9.6.7 ARCHIVE CONSENT AND RELEASE AUTHORIZATION..........................................................28
9.7 WEBSITE AWARDS ..............................................................................................................................30
9.7.1 Submission and Deadline Information................................................................................................30
9.7.2 Scoring Criteria...................................................................................................................................30
9.7.3 Judging Process...................................................................................................................................31
9.7.4 Award Presentation.............................................................................................................................31
9.7.5 2006 Website Award Scoring Sheet Event:...................................................................................32
9.8 THE CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS........................................................................................................33
9.8.1 Champion............................................................................................................................................33
9.8.2 Championship Finalist ........................................................................................................................33
9.8.3 Division Finalist..................................................................................................................................33
9.8.4 Division Champion .............................................................................................................................33
9.8.5 Autodesk Visualization Award ...........................................................................................................33
9.8.6 Autodesk Inventor Award...................................................................................................................33
9.8.7 Chairman's Award ..............................................................................................................................33
9.8.8 DaimlerChrysler - Team Spirit ...........................................................................................................33
9.8.9 Delphi - "Driving Tomorrow's Technology" .....................................................................................33
9.8.10 Engineering Inspiration.....................................................................................................................33
9.8.11 Founder's Award ..............................................................................................................................34
9.8.12 General Motors - Industrial Design ..................................................................................................34
9.8.13 Highest Rookie Seed.........................................................................................................................34
9.8.14 Imagery .............................................................................................................................................34
9.8.15 Johnson & Johnson - Sportsmanship ................................................................................................34
9.8.16 Judges' Awards.................................................................................................................................34
9.8.17 Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers - Entrepreneurship......................................................................34
9.8.18 RadioShack® Innovation in Control..................................................................................................34
9.8.19 Motorola - Quality ............................................................................................................................34
9.8.20 Rookie All-Star .................................................................................................................................34
9.8.21 Rookie Inspiration.............................................................................................................................34
9.8.22 *Industrial Safety Award ..................................................................................................................34
9.8.23 Website Award..................................................................................................................................35
9.8.24 Woodie Flowers Award ....................................................................................................................35
9.8.25 Xerox - Creativity ............................................................................................................................35
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9 THE AWARDS
9.1 REGIONAL AWARDS
Please read below for a description of Regional Awards. Note an asterisk designates a new or "changed"
award in "Regional Competition Awards" listing. The "Industrial Safety" Award was previously known as
the "Safety" Award.
9.1.1 Chairman's Award - Regional
The concept of the Chairman's Award includes Regional Chairman's Awards, which enable FIRST to
recognize more teams for their exemplary efforts in spreading the FIRST message, as well as their talents in
organizing materials for their presentations. Refer to the Chairman's Award section for specifics.
The winning entries of the Regional Chairman's Awards will travel to the Championship for the continuing
process of consideration for the most prestigious 2006 Chairman's Award.
9.1.2 Regional Competition Awards
FIRST will hold an Awards Celebration at each Regional Competition to present the following awards:
9.1.2.1 Autodesk Visualization Award
Presented by Autodesk, Inc., this award recognizes excellence in student animation that clearly and creatively
illustrates the spirit of the FIRST Robotics Competition. Autodesk will award excellence in content,
creativity, and mastery of multimedia. Please refer to the Autodesk Visualization section for specifics.
9.1.2.2 DaimlerChrysler - Team Spirit
This award celebrates extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit through exceptional partnership and teamwork.
9.1.2.3 Delphi - "Driving Tomorrow's TechnologyTM"
This award celebrates an elegant and advantageous machine feature. This award recognizes any aspect of
engineering elegance including, but not limited to: design, wiring methods, material selection, programming
techniques, and unique machine attributes. The criteria for this award are based on the team's ability to
concisely describe verbally, as well as demonstrate, this chosen machine feature.
9.1.2.4 Engineering Inspiration
This award celebrates a team's outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and
engineers, both within their school as well as their community. Criteria include: the extent and inventiveness
of the team's efforts to recruit students to engineering, the extent and effectiveness of the team's community
outreach efforts, and the measurable success of those efforts. This is the second highest team award FIRST
bestows.
9.1.2.5 General Motors - Industrial Design
This award celebrates form and function in an efficiently designed machine that effectively achieves the game
challenge.
9.1.2.6 Highest Rookie Seed
This award celebrates the highest-seeded rookie team at the conclusion of the qualifying rounds.
9.1.2.7 Imagery
This award celebrates attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration from the
machine to team appearance.
9.1.2.8 Johnson & Johnson - Sportsmanship
This award celebrates outstanding sportsmanship and continuous gracious professionalism in the heat of
competition, both on and off the playing field.
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9.1.2.9 Judges' Awards
During the course of the competition, the judging panel may encounter a team whose unique efforts,
performance, or dynamics merit recognition.
9.1.2.10 Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers - Entrepreneurship
This award celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit. This award recognizes a team, which since its inception has
developed the framework for a comprehensive business plan in order to scope, manage, and obtain team
objectives. This team displays entrepreneurial enthusiasm and the vital business skills for a self-sustaining
program.
9.1.2.11 Motorola - Quality
This award celebrates machine robustness in concept and fabrication.
9.1.2.12 RadioShack® Innovation in Control
This award celebrates an innovative control system or application of control components to provide unique
machine functions.
9.1.2.13 Regional Finalist
This award celebrates the team or alliance that makes it to the final match of the competition.
9.1.2.14 Regional Champion
This award celebrates the team or alliance that wins the competition.
9.1.2.15 Rookie All-Star
This award celebrates the rookie team exemplifying a young but strong partnership effort, as well as
implementing the mission of FIRST to inspire students to learn more about science and technology.
NOTE: We encourage, but do not require, rookie teams to enter a Chairman's Award submission relative to
this award.
9.1.2.16 Rookie Inspiration
This award celebrates a rookie team's outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for
engineering and engineers both within their school, as well as in their community. It is the 2nd highest honor
FIRST bestows to a rookie team.
9.1.2.17 *Industrial Safety Award
This award celebrates the team that progresses beyond safety fundamentals by using innovative ways to
eliminate or protect against hazards. The winning team consistently demonstrates excellence in industrial
safety performance that shines throughout the competition from uncrating to re-pack.
9.1.2.18 Website Award
This award recognizes excellence in student-designed, built, and managed FIRST team websites. We have
revised the process for this award for 2006. Please refer to the website section for specifics.
9.1.2.19 Woodie Flowers Finalist Award
Small Parts, Inc. presents the Woodie Flowers Award to an outstanding engineer or teacher participating in
each of the robotics Regional Competitions. Students choose and write about a person on their team who best
demonstrates excellence in teaching science, math, and creative design. These Regional winners will receive
consideration for the Championship Woodie Flowers Award. NOTE: For 2006, teams may add an update
essay to the submission for the 2004 & 2005 Regional Woodie Flowers Award winners, and those individuals
will also be considered as finalists for the 2006 award.
9.1.2.20 Xerox - Creativity
This award celebrates creative design, use of a component, or a creative or unique strategy of play.
9.2 THE CHAIRMAN'S AWARD 2006
The FIRST Robotics Competition is about much more than the mechanics of building a robot or winning a
competitive event. It is about the impact FIRST has on those who participate in the program and the impact of
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FIRST on the community at large. The FIRST mission is to change the way America's young people regard
science and technology and to inspire an appreciation for the real-life rewards and career opportunities in
these fields.
9.2.1 Overview
The Chairman's Award was created to keep the central focus of the FIRST Robotics Competition as our
ultimate goal for transforming the culture in ways that will inspire greater levels of respect and honor for
science and technology, as well as encourage more of today's youth to become scientists, engineers, and
technologists.
The Chairman's Award represents the spirit of FIRST. It honors the team that best represents a model for
other teams to emulate and which embodies the goals and purpose of FIRST. It remains the most prestigious
team award FIRST presents.
FIRST will present a Regional Chairman's Award at each regional competition. There are thirty-three (33)
regional competitions scheduled for the 2006 season, therefore, there will be thirty-three Regional Chairman's
Award winners. Only the winners of the Regional Chairman's Award will be eligible for consideration in the
selection of The Chairman's Award presented at The Championship.
Prior winners of the Chairman's Award at the Championship are ineligible to submit for the Regional
Chairman's Award. All submissions by Championship Chairman's Award-winning teams will be
electronically routed to a folder judging as part of the Hall of Fame.
9.2.2 First-Year (Rookie) and NASA Grant Teams:
Because the Chairman's Award recognizes sustained excellence and impact, not just a one-year team effort, it
is not possible for a first-year (rookie) team to receive this honor. We encourage rookies, however, to
develop a Chairman's Award submission to use as a criterion to judge the Rookie All-Star Award. This
submission will document where your team started its FIRST journey and will also provide background for
documenting the results of your team's efforts.
Rookie Teams: If you submit a Regional Chairman's Award, print a copy to give the Judges when they visit
you at your Pit Station.
Teams receiving NASA Grants must provide a copy of this submission as part of the grant.
9.2.3 Submission Information
The criteria for the 2006 Chairman's Award are essentially identical to those in 2005, with the exception that
the submission will need to be signed by the Team Captain/Student Representative and a team mentor to
certify that all the contained information is complete and accurate. The judges focus on teams' activities over
a sustained period, as distinguished from just the six-week design-and-build time frame.
The FIRST Robotics Competition is not about machines; it is about the experience of people working together
toward a shared goal. Documenting and preserving your team's FIRST experience becomes an important
component of the over-all FIRST experience.
9.2.3.1 Submission Content
The Chairman's Award is presented to the team judged to have created the best partnership effort among team
participants and which best exemplified the true meaning of FIRST through measurable impact on its
participants, school, and community at large. There is no single "best way" for a team to win the Chairman's
Award. Many factors come into play. The primary factors the judges will evaluate are:
1. How strongly does the submission document the impact FIRST has on the learning experience of
the students, school curriculum, engineers, and/or community?
2. Has the team explained/demonstrated why/how it should be a role model for other FIRST teams to
emulate?
3. How well has the team communicated its excitement and impact within the entire school,
community, and beyond (state/nation) through participation in FIRST?
4. Has the team documented an innovative way to spread the FIRST message?
5. How strong of a year-round team partnership effort is reflected? (You can define partnership in
many ways, including: the partnership among the team's students/corporate sponsor/engineers;
school/university sponsor/engineers; students/adults; community/team)
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6. As a whole, does the content of the documentation exemplify the true meaning of FIRST?
Your Chairman's Award submission should include documentation for all the above factors.
9.2.3.2 Submission Format
Regional Chairman's Award submissions will be submitted on line. The submission, excluding the
Executive Summary, will be limited to 10,000 characters, including spaces and punctuation, and may
include up to four (4) photographs totaling no more than 1.0Mb of memory.
9.2.3.3 Submission Process
The URL for the Chairman's Award Submission is http://www.firstawards.org. Follow the directions shown
on the site to submit your team's entry. Teams may only submit at one regional event at which the team will
compete. This site will be available beginning January 16, 2006 at noon EST.
Submitters can easily enter information, save it, and return to the site to edit the Chairman's Award
submission until they are ready to submit it for final judging. All entries will be final on Thursday, February
23, 2006 at 11:59 p.m. EST. No entries will be accepted or altered after this date.
Chairman's Award submitters will go to the website and enter the required information.
· Team Number:
· Regional Selection:
· Executive Summary Teams must complete the following fields in order to be considered for this
award. The information included in the Executive Summary is not included in the total
character/word count for the Chairman's Award Submission.
· Team Name
Corporate/University Sponsors
· Briefly describe the impact of the FIRST program on team participants (500 characters allowed,
including spaces and punctuation)
· Examples of role model characteristics for other teams to emulate (500 characters allowed, including
spaces and punctuation)
· Describe the impact of the FIRST program on your team and community (500 characters allowed,
including spaces and punctuation)
· Team's innovative methods to spread the FIRST message (500 characters allowed, including spaces
and punctuation)
· Describe the strength of your partnership (500 characters allowed, including spaces and punctuation)
· Team's communication methods and results (500 characters allowed, including spaces and
punctuation)
· Other matters of interest to the FIRST judges, if any (500 characters allowed, including spaces and
punctuation)
· Upload pictures (maximum of 4 allowed, not to exceed 1.0Mb in total)
· Essay (10,000 characters allowed, including spaces and punctuation, or approximately 1500 words)
· Electronic signature of Team Captain/Student Representative certifying that the document is complete
and accurate
· Electronic signature of adult team mentor certifying that the document is complete ad accurate
Once the Chairman's Award submissions are completed, they are sorted and posted on a private, password-
protected site where only the judges can read the entries. Each regional will have all the candidates listed and
the judges will review the submissions. Teams should bring a hard copy of their submission to the event.
In preparing this document, bear in mind that students, engineers, teachers, community, school, sponsors,
families, and other supporters, as well as the machine itself are all integral parts of your team experience.
Your submission does need to clearly convey the factors outlined above.
· Important Note: Chairman's Award Judges look for and review the information entered in the
Yearbook Page as part of the Chairman's Award submission. This information is entered as part of the
Team Information Management System (TIMS) at http://www.my.usfirst.org. Refer to
Communications for more details about the Yearbook Page.
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9.2.3.4 Submission Deadline
Chairman's Award submissions are due no later than Thursday, February23, 2006. 11:59 p.m. EST.
9.2.4 Judging Process
The Regional Award Process: By 10 a.m. on Friday mornings of each Regional Competition a list of
interview times for the submitting teams will be available at the Pit Administration station. Interviews will
take place during the day on Friday. A panel of judges will review the Chairman's Award entries at each
Regional and will conduct on-site Chairman's Award interviews with those teams who have entered a
submission for that regional event. Judges will select one winner for the Regional Chairman's Award at each
regional competition.
Interviews are limited to ten (10) minutes with not more than three (3) student team members) to best
represent them. The team selects these representatives. During the first five (5) minutes of the interview, the
team members give a presentation to the judges, and the judges will use the second five (5) minutes for their
interview.
NOTE 1: If the presentation requires special equipment, the team is responsible for bringing it to the
interview.
NOTE 2: Teams are encouraged to bring copies of documentation, supporting their submission, to leave with
the judges. This documentation may include, but is not limited to:
· Letters of reference
· Newspaper and magazine articles
· Program Books
As part of the Chairman's Award judging process, FIRST judges will also review the Executive Summary
page AND the yearbook page for each of the submitting teams. Your team's submission will be a key factor
in the selection process, along with the judges' own observations of the team at the competitions.
The Championship Award Process: At The Championship, a panel of judges will review the winning
thirty (30) Regional Chairman's Award submissions and will select one ultimate Chairman's Award winner.
This winning team has the additional honor of choosing one of its junior or senior student members to be the
recipient of the Allaire Medal.
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9.2.5 The Allaire Medal - Leadership Exemplified
The Chairman's Award is presented at the Championship to the FIRST team judged to have the best
partnership effort. The Allaire Medal recognizes leadership exemplified and is awarded to an individual
student on the winning Chairman's Award team.
Named in honor of Paul A. Allaire, a long-serving FIRST Chairman of the Board, the Allaire Medal is given
to the student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership on his/her FIRST team, within his/her school and
community, and whose personal character best embodies the spirit of FIRST.
The team receiving The Chairman's Award at the Championship will select the Allaire Medal recipient. The
adult and student team members determine the winner. The recipient must be a high school junior or senior
who has been accepted into a four-year degree program at a college or university. The Allaire Medalist
receives the Allaire medallion and up to $10,000 in total scholarship support for undergraduate tuition, room
and board, fees, and books at his or her intended university or college.
9.2.6 Hall of Fame
FIRST Robotics created The Hall of Fame to recognize the teams that have had the most impact on FIRST
growth. A team earns permanent Hall of Fame status by winning the Championship Chairman's Award, the
most prestigious FIRST award. Unlike other Halls of Fame, the model teams in the FIRST Hall of Fame are
not retired, but begin a new phase of participation, requiring additional activities to achieve Hall of Fame Star
Status. To achieve Hall of Fame Star Status, a team must submit a Chairman's Award entry, using the same
criteria as all other Chairman's Award applicants as described above in "Submission Process." Hall of Fame
Chairman's Award submissions will not be included in the Regional Chairman's Award judging process.
9.2.6.1 NEW: DVD Submission
FIRST encourages teams to enhance each submission by creating a DVD, which should be mailed to FIRST
headquarters, attention Sue Robinson, postmarked no later than April 19, 2006. Teams are encouraged to
bring a copy of the DVD and have equipment to show it in their booths at The Championship.
Congratulations to all the previous Chairman's Award winners! This year's thirty-three (33) Regional
Chairman's Award winners will vie for the one spot reserved for the 2006 winner.
9.2.6.2 Display Specifications
These stellar teams should also create a display booth that meets the standards associated with the Chairman's
Award. It should showcase the teams' achievements and support for FIRST and highlight how the team
continues to promote FIRST, while showing what it means to be a Chairman's Award recipient.
Each team will have a ten-foot space (10), which includes a skyline wall and display drum on which teams
can display graphic panels and awards. These walls are made of fabric and only Velcro can be attached to
them. We ask teams not to assemble any large structure over forty-eight inches (48) tall or one that extends
out from the skyline panel and impedes persons from viewing all of the Hall of Fame teams at one time.
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9.2.6.3 Hall of Fame Teams
THE FIRST HALL OF FAME
Year Team Official Team Name
#
2005
67
General Motors Milford Proving Ground and Huron Valley Schools
2004
254
NASA Ames Research Center/Laron Incorporated/Unity Care Group/Line-X of San
Jose/PK Selective Metal Plating, Inc. & Bellarmine College Preparatory San Jose, CA
USA
2003
103
NASA/Amplifier Research/Custom Finishers/Lutron Electronics/BAE Systems &
Palisades High School
2002
175
Hamilton Sundstrand Space Systems International/The New England Air
Museum/Techni-Products/Veritech Media & Enrico Fermi High School
2001 22
NASAJPL/Boeing/Rocketdyne/FADL
Engineering/Decker Machine & Chatsworth
High School
2000
16
Baxter Healthcare Corporation & Mountain Home High School
1999
120
NASA Lewis Research Center/TRW, Inc./Battelle Memorial Institute & East Technical
High School
1998
23
Boston Edison & Plymouth North High School
1997 47
Delphi
International
& Pontiac Central High School
1996
144
Procter & Gamble & Walnut Hills High School
1995 151 Lockheed
Sanders & Nashua High School
1994
191
Xerox Corporation & JC Wilson Magnet High School
1993
7
AT&T Bell Labs & Science High School
1992
191
Xerox Corporation & JC Wilson Magnet High School
9.3 THE FOUNDER'S AWARD
Each year FIRST presents this award to honor an organization or individual that has contributed significantly
to the growth of FIRST.
9.4 THE WOODIE FLOWERS AWARDS
The Woodie Flowers Award celebrates effective communication in the art and science of engineering and
design. Dr. William Murphy and Small Parts, Inc. began this prestigious award in 1996 to recognize mentors
who lead, inspire, and empower using excellent communication skills.
FIRST will recognize one adult team member at each of the thirty-three (33) Regional Competitions as a
Woodie Flowers Finalist Award (WFFA) winner. Of these talented mentors, combined with the WFFA
winners from 2004 and 2005, one will receive the Woodie Flowers Award at the 2006 Championship in
Atlanta.
9.4.1 Award is Students' Choice
Students on a FIRST Robotics team will choose one adult team member as their candidate. They will describe
how this mentor has given them the best understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and satisfaction
involved in the discipline of engineering and design. Professor Flowers will lead the past Championship
Woodie Flowers Award (WFA) winners as they judge and select the 2006 Finalists and Championships
winner based on student essays.
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9.4.2 Spirit of the Award
Two aspects of this award are important. Of course, the accomplishments in communication by the mentor
are essential. Also very important is the student's ability to communicate clearly and concisely.
Communication in both directions is an integral part of learning. This award recognizes an individual who
has done an outstanding job of motivation through communication while also challenging the student body to
be clear and succinct in recognizing the value of communication. Also, in the spirit or recognizing additional
deserving mentors, past WFFA winners are not eligible to win the Regional award again. These previously
recognized mentors are only eligible to win the Championship WFA.
9.4.3 Judging Criteria
Each team may nominate one candidate to be a WFFA winner. Students may also re-nominate their team's
past WFFA winners by submitting a new essay for this past Finalist to be eligible for the Championship
WFA. Nominees must be adult mentors who truly inspire the team. These individuals demonstrate
excellence in engineering instruction by explaining complex ideas to students in an inspiring way. Judging
criteria is based on the team's description of how the teacher or engineer inspired each member of the team in
some or all of the following ways:
· Level of student participation
· Creativity of effort
· Clear explanation of mathematical, scientific, and engineering concepts
· Demonstration of enthusiasm for science and engineering
· Encouragement to work on projects as a team effort
· Inspiration to use problem-solving skills
· Inspiration to become an effective communicator
Each FIRST team completes a product development cycle as it designs a concept, develops a prototype, and
builds and debugs a unique machine. This requires teamwork, attention to detail, scheduling, and hard work.
The award-winning essay should answer this question; "How did the candidate inspire your team throughout
this process?" If the essay describes how this individual excels above all others as he or she inspires the team,
then that mentor truly deserves to be recognized with the award that honors Professor Woodie Flowers and
his contribution to engineering, education, and communication.
9.4.4 Entry Requirements
Students enter their candidate at the Woodie Flowers Award entry web page: www.firstawards.org. They
enter team and candidate information, reference information, and a six hundred-word (600) essay, written in
English. Teams may also add up to six (6) pictures, totaling no more than 1.0 Mb. of memory. This essay
should be a team effort and will stand alone as the team's entry to award their candidate the deserved
recognition.
9.4.5 Submission Deadline
The Woodie Flowers Award entries are due on Thursday, February 23rd at 11:59 p.m. EST.
9.4.6 Entry Process
The Woodie Flowers Award submission is submitted on-line at www.firstawards.org. Nomination entry
directions are listed on this site. This site will be available beginning January 13, 2006 at noon EST.
Student nominators must follow the directions listed on the screen. Each team can only submit one WFFA
candidate for this award. Teams can also enter essays for their team's past WFFA winners in order to make
them eligible for the Championship WFA. As the student nominator fills out the required information, he/she
must choose only one regional, where the team will be competing, to submit its candidate.
Student nominators can easily enter information, save it, and return to the site to edit their entry information
until they are ready to submit it for judging. All entries will be final on Thursday, February 23rd at 11:59 p.m.
EST (midnight). No entries will be accepted or altered after this date.
Students will go to the website to enter information in the following fields:
Team Number
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Candidate Information:
First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name
Address, City, State, zip code
Employer
Occupation
Position on team
Student Advocate's information: (Student recommending candidate)
First Name, Last Name
Phone Number
E-mail Address
Position on Team
Adult Reference (On the same team)
First Name, Last Name
Phone Number
E-mail Address
Position on Team
Adult Reference (Any FIRST affiliation)
First Name, Last Name
Phone Number
E-mail Address
Regional Selection (Team must attend this Regional)
Upload Pictures (Up to 6, no more than 1.0 Mb total)
Essay (600 words or less) - The students will see a quote from Dr. Murphy and/or Woodie about the value of
concise and clear writing. Once candidates' information and essays are submitted, they are sorted and posted
on a private, password-protected site where only the Judges can read the entries. Each Regional will have its
candidates listed and the Judges will review the submissions.
9.4.7 Prior Regional Woodie Flowers Award Winners
A team may refresh the submission of 2004 & 2005 winners of the Regional Woodie Flowers Award as well
as submit another mentor for 2006. You will not be able to edit the original submission but can refresh it by
adding a new 600-word essay to make the submission current. These prior winners will be considered as
finalists at the Championship along with the regional winners from the current year
9.5 THE AUTODESK INVENTOR AWARD 2006
9.5.1 Purpose of Award:
This award honors excellence in student mechanical design, coordination, and presentation.
9.5.2 Competition Period:
Monday, December 25, 2005, to Monday, March 13, 2006. Autodesk Award updates (if any) may be found
on Autodesk Streamline site created for the FIRST Robotics teams (see below). Please note the rules for 2006
have changed slightly from past years.
9.5.3 Award Overview
Autodesk wants to honor those young inventors and engineers that make the FIRST Robotics Competition
possible! Once again we are excited to offer the Autodesk Inventor Award. With Autodesk Inventor we have
provided the tool that allows you to design without limits. Now we want to see what you do with this tool. We
know that before your team can start building your robot you need to design it. We want to see the exciting
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 11 of 35
journey of how your designs evolved into a real-life robot! Autodesk Inventor allows you to quickly and
easily design and modify your robot using the same iterative techniques employed by professional engineers.
From concept through completion, the Autodesk Inventor Award was created to honor those who bring their ideas to
reality.
9.5.4 Award Description
The Autodesk Inventor Award honors the team that best uses Autodesk Inventor software to design their 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition robot. Entrants are required to post various drawings and photographs of their
robot onto a website, as well as post their Autodesk Inventor files onto Autodesk Streamline.
9.5.5 Award Criteria
Please post your files to:
https://projectpoint.buzzsaw.com/client/first
User Name: "(public)", no password (the parenthesis are needed).
It is important to Zip your files, with a filename of your 4-digit numbered team name, such as
"team_0123_phase1.zip." Please also title your Inventor Project file in the format "team_0123.ipj."
The competition has three required phases:
9.5.5.1 Phase One: The Design
The deliverables are as follows:
· A DWF export of the main robot design; this is new for 2006, and required for entry. Please name the
file distinctly with your team number in 4 digits, such as "team_0123.dwf," and place it in the main
directory of your entry.
· A set of drawings (.idw or .dwf) which document the basic dimensions of the design
· The assembly data for your robot (.iam and .ipt) --- parts and assembly
Please note: Designs must be created entirely within Autodesk Inventor. Importing geometry from other CAD
packages will significantly impact the team score.
9.5.5.2 Phase Two: The Photograph
· A series of pictures (screen shots, image exports, or Studio renderings) which emphasize the
advantages of your design.
· Digital photographs of your completed robot entered into the 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition.
Photographs should clearly show the front, rear and side views of your robot.
9.5.5.3 Phase Three: Post designs and photo to web.
· Please post your entry to a website. Please title each document clearly and concisely so the judges
will know what they are viewing. Please make sure your website is active by the entry date. (Note:
please test it from various computers.)
9.5.5.4 Phase Four: Bonus (not required):
· Animation of one mechanism using driven assembly constraints (.avi, .mov, or other common
format). The animation should be captured using Autodesk Inventor's record functionality in the
Drive Constraint dialog box, or with Inventor Studio.
9.5.6 Judging Criteria:
Judges will review all entries. A select number will advance to the second phase of judging. A list of entries
that advanced to the second round of judging will be posted onto Autodesk Streamline after the submission
deadline.
In scoring your entry, judges will address specific criteria:
Robot Design
50 points
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Page 12 of 35
Technical Expertise
30 points
Presentation of final design 20 points
TOTAL POINTS:
100 points
Bonus Animation
10 points
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS: 110 points
9.5.7 The Judging Process
The judging panel is made up of volunteers from business, industry and education. Some of the judges are
Autodesk employees; others are Autodesk Inventor customers or educators. Judges are familiar with the
FIRST Robotics Competition, with previous Autodesk Award competitions, and with the application of
Autodesk products and other technologies in engineering, design and education.
Judges will select:
One Grand Prize Winner
One Honorable Mention Winner
One Rookie Winner
Winners will be announced during The 2006 FIRST Competition Championship Awards Ceremony.
Representatives from the winning team will be acknowledged on the main stage. A link to the winning
teams' website will be posted on Autodesk's website (www.autodesk.com/first) after the Championship
event.
9.5.8 Entry Deadline:
There are two deadlines. Please break up Zip files as needed to make uploading manageable (250 Mb is a
recommended maximum size).
Entry Form and Consent Form (2 forms!) must be posted onto Autodesk Streamline no later than
Monday, March 6, 2006, by 5:00 p.m. PST.
Entry must be posted onto Autodesk Streamline no later than Monday, March 13, 2006, by 5:00 p.m.
PST. Your website must also be active and ready for viewing by Autodesk Judges on March 13,
2006.
9.5.9 Entry Requirements:
Entrant must be a fully registered team participating in the 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition.
Limit one (1) Entry per team.
A completed and clearly legible "Entry Form" and an "Archive Consent and Release Authorization
Form" must be submitted to Autodesk via Autodesk Streamline.
Forms must be legible. Illegible forms may cause your entry to be disqualified.
Forms should be posted on Autodesk Streamline by the deadline, under "Student Upload Area
2006/Desposit Inventor Entry Forms Here" folder.
Entry must be posted on Autodesk Streamline by the deadline, in the "Deposit Inventor Award
Entries Here" folder.
Autodesk is not responsible for any technical malfunctions; lost/delayed data transmission; omission;
interruption; deletion; line failures of any telephone network, computer equipment or software; the inability to
access any website or online service. Autodesk is not responsible for late, lost, stolen, misdirected,
incomplete, or illegible entries; postage due mail; internet downtimes or malfunctions; or other errors.
Please try to upload early to avoid last minute deadline concerns.
Note: Hard copies of entry forms and/or Autodesk Archive Consent and Release Authorization Forms will not
be accepted this year. All forms must be posted onto Autodesk Streamline.
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 13 of 35
9.5.10 Prizes and Prize Rules:
Detailed information on the prizes and prize rules will be announced on Autodesk Streamline before the
regional events.
9.5.11 Scores
Scores will be provided to teams whose entry advanced to the second round of judging. Scores will be
emailed to the team and/or teacher contact listed on the entry form.
Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, Autodesk Inventor and Autodesk Streamline are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the
U.S.A. and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 14 of 35
9.5.12 Autodesk Inventor Award 2006 Entry Form
The following is required:
1. Complete this Entry Form as its contents are required for judging. It must be legible, and you must
include it with your Entry submittal. Please read the Entry Requirements carefully, before completing
this Entry Form. Information on the form must be complete.
2. Complete and include the Autodesk Consent and Release Authorization agreement with your entry. It is
required for judging.
Do not forget to post both forms ("Entry" and "Consent") along with your Autodesk Inventor files (please Zip
files) onto Autodesk Streamline no later than the deadline. The site can be found at:
https://projectpoint.buzzsaw.com/client/first
Username: (public)
Password: none required
Please make sure that the URL of your website is active prior to the entry deadline. (If Autodesk judges
cannot access your website it will not be judged.)
Entry Deadline:
There are two deadlines:
1. Entry Form and Consent Form (2 forms!) must be posted onto Autodesk Streamline no later than
Monday, March 6, 2006, by 5:00 p.m. PST.
2. Entry must be posted onto Autodesk Streamline no later than Monday, March 13, 2006, by 5:00
p.m. PST. Your website must also be active and ready for viewing by Autodesk Judges on March
13, 2006.
Entrant Information: (Please print or type)
FIRST Team Number:
FIRST Team Name:
Autodesk Inventor Award Entry URL (must be working by entry deadline):
School Name(s):
School Address:
School Phone Number:
School Contact (Teacher) and email:
Corporate sponsor's name and telephone number:
Team Contact, email and phone number:
Note: It is important that we have accurate contact information in case our judges need to contact you with
any questions or concerns regarding your entry.
Individual Student Designers:
Your team can select up to 15 individual student designers as potential Award recipients. List the following
information for each student on Attachment "A":
Student Name
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FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 15 of 35
Mailing Address (no P.O. boxes)
Telephone Number
Email address
Individual Team Champion:
In past competitions for the Autodesk Awards we have heard impressive stories of outstanding individuals on
some competing teams. Please tell us who your "Team Champion" is this year and about his/her
contributions to the team and your Entry. Your champion may be a student, teacher, engineer, community
member or other individual contributor.
Software Use:
Describe which Autodesk products you used and how. Also, name and describe other design, visualization,
or animation software products you used in your entry. Please remember that the Autodesk Inventor award is
for your team to showcase the use of Autodesk Inventor in the design of your team's robot.
Autodesk Products:
Non-Autodesk Products:
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 16 of 35
Attachment "A"
Autodesk Inventor Award 2006
Student Designers:
Include the name, mailing address, phone number and email address for each student listed.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
© FIRST 2006
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Page 17 of 35
9.5.13 Inventor Archive Consent/Release Authorization
Use this form for the Autodesk Inventor Award at the 2006 FIRST Competition
Dear Contributor,
We appreciate your interest in submitting material to Autodesk, Inc. The following allows us to legally use your
work.
By signing and returning this consent form, the individual named below and/or if applicable the individual's employer,
middle or high school(s), or corporate or college/university sponsor(s) and individual student, faculty and corporate
contributors (hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Entrant") understand that the Entrant is agreeing to the following
terms which will govern use of the images, animation, sounds, files and other material (the "Material") described below:
Entrant grants a nonexclusive, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide license to Autodesk, Inc. to use the images,
animation, sounds and other material contained in the "Material" in any manner it deems appropriate.
"Nonexclusive" means that Entrant can allow others to use the Material and that the Entrant retains all rights to the
Material other than those specifically granted to Autodesk.
Autodesk may change, reproduce, distribute, and sublicense the Material to its subsidiaries, affiliates, customers and
to third parties granting them the same rights which Autodesk has received.
Autodesk will try to include the credit line shown below when the Material is used and will also try to require others
to whom it grants sublicense to do the same. However, Autodesk and its sublicensees may not always be able to
include the credit line or otherwise acknowledge the source of the Material. The compensation the Entrant will
receive for agreeing to license the Material will be limited to the exposure the Entrant receives by Autodesk's use and
sublicensing of it. No other compensation will be paid. The Entrant agrees that the Entrant will not at any time make
any claim for compensation for the rights granted to Autodesk.
The Entrant represents and warrants that the Material is owned by the Entrant free and clear of any liens or claims of any
third party; that the Entrant has a legal right to grant the permission given in the Entry Form and in this Agreement. The
Entrant indemnifies and holds Autodesk, its subsidiaries, associated companies, successors, assigns, agents, and
employees harmless against liability should any third party claim that the use of the Material or any part thereof by
Autodesk violates any right of such third party. The Material does not include any proprietary information, logos, or
trademarks of any third party. NOTE: Use of the FIRST Foundation logo is permitted without permission, as long as
that logo is not at all altered.
The authorized signatory for the Entrant is over 18 years old and either owns the copyright to the material in these files,
or has the right to grant this consent on behalf of the owner, or knows that the material in these files is in the public
domain. This consent does not conflict with any others the Entrant has granted or any other rights to the files.
FIRST TEAM SPONSOR OR SCHOOL (where applicable)
FIRST Team Name and Number: _____________________________________________________________
Inventor Award Entry URL: _________________________________________________________________
Name, email and Telephone # of Entry Contact: _________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Address, City, State, ZIP _____________________________________________________________________
School Name & Address: ___________________________________________________________________
School Telephone # _________________________________________________________________________
Teacher Name & Email ______________________________________________________________________
Authorized Signatory (print) ________________________________________________
Authorized Signature (sign) __________________________________________
The above release shall be void if amended in any manner. Autodesk shall not be responsible for the return of any materials
submitted.
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 18 of 35
9.6 THE AUTODESK VISUALIZATION AWARD 2006
Purpose of Award
Honor excellence in student animation.
Entry Deadline
There are two separate deadlines this year!
· Paperwork Due: Monday, February 6, 2006
· Animation and Storyboard due: Monday, February 13, 2006 no later than 8:00 a.m. (PST)
9.6.1 Award Updates:
Award updates (if any) will be found on the Autodesk Streamline site created for the FIRST Robotics teams:
https://projectpoint.buzzsaw.com/client/FIRST
User name: (public).
[NOTE: Be sure to include the parentheses!]
Once you type in "(public)" the password field will become grey as no password is required.
9.6.2 Award Overview
All FIRST teams are invited to create a submission for the Autodesk Visualization Award (AVA) using
Autodesk 3ds Max® software.
The animation cannot exceed 30 seconds in length and must be submitted in QuickTime format, via Autodesk
Streamline.
The theme for this year is "Ideas Realized."
There are two ways to advance to the FINAL ROUND of professional judging:
Win during the Peer Judging, and/or
Advance during Round One of Professional Judging conducted by Autodesk's professional judges
Only animations that advance to the Final Round of Professional Judging may be selected as a winner. Three
animations will be selected as winners in 2006. The categories are:
· Championship Winner
· Honorable Mention Winner
· "Rising Star" (Rookie) Winner
Winners will be announced at the FIRST Robotics Competition Championship Event.
Note: Winning a Regional AVA does NOT earn a spot at the FIRST Robotics Competition 2006 Championship.
9.6.3 About Autodesk 3ds Max animation software
Autodesk 3ds Max software has a global install base in the 3D industry and is the standardized 3D software in
the core production environment for game development giants including: Ubisoft, Rockstar Games and
Electronic Arts. 3ds Max software is used by the top architectural design visualization businesses including,
HOK, Ellerbe Becket, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill--and visual effects studios including Blur Studios,
Frantic Films, Digital Dimension.
Autodesk 3ds Max software was used to generate a majority of PC, Xbox, and Playstation console games
including Halo and Halo 2 (Bungie), Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 The Game (Treyarch); Star Wars:
Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire (BioWare); Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory and
Prince of Persia Warrior Within (Ubisoft); Need for Speed Underground 2 (Electronic Arts / Black Box)
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War (Relic Entertainment),Fable (Lionhead Studios, Microsoft); Deus Ex from
Ion Storm/Eidos Grand Theft Auto series (Rockstar); and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Electronic
Arts).
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Page 19 of 35
3D visual effects in motion pictures made with 3ds Max software include Sky Captain and The World of
Tomorrow (The Orphanage), The Day After Tomorrow (Dreamscape Imagery/ Uncharted Territory), Exorcist:
The Beginning, Cellular, The Last Samurai, and Elf (Digital Dimension), X2:X-Men United, The Italian Job
(Frantic Films).
9.6.3.1 Award Description
The Award recognizes 30-seconds of student animation, created using Autodesk 3ds Max. Each animation
must:
· Illustrate the concept of "Ideas Realized" the process of visualizing what you want to achieve from
being part of FIRST.
· Meet all entry requirements
· Must have been created using Autodesk 3ds Max software, any version. NOTE: Maya is not allowed
in the 2006 season.
Entries will be scored on the criteria for the three key areas outlined below.
9.6.3.2 Scoring Criteria
9.6.3.2.1 Concept (Maximum: 35 points)
Distinction in the use of design and animation to illustrate and communicate a clearly defined message of
"Ideas Realized".
Measured in terms of how well your team:
· identifies and executes on a concept
· organizes the content for your 30-second animation
· how well your animation follows your storyboard.
9.6.3.2.2 Creativity (Maximum: 35 points)
Distinction in the use of design and animation to make your entry visually exciting, arresting, striking and
memorable.
Measured in terms of how your team:
creates a compelling, creative and distinctive animation one that stands out from the rest.
9.6.3.2.3 Technical Execution (Maximum: 30 points)
Distinction in the application of Autodesk software.
Measured in terms of:
how skillfully your team uses 3ds max and other Autodesk products to create a technically impressive
animation.
Some examples of technical applications are modeling, materials application, lighting,
camera motion and angles, sound effects, texture mapping, color, special FX, character animation, editing
technique. In addition to using the features of 3ds max, judges will review how well you have incorporated
elements such as voice-over, music, photography, or live video into the animation.
NOTE: Animations that use copyrighted music without written permission from the legal copyright owner
will be disqualified. For more information on the use of music in your animation, please see document
entitled "Copyright Music Information" which is posted on Autodesk Streamline, see link below.
9.6.3.3 Submittal Process and Entry Requirements
· Entrant must be a fully registered team participating in the 2006 FIRST Robotics Competition.
· Limit one (1) Entry per school. If a team includes multiple schools, each school may submit an Entry.
Please identify each school entry with the team number, and then a letter starting with "a". Example:
"Team 123a Smith High School" "Team 123b Jones High School."
· A completed and clearly legible "Entry Form"
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 20 of 35
· A completed and clearly legible "Autodesk Archive Consent and Release Authorization Form. Forms
can be found on Autodesk Streamline http://projectpoint.buzzsaw.com/client/FIRST. Ensure that forms
are legible or your entry may be disqualified.
· Please place forms into the file folder named "Student Upload Area" "Awards" "AVA Forms"
· Paperwork Due: Monday, February 6, 2006
· Storyboard (no size or length requirements). Electronic storyboards are acceptable. They should be
uploaded to your specific team's folder on Streamline. If a hard copy of the storyboard is submitted,
please use #3 pencil or softer. Color may be used on the original but is not required.
· Storyboard must be clearly labeled with Team Number, Team Name, School(s) Name and Sponsor(s)
name. Without this information entry will not be judged. Hard copy storyboards should be mailed to:
Autodesk, Attn: FIRST Robotics Competition, 210 Main Street, Venice, CA 90291.
· Storyboard Due Date: Monday, February 13, 2006.
9.6.3.4 Animation Entry Requirements:
Your entry must include: 5-second slate followed by one second of black, followed by the animation,
followed by one second of black. Slate must include:
· Team number (example: R1234 or 1234)
· Team Name
· School
· Title
· Duration (not including slate and black)
· Audio (stereo, mono, none) peak not to exceed -6db or fall under -18db
· Credits may follow that still frame, but will not be included as part of the timing, judging or scoring
process, nor will they be included in the compilation reels distributed by Autodesk, Inc.
9.6.3.4.1 Required file format:
Export your finished animation out of 3ds Max ONLY in QuickTime (.MOV) (see Acceptable Codec
below)
NOTE: The QuickTime export function is included on the 3ds Max 8 CD.
NOT acceptable: .wmv .mpg .asp .wmx
Audio (stereo, mono, none) peak not to exceed -6db or fall under -18db
Title safe guidelines: (NOTE: Computer screens are NOT the same as TV screens)
All files should be 720 x 480. All text and motion animation within the 720 x 480 window should be 15%
away from the edge (especially text) to ensure that your content will fit a TV screen when viewed for
judging from a DVD format. Solid or textured backgrounds are OK to run to the edge. Anything on top of
the background must follow the Title Safe guidelines.
9.6.3.4.2 Acceptable Codec:
· DV-NTSC ONLY
· Cinepak is NOT acceptable
· Do not use DiVX or any other non-standard Codec
· Frame Rate: 29.97 frames per second ONLY
· Frame Size: 720 x 480 ONLY: 640 x 480 & 320 x 240 are NOT acceptable.
· Maximum File Size: Please keep your entry under 250MB
9.6.3.4.3 File naming convention:
You must name your animation in the following format:
· "[insert your team number]_AVA2006.MOV"
· Examples: 1234_AVA2006.MOV or R4321_AVA2006.MOV
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 21 of 35
ROOKIE ENTRIES: If your team is making a FIRST entry for the Autodesk Visualization Award, you will
be considered a rookie entry. As such, you must place an "R" in front of your team number on all components
of your entry (entry form, archive and consent form, slate (on the animation), etc.).
Example: "R-1234" Without this "R" your entry will not be judged as a rookie entry.
Note: For the purposes of this award, Autodesk defines rookie as a team that has never
submitted for the Autodesk Visualization Award before. This means that both veteran and first year
teams who have never submitted an AVA are eligible to submit as rookies.
Autodesk is not responsible for Entries not posted onto Autodesk Streamline by the deadline, or for any lost,
late, misdirected, illegible, incomplete, or damaged Entries. Entries will remain the property of Autodesk, Inc.
No materials will be returned.
Post Entry to:
http://projectpoint.buzzsaw.com/client/FIRST
User name: (public). [Note: Be sure to use the parentheses.]
Once you type in "(public)" the password field will become grey as no password is required.
9.6.4 The Judging Process
There are two ways to advance to the FINAL ROUND of professional judging:
Win during the Peer Judging, and/or
Advance during Round One of Professional Judging conducted by Autodesk's professional judges
9.6.4.1 Peer Judging
Note: Winning a Regional AVA does NOT earn a spot at the FIRST 2006 Championship.
Animations will be judged by your peers via Autodesk Streamline. (Exact judging procedure to be
provided to each team that submits an animation prior to first regional event.)
One winner will be selected per regional event.
Only teams that are registered for a regional event may win at that regional event.
In the event that an animation has already won a previous regional event, the second highest scoring
animation will advance to the Final Round of Professional Judging.
Regional winners will be announced by FIRST during the closing ceremony on Friday.
Winners will advance to the Final Round of Professional Judging.
Notes on the Regional Judging process:
Only teams that have submitted an animation will be eligible to participate in judging at the regional
level. These teams will be eligible to designate one student from their team to be a student judge. The
student selected must have been involved in some way with the development of his/her team's own
submittal.
Student judges will not be allowed to score the animation submitted by their own team.
9.6.4.2 Round One of Professional Judging:
All animation entries will be reviewed by a professional panel of judges.
A select number of Entries will be advanced for judging to the Final Round of Professional
Judging.
All rookie entries will be considered for the "Rising Star" award by the professional judges. Please
see "Rising Star" information below.
A list of Entries that advance to the Final Round of Professional Judging will be posted onto
Autodesk Streamline by March 13, 2006.
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Page 22 of 35
9.6.4.3 Final Round of Professional Judging:
Professional judges will review:
Winners of the Peer judging (regional animation winners)
Animations that advanced from Round One Professional Judging
Professional Judges will select the following winners:
Championship Winner
Honorable Mention Winner
"Rising Star" (Rookie) Winner
Winners will be announced at the FIRST Robotics Competition Championship Event.
A professional panel of judges made up of volunteers from business, industry and education will conduct
judging. Judges are professional animators, artists, engineers and educators. Some of the judges are Autodesk
employees, others are 3ds Max customers or trainers. Judges are familiar with the FIRST Robotics
Competition, with previous Autodesk Award competitions, and with the application of Autodesk products and
other technologies in engineering, design and education.
9.6.4.4 "Rising Star" (Rookie) winner:
The "Rising Star" award will not be awarded on a regional level. For the purposes of this award, the "Rookie"
designation is given to any school which has not submitted for the Autodesk Visualization Award previously.
Teams submitting with a "Rookie" designation (R plus team number) will also be part of the Autodesk
Visualization Awards being judged at the regional level if they have met all the qualifications. Schools, which
have submitted previously but have been disqualified, do not qualify as "Rookie" teams under these
Guidelines. Should a "Rookie" team be selected as the Championship Winner, a Rising Star winner will not
be selected.
Prizes:
Prizes will be announced at a later date.
9.6.5 Autodesk Visualization Award 2006 Submittal Checklist
Item
Deadline
Completed
(No Later than)
Entry Form and Autodesk Archive Consent and Release Authorization
Monday
Form.
February 6, 2006
(Post on Autodesk Streamline* site or mail**)
Written permission note to use music from the legal copyright owner, if
Monday
your animation contains copyrighted music.
February 6, 2006
(Post on Autodesk Streamline* site or mail**)
Storyboard
Tuesday
(Upload to Autodesk Streamline* site or mail*)
February 13, 2006
8am (PST)
Animation
Tuesday
(Posted onto Autodesk Streamline* under the file folder with your team
February 13, 2006
number)
8am (PST)
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 23 of 35
Send email to: first.entries@autodesk.com to announce your animation
Tuesday
has been posted.
February 13, 2006
Subject header should say: "Notice of AVA posting, team number
8am (PST)
XXX"
*Autodesk Streamline site:
https://projectpoint.buzzsaw.com/client/FIRST
username: "(public)"
**Mailing address:
Autodesk Inc.
Attention: FIRST Robotics Competition
111 McInnis Parkway
San Rafael, CA 94903
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 24 of 35
9.6.6 AUTODESK VISUALIZATION AWARD 2006 Entry Form
The following is required:
A. Complete this Entry Form as its contents are required for judging. It must be legible. Please read the
Entry Requirements carefully, before completing this Entry Form. Information on this Form must be
complete.
B. Complete and include the Autodesk Archive Consent and Release Authorization agreement with your
entry. It is required for judging.
Entry Deadline:
There are two separate entry deadlines:
· Paperwork Due: Monday, February 6, 2006
· Animation and Storyboard due: Monday, February 13, 2006 no later than 8:00 a.m. (PST)
Note: If you do not have the ability to create an electronic storyboard, hard copies will be accepted via mail but it must be
received at the Autodesk offices no later than Monday, February 13, 2006. Mailing address is: Autodesk, Attn: FIRST
Robotics Competition, 210 Main Street, Venice, CA 90291.
Autodesk Streamline site:
https://projectpoint.buzzsaw.com/client/FIRST
Username: (public)
Entrant information:
FIRST Team Number _____________ Autodesk Award Entry Title __________________________________
Team Name: _____________________ __________________________________________________________
School Name(s) __________________ __________________________________________________________
School Contact (Teacher) ______________________ Telephone Number_______________________________
Teacher Email _______________________________ ______________________________________________
Sponsor Company Name(s) _____________________ ______________________________________________
Sponsor Contact ______________________________ Telephone Number_______________________________
Sponsor Email _______________________________ ______________________________________________
Rookie Entry? Yes ____________________________ No ___________________________________________
Does you animation contain audio? Yes_____ No _____ If so, is it music? Yes_____ No____
If yes, what is the title of song(s), and the author(s) name, and name of band or artist:
______________________________________________________________________________________
Is it original music created specifically for your animation? Yes______ No________
If no, do you have written consent from the legal copyright owner to use this music in your animation?
Yes_____ No_____ (If yes, attach written consent with entry form. If no, your animation will be
disqualified.)
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 25 of 35
Individual student animator(s)
Your team can select up to 15 individual student animators as potential Award recipients. List the following
information for each student on Attachment "A"
Student Name
Current Address
Telephone Number
E-mail Address
Individual Team Champion
In past competitions for the Autodesk Award, we have heard impressive stories of outstanding individuals on
some competing teams. Please tell us who your "Team Champion" is this year and about his/her contribution
to the team and your Entry. Your champion may be a student, teacher, engineer, community member, or
other individual contributor.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Software Use--Describe which Autodesk products you used...and how. Also, name and describe other
design, visualization, or animation software products you used in your entry. Please remember that this
award is designed to showcase your team's use of 3ds max.
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© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
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Attachment "A"
Autodesk Visualization Award 2006
Student Animators:
Include name, address, phone number and e-mail address for each student listed.
1.
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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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10.
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© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 27 of 35
9.6.7 ARCHIVE CONSENT AND RELEASE AUTHORIZATION
Use this form for the Autodesk Visualization Award, FIRST Robotics Competition 2006
Dear Contributor,
We appreciate your interest in submitting material to Autodesk, Inc. The following allows us to legally
use your work.
By signing and returning this consent form, the individual named below and/or if applicable the individual's
employer, middle or high school(s), or corporate or college/university sponsor(s) and individual student,
faculty and corporate contributors (hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Entrant") understand that the
Entrant is agreeing to the following terms which will govern use of the images, animation, sounds, files and
other material (the "Material") described below:
Entrant grants a nonexclusive, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide license to Autodesk, Inc. to use the
images, animation, sounds and other material contained in the "Material" in any manner it deems
appropriate. "Nonexclusive" means that Entrant can allow others to use the Material and that the Entrant
retains all rights to the Material other than those specifically granted to Autodesk.
Autodesk may change, reproduce, distribute, and sublicense the Material to its subsidiaries, affiliates,
customers and to third parties granting them the same rights which Autodesk has received.
Autodesk will try to include the credit line shown below when the Material is used and will also try to
require others to whom it grants sublicense to do the same. However, Autodesk and its sublicensees may
not always be able to include the credit line or otherwise acknowledge the source of the Material. The
compensation the Entrant will receive for agreeing to license the Material will be limited to the exposure
the Entrant receives by Autodesk's use and sublicensing of it. No other compensation will be paid. The
Entrant agrees that the Entrant will not at any time make any claim for compensation for the rights granted
to Autodesk.
The Entrant represents and warrants that the Material is owned by the Entrant free and clear of any liens or
claims of any third party; that the Entrant has a legal right to grant the permission given in the Entry Form and
in this Agreement. The Entrant indemnifies and hold Autodesk, its subsidiaries, associated companies,
successors, assigns, agents, and employees harmless against liability should any third party claim that the use
of the Material or any part thereof by Autodesk violates any right of such third party. The Material does not
include any proprietary information, logos, or trademarks of any third party. NOTE: Use of the FIRST
Foundation logo is permitted without permission, as long as that logo is not at all altered.
The authorized signatory for the Entrant is over 18 years old and either owns the copyright to the material in
these files, or has the right to grant this consent on behalf of the owner, or knows that the material in these files
is in the public domain. This consent does not conflict with any others the Entrant has granted or any other
rights to the files.
FIRST TEAM SPONSOR OR SCHOOL (where applicable )
FIRST Team Name and Number: _____________________________________________________________
Animation Entry Title: _____________________________________________________________________
Name, Email and Telephone # of Entry Contact: ________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Address, City, State, ZIP ___________________________________________________________________
School Name & Address: ___________________________________________________________________
School Telephone # _______________________________________________________________________
Teacher Name & Email ____________________________________________________________________
Does you animation contain audio? Yes_____ No _____ If so, is it music? Yes_____ No____
If yes, what is the title of song(s), and the author(s) name, and/or name of band or artist:
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 28 of 35
______________________________________________________________________________
Is it original music created specifically for your animation? Yes______ No________
If no, do you have written consent from the legal copyright owner to use this music in your animation?
Yes_____ No_____ (If yes, written consent must accompany your entry form. If no, your animation will be
disqualified.)
Authorized Signatory (print)
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Authorized Signature (sign)
________________________________________________________________________________________
The above release shall be void if amended in any manner. Autodesk shall not be responsible for the return of
any materials submitted.
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 29 of 35
9.7 WEBSITE AWARDS
The Website Award recognizes excellence in student-designed, built, and managed FIRST team websites.
Eligible websites are judged/scored PRIOR to the competition by a panel of judges. Two subcategories of
awards will be given for website design:
1) "Website Excellence"
2) "Best Website"
Every submission that meets the FIRST website design standards of excellence will receive the Website
Excellence award. Website Excellence award winners will receive an electronic certificate to include on their
websites. At each Regional Competition, there will be one award for Best Website. The overall
championship Best Website award winners will be chosen from among the regional winners.
9.7.1 Submission and Deadline Information
Only team websites that are entered into Firstawards.org by 11:59 p.m. EST on February 23, 2006 will be
judged. Team websites are eligible for these awards at every regional event in which the team is competing.
You must enter your website separately into each event where you want it judged. The websites must be
completed and functioning by the date of submission. Any website found to be "down," and not able to be
viewed by the judges, will be disqualified at that particular event.
Any website, which in the judge's opinion, contains distasteful or objectionable material will be disqualified
from consideration in all events in which the website was entered. Any team whose website is disqualified
will be notified by e-mail of the disqualification and the reason for it.
Only one electronic Website Excellence certificate will be awarded per team for the entire competition
season. A team is eligible to win the Best Website award at multiple regional events.
9.7.2 Scoring Criteria
The following criteria will be used to judge the Website Design Awards:
9.7.2.1 General
The ideal website is a genuine reflection of the team, its participants, spirit, and goals. It should not be just a
bulletin board with information accessible via a menu. It should tell an individual story and also detail how it
is part of the larger FIRST community.
9.7.2.2 Content and Design
The content (text, pictures, music, etc,) and design of a website should work together to provide a pleasing
user experience. Good content with a confusing interface, or vice versa, will not be scored as highly as a site
with better balance.
9.7.2.3 Content (25 points)
Does the website:
· Clearly tell the team story and articulate its mission?
· Include recognition of sponsors and volunteers?
· Explain FIRST and promote its vision?
· Include helpful resources for other FIRST teams?
· Contain interesting non-text content such as music, sound, animation, or video?
9.7.2.4 Structure and Navigation (25 points)
· How easy is it, in general, to navigate throughout the site?
· Does it have HTML links that provide easy access to external content?
· Do links open new, separate browser windows?
· Is important information easily accessible?
· Is there a prominent link to the FIRST website on the home page?
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9.7.2.5 Visual Design (25 points)
· Is the site engaging, and does it encourage exploration?
· Does the website:
· Communicate a visual experience reflective of the team identity?
· Use color and iconography in a consistent way?
· Use the official FIRST logo?
· Include photos of the team participants, volunteers, and sponsors?
9.7.2.6 Functionality and Interactivity. (25 points)
· Does the website work well?
· Does the home page load quickly?
· Do the links work throughout the site?
· Does it take into consideration those with diverse user requirements including file sizes, file
formats, special access needs, (i.e. alt tags for images) and download speeds?
· Are there effective opportunities for a visitor to interact with the website?
9.7.3 Judging Process
· Each website submitted for consideration will be reviewed by a panel of judges prior to each
competition.
· There will be no on-site interviews. If the judges have questions about a particular website, they
may contact the team via email prior to the competition to resolve their questions.
· Websites receiving a score of 80% or more, but not winning the Regional Best Website Award,
will receive the Website Excellence Award.
9.7.4 Award Presentation
· Each team that wins Best Website at a competition will receive an award at that event.
· Teams that earn the Website Excellence award will receive an e-mailed, electronic certificate to
place on their websites following the Championship.
© FIRST 2006
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Page 31 of 35
9.7.5 2006 Website Award Scoring Sheet
Event:
Team Numbers # # # # #
Content (25 points)
Does the website clearly tell the team story and articulate their mission?
Does the website include recognition of sponsors and volunteers?
How well does the site explain FIRST and promote its vision?
Does the website include helpful resources for other FIRST teams?
Does the website contain interesting non-text content such as music, sound, animation, or
video?
Structure and Navigation (25 points)
Is it easy to navigate through the site?
Does it have HTML links that provide easy access to external content?
Is important information easily accessible?
Is there a prominent link to the FIRST website?
Do links open new, separate browser windows?
Visual Design (25 points)
Does the website communicate a visual experience reflective of the team identity?
Is the site engaging and does it encourage exploration?
Does the site use color and iconography in a consistent way?
Does the website homepage use the official FIRST logo?
Does the website include photos of the team participants, volunteers, and sponsors?
Functionality and Interactivity (25 points)
Does the site work well?
Does the homepage load quickly?
Do the links work throughout the site?
Does it take into consideration those with diverse user requirements including file sizes, file
formats, special access needs, (i.e., alt tags for images), and download speeds?
Are there effective opportunities for a visitor to interact with the website?
Total Scores. (0-100 points)
© FIRST 2006
FIRST Robotics Competition Manual, Section 9 The Awards, Rev D
Page 32 of 35
9.8 THE CHAMPIONSHIP AWARDS
FIRST will hold a Championship Awards Celebration where a special judging panel will present the
following awards.
9.8.1 Champion
This award celebrates the team or alliance that wins the Championship.
9.8.2 Championship Finalist
This award celebrates the team or alliance that makes it to the final match of the Championship.
9.8.3 Division Finalist
This award celebrates the team or alliance that makes it to the final match in its division at the Championship.
9.8.4 Division Champion
This award celebrates the team or alliance that wins the final match in their division at the Championship.
9.8.5 Autodesk Visualization Award
Presented by Autodesk, Inc., this award recognizes excellence in student animation that clearly and creatively
illustrates the spirit of the FIRST Robotics Competition. This year, Autodesk will award excellence in
content, creativity, and mastery of multimedia.
9.8.6 Autodesk Inventor Award
Presented by Autodesk, Inc., this award recognizes the team that best understands, communicates, and
documents the distinct phases of the design process from concept to completion. Autodesk will reward
excellence in documenting the design process, technical competence using Autodesk software, and web page
design.
9.8.7 Chairman's Award
The Chairman's Award represents the spirit of FIRST; it honors the team that best represents a model for
other teams to emulate and which embodies the goals and purpose of FIRST. It remains the most prestigious
team award FIRST presents. Please refer to the "Chairman's Award" Section for more about the award.
9.8.8 DaimlerChrysler - Team Spirit
This award celebrates extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit through an exceptional partnership and teamwork.
9.8.9 Delphi - "Driving Tomorrow's Technology"
This award celebrates an elegant and advantageous machine feature. This award recognizes any aspect of
engineering elegance including, but not limited to: design, wiring methods, material selection, programming
techniques, and unique machine attributes. The criteria for this award are based on the team's ability to
concisely verbally describe, as well as demonstrate, this chosen machine feature.
9.8.10 Engineering Inspiration
This award celebrates a team's outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering and
engineers, both within their school, as well as their community. Criteria include: the extent and
inventiveness of the team's efforts to recruit students to engineering, the extent and effectiveness of the
team's community outreach efforts, and the measurable success of those efforts. This is the second highest
FIRST award a team can garner.
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9.8.11 Founder's Award
The Founder's Award is presented each year, by FIRST Founder Dean Kamen, to one organization or
individual for exceptional service in advancing the ideals and mission of FIRST. Past winners of this award
include: Motorola, Inc. (1993), Honeywell (1994), Walt Disney World's Epcot (1995), The City of
Manchester, NH (1996), Francois Castaing of Chrysler Corporation (1997), Johnson & Johnson (1998),
NASA (1999), Dr. William Murphy, Founder of Cordis Corporation & Small Parts, Inc. (2000), Autodesk,
Inc. (2001), John Doerr, partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (2002), Innovation First (2003), FedEx
Corporation (2004), and The LEGO Group (2005).
9.8.12 General Motors - Industrial Design
This award celebrates form and function in an efficiently designed machine that effectively achieves the game
challenge.
9.8.13 Highest Rookie Seed
This award celebrates the highest-seeded rookie team at the conclusion of the qualifying rounds.
9.8.14 Imagery
This award celebrates attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration from the
machine to team appearance.
9.8.15 Johnson & Johnson - Sportsmanship
This award celebrates outstanding sportsmanship and continuous gracious professionalism in the heat of
competition, both on and off the playing field.
9.8.16 Judges' Awards
During the course of the competition, the judging panel may encounter a team whose unique efforts,
performance, or dynamics merit recognition.
9.8.17 Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers - Entrepreneurship
The Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers Entrepreneurship Award celebrates the Entrepreneurial Spirit. This
award recognizes a team, which since its inception has developed the framework for a comprehensive
business plan in order to scope, manage, and obtain team objectives. This team displays entrepreneurial
enthusiasm and the vital business skills for a self-sustaining program.
9.8.18 RadioShack® Innovation in Control
This award celebrates an innovative control system or application of control components to provide unique
machine functions.
9.8.19 Motorola - Quality
This award celebrates machine robustness in concept and fabrication.
9.8.20 Rookie All-Star
This award celebrates the rookie team exemplifying a young but strong partnership effort, as well as
implementing the mission of FIRST: to inspire students to learn more about science and technology.
9.8.21 Rookie Inspiration
This award celebrates a rookie team for outstanding effort as a FIRST team in community outreach and
recruiting students to engineering. This team models gracious professionalism on and off the field and is a
true inspiration to others.
9.8.22 *Industrial Safety Award
This award celebrates the team that progresses beyond safety fundamentals by using innovative ways to
eliminate or protect against hazards. The winning team consistently demonstrates excellence in industrial
safety performance that shines in the heat of competition.
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Page 34 of 35
9.8.23 Website Award
This award recognizes excellence in student-designed, built, and managed FIRST team websites. We have
revised the process for this award for 2006. Please refer to the website section for specifics.
9.8.24 Woodie Flowers Award
Small Parts, Inc. presents The Woodie Flowers Award to an outstanding engineer or teacher participating in
the robotics competition. This person best demonstrates excellence in teaching science, math, and creative
design and is chosen from among the Regional winners for this award. This award was presented in 1996 to
its inaugural recipient, Dr. Woodie Flowers, Pappalardo Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT and
National Advisor for FIRST.
Past winners of this award also include: Elizabeth Calef, Teacher, Bridgewater-Raynham Regional High
School (1997); Michael Bastoni, Teacher, Plymouth North High School (1998); Ken Patton, Engineer, GM
Powertrain (1999); Ms. Kyle Hughes, Teacher, OSMTech Academy (2000); and William Beatty, Beatty
Machine & Manufacturing Company (2001); David Verbrugge, Engineer, GM Proving Ground (2002); Andy
Baker, Engineer, Delphi Automotive Systems (2003); David Kelso, Teacher, Central High School (2004), and
Paul Copioli, Staff Engineer, FANUC Robotics America (2005).
9.8.25 Xerox - Creativity
This award celebrates creative design, use of a component, or creative or unique strategy of play.
© FIRST 2006
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