FIRST was founded in 1992 by Dean Kamen, also known as the inventor of the Segway HT. Dean recognized a growing problem with students – a lack of interest and excitement about science and technology. FIRST was created as an activity that would show high school students that science, math, and engineering can be exciting and interesting. The FIRST Robotics Competition started out in 1992 with one small regional competition in New Hampshire, hosting 28 teams. In 2016 FIRST  sponsored 127 regional and district competitions and an international Championship, with teams from all over the world participating.

 

The FIRST Robotics Competition is the primary event of FIRST. Every year, a new game is created with a new premise and rules. Each team is then given six weeks to design, build, and test a robot using a standard kit of parts. Once build season has been completed, teams send their robots to regional competitions around the country. These events, which last three days, are very high-energy events, with teams cheering each other on as they work in team alliances to achieve the best possible score.