Taichung to stage regional for FIRST Robotics Competition

2019/12/30

A regional for the 2020 FIRST Robotics Competition is set to be staged at Feng Chia University March 6-8, 2020, in central Taiwan’s Taichung City, spotlighting government efforts promoting the country’s technological credentials on the world stage.
 
 Organized by Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau under the Ministry of Science and Technology, the regional is expected to attract 600 participants hailing from countries and territories such as Australia, Singapore and the U.S. Winning teams will qualify for the global FRC championship rounds scheduled next year April 15-18 in Houston and April 29 to May 2 in Detroit.
 
 Founded by U.S.-based nonprofit For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, FRC is aimed at high school students aged 14-18 years. The season will kick off Jan. 4, 2020, with selection of the year’s challenge. Teams comprising students, coaches and mentors must then design and build a robot weighing no more than 54 kilograms to complete the designated task.
 
 At a news conference Dec. 26, MOST Deputy Minister Hsu Yu-Chin said this is the first time Taiwan has staged an FRC event. It is an ideal opportunity for local high school students to sharpen their robotics skills, develop teamwork and pit themselves against international talent, he added.
 
 Echoing his remarks, CTSPB Director-General Hsu Maw-shin said the event underscores government work promoting technical education, adding that cultivating individuals prepared for the coming robotics era is of vital importance to the nation’s future development.
 
 Launched in 1992, FRC has previously required participants to create robots capable of tasks such as flying, hanging and balancing. The finals in the U.S. are expected to bring together 70,000 attendees from more than 70 countries and territories after over 300 regional qualifiers across the globe.

Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)