For the fifteenth year in a row, RoboJackets will be hosting a Local Kickoff for FIRST® Robotics Competition teams on January 7th, 2023. Teams are required to register on the FIRST website for the kickoff.
The kickoff will consist of guest speakers, live kickoff broadcast, and workshops to begin the 2022-2023 FIRST® ENERGIZESM season. The event will begin with team check-in at 8:00 AM to turn in release forms and receive wristbands.
This year, workshops will be hosted before the kickoff presentation from 9:00 AM-11:00 AM at the Georgia Tech Student Center. The kickoff presentation will take place in the Ferst Center For The Arts starting at 11:00 AM. After the FIRST Kickoff Broadcast, we’ll be doing KOP distribution.
Please check this page before coming to the event as any updated information will be posted here.
Schedule
All times listed are in EST and are subject to change.
Saturday, January 7, 2023
| Time | Event | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM | Check-In* | Student Center, 1st Floor | Please bring all required release forms to receive wristbands for each attendee |
| 9:00 AM to 11 AM | Workshops | Student Center, 3rd Floor | Wristbands are required to enter. Find more details about the workshops we offer below. |
| 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM | Local Kickoff Ceremony | Ferst Center Theatre | Wristbands required to enter Livestream Link will be avaliable soon |
| 12:00 PM to 12:45 PM | FIRST Kickoff Broadcast | Ferst Center Theatre | Wristbands required to enter |
| 12:45 PM to 2:00 PM | Kit of Parts Distribution | Ferst Center Loading Dock | Please bring 2 team members and a mentor to pick up the KoP. At least one person picking up the KoP must be 18 years or older and have a valid photo ID. |
*Note: We will not be providing breakfast this year due to the later start time of the FIRST kickoff broadcast
Forms
These forms are required for in-person attendance; please ensure each student has printed out and had a parent complete their release before leaving for kickoff!
It will be ideal to have a mentor collect the forms outside the Expo Hall and bring them inside to check-in while limiting people inside the building. Each attendee needs to have their completed release form turned in or they won’t be able to enter the theater or participate in workshops.
This is parental release is required for all student minors:
This image release is required for all adult attendees:
Parking Instructions
Attendees should park in the nearest visitor parking lots to the Ferst Center. There have been recent changes to the GT campus nearby so please review closely:
- Visitor Area 3: Student Center Deck (W02) – Please use this lot for parking of cars, there is a low height requirement for the deck (6’6″) – Will cost $10 per vehicle
- Visitor Area 2: Ferst Drive and Student Center – Please use this lot for parking of larger vehicles/vans – Will cost $2/hour with a 4 hour limit
- Bus Parking – There will be parking located on Ferst Drive across from Visitor Area 2 for teams who indicate they will arrive on campus in a school bus, please follow further instructions to let us know about this option
Workshops
These workshops will be hosted in-person 2023 kickoff. In the meantime, feel free to check out the 2021 and 2022 recording links hosted on our YouTube channel!
| Workshop | Description | In-Person Location | 2022 Live Stream | 2021 Recording Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical* | This workshop will introduce you to common mechanical systems from the FRC world and when to use them. You will learn how to select, construct, and implement these mechanisms to approach any new FRC game; audience participation is encouraged! Presented by RoboJackets mechanical members. | TBD | View on Youtube | View on YouTube |
| Electrical* | An introduction to FRC electrical components, presented by RoboJackets electrical members. | TBD | View on Youtube | View on YouTube |
| Software/Java | An introduction to Java and how to get started programming your FRC robot, hosted by RoboJackets software members. | TBD | View on Youtube | View on YouTube |
| Controls | So your robot can move in autonomous. What’s next? This workshop will cover basic concepts in control theory such as PID control, motion planning, and trajectory following. The workshop will be focused on the control of robot drivetrains with an emphasis on showing interactive pseudo-code. Recommended for students grades 9-12. Knowledge of high school algebra is expected. | TBD | View on Youtube | View on YouTube |
*Note: You will not need the Kit of Parts or tools for the workshops; there will be no building component. Please see here for guidance on assembling last year’s KoP chassis and here for help wiring an FRC electrical system.
COVID-19 Guidelines
We will follow the current guidance from Georgia Tech and FIRST HQ at the time of the event.
We intend to stream the local ceremonies publicly so that anyone feeling unwell is still able to participate. Links to view the live streams are available on this page.
We anticipate a return to normal capacity given the following considerations:
- We encourage everyone in the Georgia Tech community to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendations, vaccinate, and wear a mask in campus buildings.
- If there is one thing each one of us can do to protect ourselves and keep others safe, it is to get vaccinated. The new vaccines have proven to be extraordinarily effective at preventing severe illness.
- The CDC recently issued new interim guidance recommending the use of masks inside public buildings even by fully vaccinated individuals. At Georgia Tech, everyone is encouraged to wear a mask or face covering while inside campus facilities.
- We will ask that all attendees perform the daily self-checklist prior to arrival.
Please review these websites if you have any concerns: Tech Moving Forward, GT Campus Events Guidelines, COVID-19 Impact Updates from FIRST HQ, and CDC COVID-19 Homepage
Contact Info
If you have any questions, please contact Shishir Pandit-Rao at kickoff@robojackets.org.
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