Partners in Science

FIRST LEGO Robotics

Date: December 17, 2006
Location: Central CT State University

The FIRST LEGO League (FLL), considered the "little league" of the FIRST Robotics Competition, is the result of a partnership between FIRST and the LEGO Group. FLL extends the FIRST concept of inspiring and celebrating science and technology to children aged 9 through 14, using real-world context and hands-on experimentation.

With the help of LEGO® MINDSTORMSTM Robotics Invention SystemTM technology, young participants can build a robot and compete in a friendly, FIRST-style robotics event specially designed for their age group. Using LEGO bricks and other elements such as sensors, motors, and gears, teams gain hands-on experience in engineering and computer programming principles as they construct and program their unique robot inventions.

The Challenge
The Challenge is the annual game revealed to FLL teams each September during our on line kick-off. Teams must determine a strategy to accomplish various Challenge missions and accumulate points. In addition, the Challenge theme and related Research Project requires teams to investigate current issues facing our modern world. This combined process brings the reality of science and technology to children on a more intimate, hands-on level.

The hard work and dedication of the teams culminates in a statewide competition each December. At which point the winners will be determined to continue on to the national competition.

Since 1999, the School of Technology at Central Connecticut State University, together with the State Department of Education Office of Technology Education, and The Children's Museum have organized this event on a yearly basis.

Major supporters of FLL include the Connecticut Science Center, Northeast Utilities Service Company, Millstone Nuclear Power Station, and Central Conn. State University’s Alumni Association. Information http://www.firstlegoleague.org/default.aspx?pid=70

See our FIRST Robotics exhibit.

Read about Robots Coming to Science Center.