Hacktastico!

Update:

I had some major problems that ened up with me having a non-functioning live blog on this site and all my posts being redirected to Twitter. I’m very sorry about this. Here are the contents of the kickoff live blog.

7:01am

Introductions have finished, live feed in t minus 70 seconds

7:03am

The challenge from JFK? Man on the moon? What does it all mean?

7:04am

Tom is obsessed with the idea that it involves spaceships. Could he be on the right track?

7:06am

FIRST chairman makes his annual opening address. He introduces Paul Hodes, congressman from New Hampshire

7:12am

Wow, the growth of FIRST worldwide is astounding. There are teams in Israel, Germany, Great Britain, Chile, and a number of others

7:13am

Chairman’s award has a new requirement: video footage of team’s work. This is definitely a change

7:15am

The work MOE (team 365) has done is really incredible. They are a great example of what FIRST is all about.

7:21am

The 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 as been mentioned numerous times. It must be a space game this year. Side note: the crowd of 300+  here are silent

7:26am

Oh wow, a partnership with Lockheed Martin has produced a simulation program for the new season. Cool beans

7:31am

The new documentary that’s soon to come looks really cool. Team 2550 might even have a cameo!

7:40am

Dean Kamen (founder of FIRST and inventor of Segway) has finally come on stage

7:42am

As always, Dean’s message is really compelling. He always drives the point that it’s not about the robot, its about making the world better

7:51am

Dean’s passion really fuels FIRST. One can only wish to have this sort of passion for anything, really.

7:54am

Dean: “FIRST is full of contradictions” how true. It’s amazing what lays in the balance. Knowledge, fun; wide-spread, personal

7:59am

Dean throws a hint: “sliding down a slippery slope.” crowd begins to talk amongst self

8:06am

Dean’s homework assignment: keep track of alumni.

8:14am

Introduction to the new control system. National Instruments’ CompactRIO system. It seems really advanced. I can’t wait to see what comes out

8:19am

Uh oh, the satellite signal died. 300+ people are upset. No one knows if the feed problem is local or from NASA itself

8:24am

Problem solved. It seems a wire was crimped by a door. Woody Flowers (MIT prof.) is now talking about the great mentors FIRST has

8:30am

Woody is demoing a strange weight contraption. The tension is building for the unvieling of the new game

8:31am

The new game is: an empty field?

8:32am

The name of the game is Lunacy

8:35am

Everyone is in awe.  Super slick surface combined with strong player interaction. This will be a good competition

8:41am

Everything has changed. The whole system has changed. There will be few penalties. I’m still stuck on the whole super slick ground

8:50am

On the screen: recap of new rules and rule changes. In the crowd: talk of the new challenge and ideas are bubbling

8:50am

Access code for manual: 1GiantLeap4FRC