FIRST Robotics Competition Timeline

28 teams participate in the initial FIRST Robotics Competition in Manchester, NH. "Maize Craze" pits four robots against each other in two-minute matches on a 16-foot-square playing field. Robots weigh no more than 11 kg (22.4 lbs) and are tethered with power cables. Watch a video about FIRST's beginnings .

"Rug Rage" keeps the format of four robots competing in a match, but now the robots may weigh up to 50 pounds and are powered by on-board batteries for the first time. They must fit in a 36-inch cube. The field measures 12 by 40 feet and is carpeted.

1994: The playing field changes to a 12-sided, 34-foot diameter polygon in "Tower Power." 43 teams compete, three at a time, in the Nashua, NH contest with robots weighing as much as 65 pounds; robots have to fit inside a 36-inch diameter cylinder 30 inches in height.

A total of 59 teams compete at the newly-named New England Tournament in Manchester and the National Championship, which moves to Epcot Center (Disney World) in Orlando. Team 100 from Woodside, CA is the first West Coast team to participate. Team 188 from Toronto competes as Team Canada Robotics. Three robots compete in a "Ramp ‘n Roll" match on a T-shaped field that incorporates ramps for the first time. Robots are the same size as in 1994 but may weigh up to 70 pounds.

1996: The Human Player position is introduced in "Hexagon Havoc." The hexagonal field accommodates three robots that weigh as much as 120 pounds and fit into a 36-inch cube. Woodie Flowers receives the first Woodie Flowers Award. The total number of teams expands to 94, with 74 of them competing at the Championship at Epcot Center.

The shape of the field remains a hexagon for "Toroid Terror". Robots may now start the match at a height of 48 inches. For the first time, game pieces are not balls but inner tubes. Initial matches still include three teams, but the final 16 teams in a tournament face off one against one. The first Regional events outside New Hampshire are held in Chicago, IL, and New Brunswick, NJ; 151 teams compete in the Regionals and 113 go on to the Championship.

"Ladder Logic" is the first time that robots are powered by 12-volt batteries, and the weight limit is raised to 130 pounds to accommodate it. The robot dimensions are changed to 30” by 36”—which makes getting them through doorways easier. This is the last year that team numbers are reassigned, and a total of 199 teams compete.

The competitions take on a new look this year. In "Double Trouble", teams form alliances to compete two against two in each match; final round alliances include three teams, though only two compete at a time. Team numbers are made permanent for the first time. There are eight Regional events, including the first on the West Coast-the NASA Ames California Open, held in Hangar One at Moffett Field-and a total of 271 teams. The New England Regional moves to Connecticut.

"Co-Opertition FIRST" attracts a total of 372 teams, and two more East Coast Regionals are added. The California Open moves to San Jose State University. Robots are now allowed to measure 36" by 30" and up to 60" in height; the weight limit remains at 130 pounds. The alliance structure remains the same as in 1999. Team 383 from Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil is the first non-English speaking team to compete.

"Diabolical Dynamics" is a one-of-a-kind competition: four teams comprise an alliance, and only one alliance at a time takes to the field, trying for the highest score. A fifth, alternate team is added in the elimination round. The Southern California Regional is one of 13 competitions leading to the National Championship; 335 of the total 515 teams register for Nationals. Team 22 is the first West Coast team to win the National Chairman’s Award.

Game structure returns to two-team alliances in "Zone Zeal". In the elimination rounds, alliances are made up of three teams; only two compete at a time, but each team must compete at least once. There are now 17 Regional events, and participation climbs to 642 teams, including returning teams from Brazil and Canada and the first from the UK, Team 759 from Cambridge, England.

"Stack Attack" is the first game to include an autonomous period. For 15 seconds, the robots are controlled by sensors and preprogrammed instructions. This game also features a 10-second human period at the start, when human players may arrange the containers to be stacked on the field. The alliance structure is unchanged. 787 teams compete this year, the Sacramento Regional is one of six added, and the Championship is moved to Reliant Park in Houston, TX.

Scoring objects are once again balls in "FIRST Frenzy: Raising the Bar." The autonomous period remains the first 15 seconds of a two-minute match. Mitty Robotics (known as AMHS Robotics) competes as "Nonlinear Regression" in its rookie year, one of 927 FRC teams. The Championship moves again, this time to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA.

In "Triple Play", three-team alliances compete, putting six robots on the field in each match. Game pieces are PVC tetrahedra called "tetras". The 15-second autonomous period is now followed by a full two-minute teleoperated period. For the first time since 2000, the maximum size of the robot is changed: it may now measure 28" by 38" by 60" and weigh 120 pounds excluding the battery and bumpers. A fix-it window is introduced, allowing teams to perform limited parts manufacture between Regional events. The CMUcam2, a camera used for sighting color targets, is one of the new items included in the Kit of Parts. 991 teams come from not only the U.S. but also Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Israel, Mexico and the UK.

"Aim High" shortens the autonomous period to 10 seconds, and the game includes periods of offense and defense for each alliance. Teams have the added challenge of scoring points in goals at the opposite end of the field. A digital camera is included in the kit of parts for teams to use to document their activities. 1133 teams compete in 33 Regionals, including one in Israel; 476 teams compete at the National Championship. AMHS Robotics adopts the name "Mitty Robotics" and the nickname "TKO".

To compete in "Rack 'n' Roll", robots can meet one of three different size and weight profiles: 48 inches tall and 120 pounds, 60 inches tall and 110 pounds, and 72 inches tall and 100 pounds; the footprint for all remains at 28" by 38". The autonomous period goes back to 15 seconds, but moving the scoring rack before each match discourages dead reckoning. The Brazil Pilot Regional is one of 37 Regionals that give 1305 teams a chance to participate.

New in "FIRST Overdrive" is the 15-second hybrid period; robots may operate in autonomous mode, but may also receive signals from infrared remote controls to alter their instructions. The position of Robocoach, the player who operated the remote control, is added. The game is more of a race in nature, changing the defensive strategies of past years.