[Yaaarc] Fwd: R o b o f e s t eNewsletter, 1-10-07

[Neal Probert]

R o b o f e s t    eNewsletter, 1-10-07

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Contents:
(1)  Robofest 2007 Registration Open, Official Rules Posted on the Web
(2)  2007 Programming Workshop Schedule
(3)  LEGO NXTG Programming Class for Teachers at Lawrence Tech
(4)  Robofest Team Mentors Needed
(5)  Robofest 2007 Info. Meetings in Texas
(6)  Friends of Robofest Sponsors Needed for 2007
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(1)  Robofest 2007 Registration Open, Official Rules Posted on the Web

Robofest Team Registration has officially opened on-line at 
http://www.robofest.net.  Registered coaches may now register teams and 
select 2007 qualifying competition locations.   Registration is on a first 
come first serve basis.  Registration for each competition location will 
close when the number of teams registered for a site is at maximum capacity 
for each site.   Please be sure to register right away so you are able to 
compete at the competition location of your choice.   If you are not yet 
registered as a Robofest Coach, you must first complete a Coach Registration 
to be able to enter a team and select a competition site.  Should you 
experience difficulty in the registration process, please contact LBirman at ltu.edu

You will find newly posted Official Robofest 2007 Rules (v1.1), and The Miner 
Rescue Game Rules (v1.31), posted on the website as well.  Please discard 
your old draft rules and use the Official posted rules on the Robofest 
website.  You will also find 2007 Rules for VEX Pentathlon, and the 2007 
Pilot Categories of RoboSumo, RoboFashionShow, and Collegiate Mini Urban 
Challenge.   Also on the website is an updated PowerPoint presentation file 
and streaming video of the Live Webcast Informational Meeting on December 
14th.   Please view the streaming video of the Miner rescue game and flash 
animations of the game.

Please note that the Robofest Season starts earlier this year.  Regional 
Competitions will take place in March and April, with the World Robofest 2007 
Championship taking place on April 28, 2007.

(2)  2007 Programming Workshop Schedule

Robofest has announced its 2007 Free Programming Workshop Schedule for 
Michigan registered Robofest Teams.   For those teams who are not in close 
proximity, the workshop hand-out files will be posted on the web.  Some 
workshops will be available via streaming video after the workshop is held. 
You will find a complete schedule of workshops on the Robofest website at 
www.robofest.net   Click on the link entitled 2007 Schedule or directly at 
http://www.robofest.net/2007/sch07.htm . If your team is registered, then you 
do not need to register for these workshops.

The first programming workshop will be LEGO NXT, held this Saturday, January 
13, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in M-218 of the Buell Management Building on 
the campus of LTU.   Students, Parents, and Teachers of the registered teams 
are invited to attend.  Attendees should bring their robots, sensors, 
laptops, extra parts.  There will be a repeated session of the LEGO NXT 
workshop on Saturday, January 27.

Directions to LTU:  http://www.ltu.edu/futurestudents/directions.asp
LTU Campus Map:  http://www.ltu.edu/futurestudents/campus_map.asp
(The Buell Building is #4 on the map. Use Parking lot C)

(3)  LEGO NXTG Programming Class for Teachers at Lawrence Tech

Lawrence Tech's Master of Educational Technology program offers LEGO NXTG 
Programming Class for Teachers starting January 23rd.  This 10 week course 
will introduce concepts involved in autonomous robotics and how to use 
robotics education technology to teach mathematics, science, and computer 
science in the classroom with Lego NXT.  The class will be held on Tuesday 
and Thursdays  7:15 – 9:10 p.m.  The class is held in person on Tuesdays and 
via on-line on Thursdays.  Partial Scholarships are available.  LTU plans to 
offer this class fully on-line in Fall 2007.   For additional information on 
this course, please visit the following URL: 
http://www.robofest.net/academy/met5263s07.htm

(4)  Robofest Team Mentors Needed

Robofest receives many requests on a regular basis for teams who are in need 
of someone to help their team with robotic programming.  In or order to meet 
this demand, we are putting together a list of volunteer mentors who are 
interested in helping out a team of students in their local community.  If 
you are interested in serving as a Robofest Mentor, please send Robofest a 
message regarding Mentors.  Send your name, mailing address, and programming 
experience/specialty to Lori Birman at LBirman at ltu.edu.  Thank you in 
advance.  Your assistance could really be beneficial to students in your 
community.

(5)  Robofest 2007 Info. Meetings in Texas

All potential teams, students, coaches, parents, and volunteers are invited 
to attend.

***** Houston Area

Saturday, Jan 20, 2007
10am-12noon

2414 Spring Cypress Rd, Spring TX 77388
(Northside Christian Church - FM 2920 west of Splashtown/I-45)
For more info, visit http://www.jsoft.com/ts/robotics/RoboFest/

***** Austin Area

Saturday, Jan. 27th
11:00 a.m-12:30 p.m.

Howson Library, 2500 Exposition
2500 Exposition Blvd
Austin, TX 78703
For more info, visit   http://www.learning-links.org

(6) Friends of Robofest Sponsors Needed for 2007

Robofest has 2007 Sponsorship Opportunities at several levels, including 
individual donor opportunities, entitled "Friends of Robofest."  Robofest has 
also created several new Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities.  The 2007 
Sponsorship Opportunities Program can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.robofest.net/2007/SponsorshipLevels07.pdf

Attached is a link for Friends of Robofest, individual donors to make a gift 
to Robofest via credit card (MasterCard, Visa, or Discover) or electronic 
check.  You may make an on-line gift to Robofest by visiting the following 
link:

https://www.applyweb.com/public/register?ltualum

When using the on-line giving form, you must specify Robofest as the gift 
recipient and also specify your gift amount.  The on-line pledge form is 
encrypted with Secure Socket Layer technology to guarantee transaction 
security.

All Robofest donations are tax deductible contributions. Robofest Sponsorship 
is important in our effort to keep Robofest a low-cost affordable contest for 
everyone.  We hope you will consider supporting Robofest in our sponsorship 
campaign.  We appreciate your support.

Anyone interested in other sponsorship levels should contact Lori Birman at 
LBirman at LTU.edu

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replying this email.

Lawrence Tech University Computer Science / Robofest World Headquarters
CJ Chung, Associate Professor, Robofest Director
Lori Birman, Robofest Coordinator
21000 W. Ten Mile, Southfield MI 48075
admin at robofest.org           www.robofest.net
(248)204-3566                Fax: (248)204-3518

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