Contact Us
| Email and Phone | If you have questions about the Oregon Robotics Tournament and Outreach Program, send an email message to
questions@ortop.org or call 503-725-2920 or 503-725-2915 |
| Workshop Registration | If you would like to register for an ORTOP workshop click here |
| ORTOP Mailing Address | If you need to contact us by mail, please use the following address: ORTOP c/o OUS Industry Affairs PO Box 751, IAFF Portland, OR 97207-0751 |
| Visit us address! | If you need to visit us in person, we are located at: Industry Affairs, Oregon University System ORTOP 2125 SW 4th Ave., Suite 505 Portland, OR 97201 |
Workshops
| WORKSHOP INFORMATION | ORTOP FIRST LEGO League Workshops for Adults |
| General Workshop Information | ORTOP workshops are free to those who are considering coaching or mentoring a team. We plan to open workshop registration for the 2012 season in June 2012. Below is information about our workshops. |
| Who can attend the workshops? | OPEN TO ADULTS ONLY, no team members. Workshops are open to adults wanting to be FLL coaches or mentors. Additionally, workshops are open to teens 16 - 18 that want to train to be technical mentors. Under FLL rules, FLL coaches must be at least 18 years of age to be a FLL Coach. These workshops are not for coaches in the Junior FLL program. These workshops are NOT for Junior FIRST LEGO League coaches. |
| How do I register for a workshop? | Online Registration is required but first refer to the workshop calendar. |
| What workshops are offered? | Three 3-hour workshops are offered in a series; (I) Introductory Workshop, (II)Coaching and Mentoring Workshop and (III)Robotics Techniques. You can take the different workshops at mixed locations to fit your schedule or take them all in one day. . |
| Which workshops should I take? | New coaches and mentors should attend at least an Introductory Workshop and the Coaching and Mentoring Workshop. |
| Where are they held? | Most workshops are held from 6:00 - 9:00 PM on a Tuesday or Thursday night. Most 2011 workshops are located at ORTOP, 2125 SW 4th Ave. Suite 503, Portland, OR Click link for map and parking details. Workshops are offered starting in June and running through September. |
| Who teaches the workshops? | Workshops are taught by volunteers who are engineers. Some are also former FLL coaches and mentors. The ORTOP FLL Workshop Committee. Each have dedicated countless hours devloping curriculum and teaching our workshops. |
| What if I don't live in the Portland Metro area? | ORTOP tries to arrange OneDay Workshops in areas outside of Portland durning the summer to take place on a pre-determined Saturday. This workshop combines Workshops I, II and III in one day. |
| How many people are in a workshop? | Workshops are limited to 8 to 16 participants per session. ORTOP reserves the right to reschedule workshops due to low attendence. |
| How do I cancel my slot if I've registered and can't attend the workshop? | We value our volunteers' time. If you register for a workshop and find you cannot attend, email workshops(at)ortop(dot)org 24 hours in advance or call 503-725-2920. |
| Do I need to bring a robot and a laptop to the workshop? | No, LEGO Mindstrom NXT Kits and laptop computers will be available for your use. |
| What about food? | Beverages are sometimes provided. Participants may bring take-out food. Due to budget constraints, ORTOP can not provide dinner/lunch as we have in past years. The detailed confirmation email sent two days prior to your workshop will provide details on beverages or food. |
| What if I can't attend a workshop? | Can't attend a workshop??? All of our workshop materials are available online - Click here and additional resources -click here. |
Where is the workshop calendar? |
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| Workshop Descriptions | Click here to see the workshop descriptions and links to the workshop materials |
ORTOP FLL WORKSHOP |
CLOSED for 2011....will reopen in spring 2012. |
FLL Workshop Calendar 2011 - Please register online at least 24 hours before each workshop!
FLL COACH WORKSHOPS FOR 2011 - REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED TO ATTEND -Scroll down to see ALL DAY workshops scheduled for out of Portland.
SERIES WORKSHOPS: Time is 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm for all Series (weekday) workshops REGISTRATION |
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| Day | Date | Workshop Code Click link to register |
Location | Address/maplink | Status |
| JUNE - SEPT 2012 | |||||
| E-I: Intro to FLL and LEGO Robotics |
ORTOP office - Portland on PSU Campus | ORTOP, 2125 SW 4th Ave. Suite 503, Portland, OR 97201 | REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN SPRING 2012 |
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| E-II: Coach/Mentor Techniques | ORTOP office - Portland on PSU Campus | ORTOP, 2125 SW 4th Ave. Suite 503, Portland, OR 97201 | REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN SPRING 2012 |
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| E-III: Robotic Techniques | ORTOP office - Portland on PSU Campus | ORTOP, 2125 SW 4th Ave. Suite 503, Portland, OR 97201 | REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN SPRING 2012 |
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| PROGRAMMING WORKSHOPS: 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm - REGISTRATION WILL OPEN IN SPRING 2012 |
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| Programming | ORTOP office - Portland on PSU Campus | ORTOP, 2125 SW 4th Ave. Suite 503, Portland, OR 97201 | OPEN to those who have completed Workshop I and II or have at least 1 year of FLL coaching experience | ||
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| SATURDAY | Summer & Fall 2012 | ALL DAY WORKSHOP |
Various Cities/Towns in Oregon under consideration for Extended Workshops CLICK LINK FOR FLYER |
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| Saturday | TBD 2012 |
BEND or Redmond | Due to a low number of signups, the Bend workshop is canceled. Those wishing to recieve training in the Central Oregon area should contact cathy_swider(at)ous(dot)edu | ||
| Saturday | TBD 2012 | ALL DAY - B-click to register | HOOD RIVER |
1602 May St |
NOTE CHANGE OF LOCATION! We will hold the workshop at Hood River Middle School |
| Saturday | TBD 2012 | ALL DAY - E - click to register | MEDFORD | Kids Unlimited, 821 N. Riverside Ave. Medford, OR | OPEN!!!! |
| Saturday | October 1, 2011 | ALL DAY- F - click to register | PORTLAND |
10800 SE Washington St Portland, OR 97216 |
CLOSED! |
FLL Workshop Descriptions |
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, 543 Howard Street, 5th Floor, San Francisco, California, 94105, USA |
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| I-Introductory Workshop for NXT & FIRST LEGO League | The purpose of the Introductory Workshop is to explain the FIRST® LEGO® League robotics program created by FIRST® and implemented by ORTOP to adults who are curious to learn what this program is all about. It is not designed for Junior FIRST® LEGO League coaches. ORTOP Instructors explain:
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WORKSHOP I - Introduction to FIRST LEGO League and the NXT Robot - Description of Workshop
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| II-Coaching /Mentoring Techniques Workshop for NXT | The Coaching/Mentoring Techniques Workshop is for individuals who have typically made the decision that they want to lead an ORTOP/FLL team. It is not for Junior FIRST LEGO League coaches.
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WORKSHOP II - Coaching and Mentoring Techniques- Description of Workshop
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| III-Robotics Techniques Workshop for NXT | The Robotics Techniques Workshop is aimed at those who have already completed the prior two workshops or are experienced coaches or mentors who may be feeling a little lost.
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WORKSHOP III - Robotic Techniques - Description of Workshop
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Combined |
ALL DAY Workshop for FLL LEGO Robotics These workshops present the three 3-hour workshops described above in a single 1-day session. Typically these are offered OUTSIDE of the PORTLAND METRO AREA. (Start time may vary for each all day workshop - check Calendar for specific start and stop times) 8:30 – 10:00 Introductory Workshop Presentation |
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| Programming Workshop | BETA- PROGRAMMING WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION | Programming Workshop Materials |
Additional Resources |
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2 Learn 2 Learn - Teamwork Workshop |
"From Storming to Performing" PowerPoint Slide Presentation |
| Programming help | NXT Programming Tutorial by Dale Yocum in English |
| Programming help in Spanish | NXT Programming Tutorial by Dale Yocum in Spanish |
| Software updates | NXT Software Updates - from LEGO |
| Programming help from Minnesota FLL |
INSciTE, the organization that runs FIRST LEGO League in Minnesota. They have a have a great web site. |
| Oregon's SuperQuest LEGO Robotics Materials | The TechStart Education Foundation produces a professional development institute for teachers. LEGO Robotics curriculum is one of many options. The link has materials produced by teachers and other contributors. To learn more about SuperQuest contact TechStart SuperQuest LEGO Robotics Curriculum Support Site - Lots and Lots of information, videos, Dale Yocum's RCX and NXT tutorials in English and Spanish, curriculum, other great resource links. Funded by a generous grant from the Oregon Engineering Technology Industry Council. |
| Carnegie Mellon Univ. | Carnegie Mellon University has a great web site featuring LEGO robotics / Robotics Academy |
| LEGO! | LEGO has a good web site for its Mindstorms product line |
| National Instruments | National Instruments NXT Page - by the people who created NXT-G for NXT-G users and the FLL community |
| Day Camp Curriculum | LEGO Robotics Day Camp Curriculum - based on the LEGO Robotics Day Camp for Girls developed by Jo Oshiro and Cathy Swider. Primarily for RCX the camp includes lots of teamwork, problem solving and critical thinking materials. |
ORTOP Scholarships for FIRST LEGO League Teams
Thank you to our sponsors for making these scholarships possible.
FLL Team Scholarship Introduction
Who should consider applying? Schools, community organizations, after-school programs and individual coaches are encouraged to investigate and apply for an ORTOP scholarship to assist in paying for FLL tournament registration fees, tournament materials and a NXT robot kit. Team scholarships are awarded to teams demonstrating a strong financial need and barriers to other funding resources. Scholarship consideration is also given to students who might not otherwise participate because of cultural or social barriers. These students include girls and minorities underrepresented in Oregon's technology workforce. New teams and returning teams can apply, although there are seperate applications processes for each.
Why is the scholarship application so extensive? Beyond the contact and financial need information, the ORTOP scholarship committee wants applicants to be aware of what it takes to put together a successful FIRST LEGO League team program. The information provided and the application process helps you determine if the program is a good fit for you (and your organization) and to develop a plan for success before receiving the funds. Less than 5% of our scholarship teams fail to reach a qualifying event. We want to invest our scholarship dollars with individuals who are informed and committed to the objectives of the FIRST LEGO League program and ORTOP.
ORTOP Scholarship Application Steps for 2011 for New FLL Teams (Food Factor)
(persons/organizations/schools that have never received an ORTOP FLL scholarship in a previous year).
The new team scholarship application process is closed for 2011 because our funds are depleted.
However, a regional grant for FLL teams from the Google Data Denters Grants Fund of Tides Foundation, is open to principals and teachers in public schools in
Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klickatat and Skamania counties.
Please CLICK HERE for information on the Gorge Robotics scholarships.
If you have questions please contact us or call 503-725-2920.
ORTOP Scholarship Application for 2011 Returning FLL Scholarship Teams. (school/org/team participated in Body Forward)
The returning team scholarship application process is closed for 2011 because our funds are depleted.
However, a regional grant for FLL teams from the Google Data Denters Grants Fund of Tides Foundation, is open to principals and teachers in public schools in
Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Klickatat and Skamania counties.
Please CLICK HERE for information on the Gorge Robotics scholarships.
If you have questions please contact us by sending an email to scholarships@ortop.org or by calling 503-725-2920.
Fundraising
Each new team will need $740 or more for registration fees, kits, and related costs. In addition they will need transportation to the tournaments. See the sample team costs for details. Costs for returning teams will be less because most of their materials from the previous year can be used again.
Teams will often use a combination of approaches to underwrite their efforts.
- Team member dues. Often a team will request that each team member contribute a certain minimum amount towards the costs of the team. Depending on the team and the ability of the team members to pay, each member might contribute from ten to hundred dollars.
- Fundraising activities. Teams may decide to engage in fundraising activities such as car washes, garage sales, or bake sales.
- Team sponsors. Often a local business or private individual will be interested in sponsoring a team. The sponsor may contribute part of the costs of the team. In addition the sponsor may want to help purchase team shirts or hats. The sponsor will often appreciate recognition on the team shirts, banners, etc.
- Scholarships.
Background Information on the robotic systems used in FLL
LEGO has developed two robotics product lines based on research done at MIT Media Labs. The kit introduced in the late'90's is called the Mindstroms Robotics Invention System (RIS) featuring an RCX. It uses a special brick that contains a microcomputer called an RCX that can process input from three sensors and control three motors. The sensors include "touch" micro-switches, rotation counters, light detectors, and optional temperature and other types of sensors. The motors can be turned on in either the clockwise or counterclockwise directions at several different power levels. The motor outputs can also be used to turn on small lights. The sensors and a built in timer can be used to program decisions about what the robot should do next. The RCX kit is being phased out in favor of the new NXT kit released in the summer 2006. The RCX kit will be supported until 2009. The RCX kit, Team Challenge, is only available from LEGO Education.
In 2006, LEGO is introducing an updated version of the RCX kit called NXT. It will feature many of the sensors offered in the RCX kit and new sensors and features. An interesting new feature is the inclusion of rotation sensors in the NXT motors. The NXT kit will be sold at retail stores, LEGO.com, LEGOeducation.com and one NXT kit can be purchased when you register your time for FIRST LEGO League.
See below for information on kits, team costs, fundraising, and scholarships.
FIRST LEGO League and ORTOP at a GLANCE for 2008
Summer Camps and Classes for kids
ORTOP does not run the summer camps or endorse any specific camp. Camps are listed as starting point for parents to investigate summer robotics/science & engineering opportunities. Summer camps are organized by outside third parties. Any questions about these camps should be directed to the camp directors.
For 2011 summer LEGO Robotics opportunities check with Saturday Academy and OMSI.
FLL ROBOT Kits
FLL Robot Set -
Teams may use either a RCX robot (the old robot) or a NXT robot (the newest robot) when competing in FIRST LEGO League.
The RCX robots are no longer technically supported by LEGO Education.
The FLL NXT competition kit contains everything a team needs for 2010 challenge: base NXT robot kit with sensors and motors (white tub), seperate education resource kit with extra building LEGO (blue tub), NXT software, rechargeable battery pack and charger.
THREE WAYS TO PURCHASE a new NXT ROBOT -
1) Purchase the bundled kit - (Base Kit + Education Resource Kit + software) - when purchasing a national registration from FIRST LEGO League for $420.
or
2) Purchase individual compenents of the competition kit from www.LEGOEducation.us
or
3) Purchase an NXT robot from a LEGO retail store. The retail NXT kit differs from the LEGO Education version, in number of parts and lack of a rechargeable battery pack. It does include the same software.
THIS IS WHAT IS IN THE FLL NXT COMPETITION BUNDLED KIT or WHAT YOU CAN PURCHASE ONLINE AS SEPERATE COMPONENTS.
LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT Base Set (W979797) - $279.95 - White Tub
Education Resource Set (W979648) - Blue Tub $99.95
LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education NXT Software 2.0 (W900080 - $79.95
Robolab for NXT and RCX robots
The Robolab software is adapted from National Instrument's LabVIEW product. LabVIEW provides a general- purpose drag-and-drop interface for controlling laboratory instruments. Tufts University created a special version of LabVIEW that is unique in at least two ways:
(1) Many of the icons correspond to the LEGO robotics kit parts.
(2) A "Pilot" mode has been added that allows students to learn how to program the LEGO RCX with constraints that serve as "training wheels" -- flexibility and generality are sacrificed to ensure that that most choices made by the students will be successful ones. As basic concepts are mastered, the students go to more general and flexible Pilot levels. Once the pilot levels are mastered, the students can proceed to the fully general "Inventor" mode, where they can develop more complex solutions.
In Summer 2006, from LEGO Education, Robolab 2.9 will be released. It is an software upgrade for team currently using Robolab 2.0 or 2.5.4. Robolab 2.9 will allow teams to program both NXT and RCX robots. Robolab 2.9 will be supported until 2009.
Upgrading a RCX Robot Set
Those that already have a Mindstorms Robotics Invention System (RIS) or a Robolab Team Challenge Set can choose to upgrade their kit by purchasing1 rotation/sensor, and 1 motor with wire. Those that have an RIS or an older Team Challenge kit may also need to purchase a second light sensor. These parts are available from LEGO Education on their web site or by calling them at 800-362-4308. For more details see frequently asked questions.
FLL 2011 Field Set Up Kit-FOOD FACTOR: Keeping Food Safe
This kit contains all the table top elements specific to the 2011 "Food Factor" Challenge season including challenge and mission-specific elements, as well as a pre-printed 4' x 8' roll-out mat. This kit changes on an annual basis and is needed to reproduce the field layout. The Challenge Set may be shared among teams within the same school, organizations, or neighborhood to assist in alleviating costs. It is designed to be used inside of an FLL Playing Field. If your team does not have a fellow team to share a Challenge Set with, you will need to purchase your own to practice for the 2011 "Food Factor" Challenge when you purchase your FLL registration . Cost: $65 plus shipping. One Field Set-up kit is sold per FLL registration. Teams cannot purchase more than one.
Ordering Kits
The NXT can be ordered at the same time you register your team. You must order your robot and Field Set-up Kit at time of FLL registration. You can not go back and order after registration closes. Registration can be accomplished online beginning May 2, 2011. One FLL NXT Robot Competition Kit and one Body Forward Field Set-up Kit can be ordered per one FLL registration.
Playing Field Construction
The FLL Challenge Set can be placed on a floor with a 2x4 border or on a special table. The table and the associated lighting will help assure consistent results when you practice for the tournament. Click here , then click Field Set-up for the table building instructions .
Videos
FIRST LEGO League, Jr.FLL and FIRST Tech Challenge on YouTube.com
There are lots and lots of FIRST LEGO League and FIRST Tech Challenge videos posted at www.youtube.com .
Use these links for FLL: FIRST LEGO League, Power Puzzle, Nano Quest, LEGO Robotics
Use these Links to see the high school program FLL: FIRST Tech Challenge, Quad Quandry
Use this link to see: Junior FIRST LEGO League.
NanoQuest Challenge at the 2006 State Championship at Liberty High School.
Watch a video of a NanoQuest table runs from the Intel Oregon FIRST LEGO League 2006 State Championship Tournament featuring:
Note: These are large video files, you may need to right click and "Save Link As.." to download the file to your desktop, then play the file with Quicktime.
2002 Oregon CitySights Season Digital Video
This 6-minute clip captures the scope and excitement of the annual state tournament and quickly demonstrates the kinds of learning and accomplishments achieved by more than 1,000 9-14 year olds across Oregon in the 2002 season. Using lego® robotics kits, team members took on the roles of city planners and engineers, studying, designing, building, and programming their robots to meet the official challenges of the FIRST national program, culminating in playoff and state finals competition. To download this video, right click one of the three hyperlinks below and select "save target as" or "save link as" to download the file.
- MPEG- 4 - Medium quality - medium-size video file - 52 megabytes
- AVI - Medium quality - large file - 167 megabytes
- QuickTime -- Best Quality -- largest file - 178 megabytes
Every computer is configured differently, so we don t know which file will play best on yours. The files are designed to play on both PCs and Macs. They play with QuickTime and RealOne media players, as well as others. If a compatible player is not already installed on your computer, free versions of QuickTime and RealOne are easily downloaded and installed by choosing one of the following links and selecting the free download
2001 Downloadable Digital Video
This video captures the tournament day's energy and broad participation, while demonstrating how kids creatively designed their robots to meet the official "Arctic Impact" challenges. This is an excellent introduction for prospective team members, coaches, mentors, volunteers and sponsors for the 2002 season; also parents and teachers.
If you right click on the links below, your browser may be able to invoke a "plug-in" that will play the video in "streaming mode." In many cases the quality will be poor, however. You should have more consistent and better results by downloading the whole file before playing it. To do so, right click one of the three hyperlinks below and select "save target as" or save link as" to download the file. You will be prompted to supply a file name and the subdirectory on your hard drive where you want to store it. (If you're using a standard telephone modem, the download will take a while.) The file utilizes a common format that plays on most video viewer programs, e.g., Windows Media Player. (The latest version of WMP can be downloaded at no charge.)
- High Resolution Video (59 MB ) -- best screen size and AV quality, longest download time
- Medium Resolution Video (44 MB) -- good screen size and AV quality, moderately long download time
- Low Resolution Video (11 MB ) -- smaller screen size and moderate AV quality, shortest download time
- http://www.ortop.org/videos/the_greatest_movie_ever.wmv
Once you have finished downloading the file, you can load your copy of Windows Media Player or equivalent and play the file you've downloaded by selecting it from the directory where you saved it.