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In August 2006, LEGO released a new Mindstorms kit called the NXT. Lego is no longer selling the original RCX Mindstorms kits to the general public. Teams are still allowed to use the RCX in competition. In 2006 and 2007, teams using the RCX could earn "fairness bonus" points based on the fact that the RCX was less technologically advanced.[20] However, because the "fairness bonus" was discontinued for the 2008 season because tournament experience proved that the RCX teams were competitive and did not need it.

In 2006, nearly 8,846 teams and 90,000 children participated in the event, with the topic Nano Quest. In 2007, approximately 106,000 children and 10,600 teams participated worldwide.

Registration for the 2008 season, "Climate Connection", opened on May 1, 2008. More than 10,000 teams are expected.

FIRST Lego League

The Junior FIRST Lego League (also known as the JFLL) is a Lego league designed for children ages six to nine. It is one of the competitions established by FIRST.

The JFLL is based upon the topics given to the FIRST Lego League; for example 2007's topic was Power Puzzle. While the FLL made robots designed to finish missions relating to the topic, the JFLL made models out of Lego to illustrate one part of the given topic.
The FIRST Lego League (also known by the acronym FLL) is an international competition for elementary and middle school students (ages 9-14 in the USA and Canada, 9-16 elsewhere). It is arranged by the FIRST organization.

Each year the contest focuses on a different real-world topic related to the sciences. Each challenge within the competition then revolves around that theme. The robotics part of the competition revolves around designing and programming Lego robots to complete tasks. The students work out solutions to the various problems they are given and then meet for regional tournaments to share their knowledge, compare ideas, and display their robots.

FIRST Lego League is a partnership between FIRST and The Lego Group.

FIRST Tech Challenge

The FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), formerly the FIRST Vex Challenge (FVC), is a mid-level robotics competition targeted toward high-school aged students. It offers the traditional challenge of a FIRST competition but with a more accessible and affordable robotics kit.


The ultimate goal of FTC is to reach more young people with a lower-cost, more accessible opportunity to discover the excitement and rewards of science, technology, and engineering. The FIRST Tech Challenge grew out of the existing FIRST Robotics Competition and the FIRST Robovation platform. FIRST, RadioShack, and Innovation First collaborated to develop an improved version of the FIRST Robovation kit. The kit was significantly upgraded and was called the Vex Robotics Design System. For the 2008 Season Pitsco developed a platform that uses the NXT brick along with additional hardware and a new structural framework under the new name of TETRIX. Using aluminum parts that will allow participants to add Lego parts and sensors the kit includes 4 DC motors and larger wheels. In addition to hardware changes the system may now be programmed by the NXT software, C, and Labview.

In 2005-06, FIRST piloted the FIRST Vex Challenge as a potential program. The pilot season brought together over 130 teams to compete in 6 regional tournaments. Fifty teams participated in the FVC tournament at the FIRST Championship in April, 2006. On April 29, 2006 the FIRST Board of Directors voted to extend FVC for the 2006-07 season.

In Summer 2007, after two pilot seasons as the FIRST Vex Challenge, FIRST announced that the program would now be named the FIRST Tech Challenge and be an official FIRST program.