November 12, 2007



The 11th annual Savage Soccer robotics competition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17, in the Campus Center Odeum. Savage Soccer is an all-day event hosted by FIRST Team 190 (WPI and the Massachusetts Academy of Mathematics and Science at WPI). Through the generous sponsorship of Intelitek and SolidWorks, this event is free for participants and spectators. See www.wpi.edu/~savage for more information, including the participating middle and high schools.

What

The 11th annual Savage Soccer robotics competition at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is an all-day event hosted by FIRST Team 190 (WPI and the Massachusetts Academy of Mathematics and Science at WPI). Established in 1995 as an outreach program, Savage Soccer helps students learn about basic robotics principles and teamwork. The competition is a WPI student-managed event that provides an interesting, low-cost tournament for middle and high school students. Through the generous sponsorship of Intelitek and SolidWorks, this event is free for participants and spectators. See www.wpi.edu/~savage for more information, including the participating middle and high schools (and their locations).

Why

An increasing demand for robots and robotics systems to meet national needs in areas such as defense and security, elder care, automation of household tasks, customized manufacturing, and interactive entertainment has also generated escalated interest in robots among young people. As of fall 2007, WPI is offering the nation's first bachelor's degree program in robotics engineering. This major, which crosses academic boundaries, is designed to prepare a new breed of engineer with the skills and imagination to develop intelligent machines that go beyond today's reality.

Who

Approximately 50 middle and high school teams from across New England will compete in Savage Soccer.

When

Saturday, November 17, 2007; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Competition will be a live Webcast.)

Where

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Campus Center Odeum

Worcester, Mass.