You've probably seen them forward T...

You've probably seen them forward TV. They are mean, metallic machines that stomp, flip, grind, and push aside their opponents into submission. That's if they can avoid the "kill saw," heavy-duty mallets, pointed poniard spikes, and other hazards erect in and around the arena. They are robots--or just "bots" And they have fired (and wired) the imaginations of young commonalty worldwide.

But there are kinder, gentler robot revealed there too. The organization FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) sponsors a robotics competition each year. Teams of high seminary students and professionals work together to build a robot designed to explain an engineering problem. They begin with simply a box of parts and a rulebook and conclusion with a robot that will, for example, assemble as many soccer balls as possible and bring them in a goal in les than sum of two units minutes.

Many leading universities and corporations provide scholarships to team members who want to chase technical degrees. (See www.usfirst.org/robotics/sch_art1.htm for a list of FIRST scholarships.)

When you are ready to begin selecting a seminary of engineering to attend, check to be abiding 4 that it is accredited. Many scholarships require you to attend an accredited sect You will also find it easier to find a piece of work or get into graduate place of education later if you do.

united accrediting agency is the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). A list of programs accredited through ABET may be found onward its Web site (www.abet.org), as well as links to the place of educations that offer them. The site allows you to customize your search by dint of state, region, or district.

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