14 December 2006
The result of an impressive alliance between FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and LEGO Companies, FLL is an international hands-on, sport-like, robotics program for children 9-14 years of age. Guided by mentors and their own imagination, FLL students solve actual engineering challenges, develop important life skills, and learn to contribute positively to society, enhancing characteristics such as team-building, problem solving, analytical thinking and creativity.
Every September, a new Challenge is unveiled and over the course of 8 weeks, the FLL international teams strategize, design, build, program, test and refine a fully autonomous robot capable of completing the mission. During the process, the teams also search the web, talk to scientists, visit the Library and develop compelling presentations that relate to a problem or opportunity facing the world today.
In 2006, the mission was the "Nano Quest". Nanotechnology is a new scientific frontier that will impact many facets of society, from medicine to computers to the environment. Nanotechnologists move atoms and molecules around to produce amazing new discoveries; scientists believe that someday nanotechnology will allow us to cure diseases using devices small enough to travel through the human body; others believe it will allow us to travel into space in an elevator using a system of tiny tubes and centrifugal force.
This year, the second FLL in Egypt competition finale took place on 14 December 2006 at the BACC. Thirteen teams from different schools from all over Egypt, in addition to the BA team participated. Each group had 15 minutes to present their work: 7.5 minutes for the preparation, 5 minutes presentation and 2.5 minutes for the mission. All participating teams received honorary certificates for their active participation in the contest, and the four teams with the highest scores were awarded special trophies and medals. The highest score belonged to the team of Meharam Bek school from Alexandria and was thus nominated to represent Egypt in the FLL 2007 International Competition.
