FIRST® Kicks Off 2012 Robotics Competition, Announces “Rules of the Game”

Arizona High School FIRST Teams Have Six Weeks to Build a Robot for Competition; Any Student Participating on a FIRST Team Is Eligible to Apply for $14 Million in Scholarships

CHANDLER, Ariz. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — January 11, 2012 — Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP), a leading provider of microcontroller, analog and Flash-IP solutions, and FIRST^® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) today announced the rules of the game for the 2012 FIRST Robotics Competition^® (FRC^®). Via NASA-TV broadcast and webcast, all 2,400 high school FIRST teams worldwide received their kit of parts and learned that the game for this year’s FRC is Rebound Rumble^SM. Teams have six weeks to build a robot that puts as many basketballs through hoops as possible during a two-minute and fifteen-second match with other teams. Winners of the regional competitions, including the Arizona regional, are eligible to attend the FRC World Championship in St. Louis, Missouri at Edward Jones Dome April 25 – 28. Any student participating on a FIRST team is eligible to apply for $14 million in scholarships.

Chandler, Ariz.-based Microchip Technology is the organizing sponsor of the FRC Arizona Regional, which will take place March 23 – 24 at Hamilton High School in Chandler. Fifty teams are expected to compete in the FRC Arizona Regional, including one team from Mexico, one team from Brazil, and one team from Canada. The event is free and open to the public.

Steve Sanghi, president and Chief Executive Officer of Microchip Technology, and member of the FIRST Board of Directors, said, “The U.S. is falling dangerously behind in STEM education, and many of our youth think that the best options for their future include being a celebrity or professional athlete. With FIRST, we’re not just creating interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education—we’re providing very achievable career options and creating productive citizens.”

For more information about the FRC Arizona Regional, or to volunteer or sponsor a team, contact Carol Popovich at (480) 792-7938, Cell (480) 335-2091, or Email Contact. You may also visit http://www.microchip.com/get/83WE.

About Microchip Technology

Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontroller, analog and Flash-IP solutions, providing low-risk product development, lower total system cost and faster time to market for thousands of diverse customer applications worldwide. Headquartered in Chandler, Ariz., Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip Web site ( http://www.microchip.com/get/97PU).

Note: The Microchip name and logo are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A., and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.

High-res FIRST and Rebound Rumble logos available through editorial contact or Flickr (feel free to publish):
FRC logo
http://www.microchip.com/get/WTWH
Rebound Rumble logo
http://www.microchip.com/get/T2U6

Tags / Keywords: Microchip, robot, FIRST, STEM education, robotics competition

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