來自38國、超過10萬名中學生在腦力激盪競賽中，以機器人和樂高玩具解決全球人口增加所造成的能源困境。
主辦單位FIRST（For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology）是以激發青少年思考科學和科技問題為宗旨的非營利機構，6日揭開第10屆FIRST樂高機器人大賽，並展開2007能源謎題挑戰賽。
這次比賽邀集9到14歲學生，利用機器人為當前最關鍵的環境議題——能源規劃和能源節約，提出解套方案。
FIRST此次邀集合作對象包括南卡大學、墨西哥灣熱電結合系統中心(Gulf Coast Combined Heat and Power Application Center)，和一家獨立的能源和環境諮詢公司，以使主題和比賽目的符合實務議題。
參賽團隊所設計的機器人，將應用各種永續能源，包括太陽能板、水壩、風能和植樹等各種環境友善的能源選項，符合目前全球能源使用成長趨勢。
「環境是每個人的議題，包括孩子，」FIRST創辦人坎門（Dean Kamen）表示，讓孩子發揮想像力和創意，結合科學和科技，並親自動手操作，解決一個真正的問題，這份意義實在難以言喻。這不僅符合樂高機器人的原創精神，也激發孩子解決問題的創意力，對於明日主人翁是個很好的訓練機會。
經過8週預賽，正式比賽將匯集張力十足的競賽組合，爭取樂高機器人世界展的參展資格。這次展覽將和冠軍賽同時在2008年4月17到19日於美國喬治亞州亞特蘭大市舉辦。
More than 100,000 middle-school students in 38 countries are poised to create solutions for the energy needs of a growing world population - with robots and LEGO, the snap-together plastic building blocks.
An organization called For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, FIRST, Thursday launched its 10th anniversary FIRST LEGO® League season with the unveiling of the 2007 Power Puzzle Challenge.
The Challenge calls for teams of middle-school students, ages 9 to 14, to use robotics to understand and create solutions for one of the world's most critical environmental issues - energy management and conservation.
To create a theme and Challenge missions that parallel real issues, FIRST collaborated with the Gulf Coast Combined Heat and Power Application Center, the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina, and the Second Hill Group, an independent consultant on energy, environment and green design.
To accomplish missions involving solar panels on houses, hydro-dams, wind turbines and tree planting, teams will program their robots to find sustainable options to meet the world’s growing energy needs in environmentally sound ways.
"The environment is a huge concern for everyone, including kids," said Dean Kamen, who founded FIRST. "Giving them a hands-on experience that allows them to use their imaginations and creativity in combination with science and technology to solve a real-world problem is empowering. It captures the true spirit of FIRST LEGO League and unleashes the creative problem solving skills today’s kids need for building a better tomorrow."
After eight weeks of preliminary matches, the competition season culminates at high-energy, sports-like tournaments. Teams will compete to participate at the FIRST LEGO League World Festival, to be held in conjunction with the FIRST Championship, April 17-19, 2008 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
