Altair, a global leader in computational science and artificial intelligence (AI), has expanded its relationship with FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and Altair technology is now available to all teams in FIRST® Robotics Competition Kit of Parts. More than 3,500 high school teams competing in the 2024 season of the FIRST Robotics Competition will have free access to Altair’s leading technology, including premier solutions like Altair® RapidMiner® and Altair® Inspire™. Altair’s collaboration with FIRST will bolster students’ technical skills and support a diverse community of students by building citizenship, self-esteem, and leadership through hands-on experiences and project-based learning.
“Furthering our collaboration with FIRST is a perfect example of Altair’s commitment to students and the role they have on technology, both today and in the future,” said James R. Scapa, founder and chief executive officer, Altair. “Altair and FIRST share the same core values, and we are incredibly proud to team up with an organization that has such a lasting positive impact on tens of thousands of students around the world every year.”
“The FIRST community is excited to extend its relationship with Altair, and we know their tools, technology, and support will help FIRST deliver on its organizational vision,” said Chris Moore, chief executive officer, FIRST. “Our goal is for all students to have the STEAM skills they need to succeed.”
Access to Altair’s technology will give students the chance to become Altair Real-World Ready™ with best-in-class industry-grade tools before they start their professional career. Students can utilize Altair’s design, simulation, and data solutions to build better robots faster. By using Altair technologies, students will understand why the coming together – or convergence – of simulation, data, and digital twins in engineering, including principles like rapid prototyping, AI, topology optimization, will be critical to their future and professional development.
FIRST is a global non-profit public charity corporation founded in 1989 with the goal of preparing young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18. The FIRST Robotics Competition program debuted in 1992 and operates in more than 26 countries and regions worldwide with participants in grades 8-12. Overall, FIRST has reached more than 2.5 million student participants around the world since its inception.
