Innovation First Announces Introduction of ROBOTC Programming for VEX Robotics

    GREENVILLE, Texas, Jan. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovation First, Inc., a
 leader in educational and competitive robotics products, today announced
 that the ROBOTC programming language will now be compatible with their VEX
 Robotics Design System. ROBOTC is a C programming language, for
 engineering, programming and robotics education, developed by Carnegie
 Mellon University's Robotics Academy team.
 
     ROBOTC provides an operating system with multi-tasking support where
 VEX users can write robotics programs that allow the robot to perform
 several tasks independently. The program also allows users to start, stop
 and pause execution of a program directly from their computers. ROBOTC
 provides extremely powerful integrated real-time debuggers, which have the
 capability to inspect and modify the value of any variable in the end
 user's program, helping to eliminate errors and reducing development times.
 
     "Innovation First is pleased to offer the ROBOTC language to C
 programming students using the VEX system," said Jason Morrella, senior
 director of education and competition at Innovation First. "ROBOTC is an
 inexpensive software option for students and teachers looking to implement
 robotics in their classroom as well as for VEX users who are developing
 robots for competition."
 
     ROBOTC offers educators a training CD containing curriculum, lessons,
 examples and "how-to" videos. The language has two settings, 'basic' and
 'expert,' for both the novice and advanced C programming student. The
 ROBOTC program also unifies the many different robotics programming
 platforms available, allowing it to be used with a variety of robotics
 controllers in many different competitions. Typically, teams competing in
 various robotics tournaments need to master different robotics languages
 and controllers for each competition.
 
     "While teaching robotics at the high school level, I saw my students
 become frustrated when they had to learn a new programming language every
 time we changed controllers," said Robin Shoop, director of the Carnegie
 Mellon University Robotics Academy. "At Carnegie Mellon, we believe that
 developing a language that talks to multiple controllers will make robotics
 programming more accessible to all students."
 
     ROBOTC currently supports the VEX Controller, the FIRST Robotics
 Controller, and Mindstorm's RCX and NXT controllers from LEGO. Carnegie
 Mellon is currently porting ROBOTC to several other educational robotic
 controllers.
 
     In addition to ROBOTC, Innovation First, Inc. offers the easyC(R)v2,
 easyC PRO(R) and MPLAB(R) programming languages for VEX. To find out more
 information on ROBOTC and the other VEX programming languages available,
 please visit http://www.vexlabs.com/vex-robotics-programming-kit.shtml.
 
     About Innovation First, Inc.
 
     Innovation First, a privately held corporation, was founded on the
 belief that innovation very early in the design process is necessary to
 produce simple and elegant product designs. Innovation First began
 producing electronics for unmanned mobile ground robots, and is now an
 industry leader in the hobby, competition and education markets. The
 company's award-winning VEX Robotics Design System, VEXplorer, HEXBUG Micro
 Robotic Creatures, and IFI Robotics span the education, consumer and
 business-to-business markets. Leveraging the company's core competency in
 electrical and mechanical engineering, the RackSolutions division works
 closely with all major computer OEMs to provide custom mounting solutions
 and industry-wide rack compatibility for data installations of all sizes.
 With an advanced in-house metal fabrication plant, distribution center, and
 offices located together in a 13 acre complex in Greenville, Texas, the
 company is poised to continue on a rapid growth path. Please visit
 http://www.innovationfirst.com for additional information.
 
 

     Contact:
     Liz Risoldi
     GCI Group
     lrisoldi@gcigroup.com
     310-526-5506
 
 

SOURCE Innovation First, Inc.