Welcome to The Green Machine Website!
Welcome to the official website for Edina Robotics FIRST Team 1816 "The Green Machine!” This is the place to learn more about FIRST Robotics, our team's activities and history, the game challenge and competitions. We invite you to keep up with The Green Machine by checking out our calendar, participating in our forum, reading our ongoing team blog, and viewing our photos and videos!
Recent News 
Bakken hosts visit, talk by founder Earl Bakken
August 25, 2008 -- Earl Bakken, the founder of Medtronic, Inc., which is Team 1816’s leading corporate sponsor, paid a visit to his namesake museum while he was recently in the Twin Cities. Green Machine team member Matt H. had the opportunity to hear Mr. Bakken speak to a small group about his life and various inventions. Mr. Bakken founded Medtronic (medical + electronics) after World War II and invented the first battery-operated pacemaker. The Bakken Museum, Minneapolis, is the only library and museum in the United States devoted to medical electronics. Matt and fellow team member Greg B. are regular volunteers at the museum, assisting with children's programs and acting as tour guides. The team this summer participated in several Bakken events, including landscaping and recycling projects.
See “The Green Machine” at the Minnesota State Fair! By Greg B.
August 23, 2008 -- For all those attending the 2008 “Great Minnesota Get Together,” be sure and make time to visit the Education Building, where the Green Machine and other Minnesota FIRST teams will be displaying their 2008 competition robots and educating visitors about the programs offered by FIRST and their impact on students interested in science, math, technology and engineering. Two live demonstrations of the robots will take place each day of the fair (which runs from August 21st to September 1st), once at 10 AM and again at 1 PM. The robots will play a modified version of the 2008 game “FIRST Overdrive,” and compete on driving skills.
Team 1816-The Green Machine itself is scheduled to be at the fair on Tuesday, August 26th and Wednesday, August 27th; at least two Minnesota FIRST teams will be present each day (see below for a schedule of the teams that’ll be there). We’re also told that the robots are going to be judged with the other technology education entries on several criteria, including originality, function, and structure. Who knows, maybe Zerkit will take home a blue ribbon or two before the fair is over!
Edina Robotics Wins the 2008 Regional Chairman’s Award By Greg B.
After three exciting days participating in the inaugural FIRST Minnesota Regional Robotics competition, events concluded with Edina Robotics FIRST Team 1816-The Green Machine being awarded the Regional Chairman’s Award, FIRST’s most prestigious award.