What is A.U.T.O?

A.U.T.O in Action

Sensory struggles can make everyday experiences challenging, and at FIRST events, loud noises, bright lights, and large crowds can be overwhelming.

To support individuals with sensory needs, we provide Quiet Rooms and Sensory Bags at the FLL, FTC and FRC events we host. Quiet Rooms offer a quiet place away from the lights and noise to decompress. Sensory bags contain items like weighted blankets, headphones, and more that aid concentration, and ease anxiety.

Looking ahead, we are beginning to partner with ABA Centers of Pennsylvania to help expand these initiatives across all FMA events in Pennsylvania by ensuring staffed quiet rooms and supplying sensory bags to every event. We are piloting this at the Bensalem District Event, Philadelphia District Event and FMA Championship.

We’ve presented A.U.T.O. training to 6 teams at the 2025 Comcast Bootcamp, teaching teams:

• What Autism Is

• How to Identify Autism

• Examples of it both Inside and Outside of Robotics

• How to Engage Autism

• The Do’s and Don’t For Interactions on the Spectrum

Our students have certified 26 students across 13 teams, including 15 students from nine teams this year alone. We were also able to certify the entirety of Team 1218, with another team certification planned before the season ends.

Why A.U.T.O is Important

According to the National Autism Association, autism affects 1 in 36 children.

A study found that over a third of young adults with an autism spectrum disorder (34.1%) chose a STEM major in college. Despite their passion, many children with ASD are often excluded from STEM activities due to misconceptions about their abilities.

In school, public, and at robotics events, there are people on all levels of the spectrum and the A.U.T.O Foundation believes that to better interact you must first seek to understand. Identifying someone on the spectrum and knowing how to engage with them is the first step in doing so.