Summerville High School and Trident Technical College Are Granted Autodesk Inventor Award; Crescent Valley Robotics and Roeper Upper School Win Autodesk

                             Visualization Award

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., April 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Autodesk, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADSK), the world's leading design software and digital content company, has been a supporter of the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition for more than a decade. One of only two official FIRST Robotics competition sponsors, Autodesk contributed more than $6 million in software including Autodesk Inventor(R) Professional and 3ds max(R), and presented the Autodesk Inventor Award and Autodesk Visualization Award at the competition closing ceremonies. The 2004 competition recently culminated at the Competition Championship Event held at Atlanta's Georgia Dome from April 15th through 17th.

"Through the FIRST Robotics competition, we want to change attitudes about science and technology and nurture a creative spirit and passion for engineering," said Dean Kamen, accomplished inventor and founder of FIRST. "Without the continuing support from Autodesk, we would not have the opportunity to expose students to science and technology, inspiring them to dream and achieve what's possible in engineering."

"The FIRST Robotics competition provides an outlet for students to explore their engineering skills outside the classroom that fosters a love of learning and interest in the engineering profession," said Robert Kross, vice president of Autodesk's Manufacturing Solutions Division. "We have supported FIRST Robotics for 12 out of the 13 years of this competition because we believe in it. This experience mirrors the real world, and empowers students to solve complex engineering challenges by designing and creating cutting-edge robotics."

The Autodesk winners were presented with their honors at the FIRST Robotics Championship Event. This year's engineering design challenge dubbed, "FIRST Frenzy: Raising the Bar" tests students' design acumen encouraging the more than 900 teams, from around the world, to develop robots to maneuver and control balls on a playing field to score and accrue points.

Autodesk Inventor Award

Each participating team was offered Autodesk Inventor Professional software, Autodesk's #1 selling 3D mechanical design software, to design and build their robots. Autodesk donates more than 1,000 copies of Autodesk software, provides online tutorials and creates a virtual library of parts to simplify the design process, and speed development of a working robot. Winners are selected based on technical expertise, innovative design techniques and presentation of the final design. Prizes for the Autodesk Inventor Award include a trophy for the school, Autodesk logo merchandise, a high performance IBM laptop computer and a choice of Autodesk software.

Team #342 "The Burning Magnetos" from Summerville High School and Trident Technical College in Summerville, SC, built a sophisticated robot to compete in this year's competition. For more information on concept designs, game strategies, documentation and pictures, see http://www.tridenttech.edu/team342/inventor04/04_index.html.

Autodesk Visualization Award

Many teams utilized Autodesk Discreet 3ds max software to create a 30- second animation about their robot, their team or the spirit of the FIRST Robotics competition. Winners were selected based on creativity, technical execution and content.

The Autodesk Visualization Award Grand Prize winner, Team #995 "Crescent Valley Robotics" from Corvallis, OR, and Autodesk Visualization Rising Star winner, Team #1489 Roeper Upper School from Birmingham, MI will be awarded a trophy for the school, Autodesk logo merchandise, a high performance IBM laptop computer and a choice of Autodesk software.

About FIRST

Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people, their schools, and their communities. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With the support of many of the world's most well-known companies, the non-profit organization hosts the FIRST Robotics Competition for high school students and the FIRST LEGO League for children 9-14 years old. To learn more about FIRST and the FIRST Robotics Competition go to www.usfirst.org .

About Autodesk

Autodesk is the world's leading design software and digital content company, offering customers progressive business solutions through powerful technology products and services. Autodesk helps customers in the building, manufacturing, infrastructure, digital media, and wireless data services fields increase the value of their digital design data and improve efficiencies across their entire project lifecycle management processes. For more information about the company, see www.autodesk.com.

NOTE: Autodesk, AutoCAD, Autodesk MapGuide, and Discreet are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT: Tiffany Pence of Autodesk, +1-415-507-6493, or tiffany.pence@autodesk.com.

 SOURCE  Autodesk, Inc.
    -0-                             04/21/2004
    /NOTE TO EDITORS:  For more information on concept designs, game
strategies, documentation and pictures, see
http://www.tridenttech.edu/team342/inventor04/04_index.html.  Autodesk
Visualization Award pictures available upon request at
tiffany.pence@autodesk.com ./
    /CONTACT:  Tiffany Pence of Autodesk, +1-415-507-6493, or
tiffany.pence@autodesk.com/
    /Web site:  http://www.usfirst.org
    /Web site:  http://www.autodesk.com/
    (ADSK)

CO:  Autodesk, Inc.
ST:  California, Georgia
IN:  CPR STW MLM EDU
SU:  AWD

JL-EB 
-- SFW059 --
9404 04/21/2004 08:31 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com