Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Greetings,

In the Detroit Area on 4 Dec 2010, Boy Scouts of America Great Lakes Council, Oakland University and Team #33 are hosting a Pre-Release Open House for the Robotics Merit Badge. This event provides scouts and potential counselors the opportunity to experience and operate a spectrum of different robots.

No requirements can be earned at this event since the official release is in mid-April 2011. Only in mid-April 2011 will counselors be certified and blue cards can be distributed for the Robotics Merit Badge. However, there will be discussions at the open house on the requirements categories.

To help with the planning, a registration process will begin on 5 Nov 2010.

http://www.glcscouting.org/
http://www.doubleknot.com/openrosters/Calendar.asp
http://www.doubleknot.com/registrati...vityKey=890466

Hope to see scouts at the open house ! !

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Laszlo reminded me ... we ran a trial session of the new Robotics Merit Badge at the Sammamish Trails District Merit Badge Weekend on October 23. This was held at the Chief Seattle Council's Camp Pigott.

Nine Scouts went through the draft requirements, although we had to turn away another 25 who wanted to sign up. With the available space, people, and robot kits we could only take 10. The Scouts had a great time, and built four different VEX robots in the single day we had. We provided feedback to the National Council, and were able to give some guidance on how Councils can plan to provide support to summer camps that want to do robotics.

I think this new badge will be a winner, and I wish I could tell you more, but you are just going to have to wait for National Robotics Week in April!

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Our school has a Robotics Varsity Letter, I honestly laughed when my mentor said that, but I shut up when he actually showed it to us and now I want one

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

I do believe many teams have started doing this. The Killer Bees have for a while. I'm curious...why did you laugh? It's certainly something that deserves rewarding and acknowledgement. Most schools have varsity letters for Band, Marching Band, Choir, Debate, etc, so why should it be funny that there would be one for Robotics, an extracurricular that demands much more time and energy than some of the athletics in high school?

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Varsity Letter != Merit Badge. There are a number of threads discussing varsity letters already.

I'm kind of wishing I was still in H.S. so I could have a chance at earning the badge...

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Well I was ignorant for one, and it was my very first time joining and had all the stereotypes in my head. I somewhat disagree with taking more time, but it certainly does take a lot of dedication.

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Greetings,

The open house is coming soon. Tell your scout friends about it. Robot enthusiasts are welcome too. You may want to be a robotics merit badge counselor. It will be held Saturday Dec 4, 2010 from 1p to 5p. Oakland University Dodge Hall of Engineering.

Hope to see you there !!

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Yes...make sure to let the BSA national office know...If anyone has info on a team or teams that have a lot of scouts on them (FIRST, FTC or FLL) send pics and a story to Boys Life magazine.

Also check out the story I wrote for the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the national association for Ham radio oeprators at their website.
http://www.arrl.org/ham-radio-spirit-lives-in-robots

73,
Brian K9WIS
Team 1675

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Our team has 3 scouts that are very active in both scouting and robotics(Me Included), is Boys Life looking to do an article on a team? and if so, do you have a link to somewhere for more information on the opportunity?

Anyways, our troop is really looking forward to the opportunity to work on this robotics merit badge, its a great opportunity to combine two of Americas(and worlds) best youth organizations!

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Go to the BL web page for starters...Tease them with some pix (scouts with robots) then propose a bigger article, if the Robot MB is looking like its going to be a reality use that as the lead for the article.

Good Luck,
Brian K9WIS

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Yeah, that would be awesome. i'd get it for sure. Given the current pace of technology, it seems like scouts should learn and help others learn too.

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

Hello,

If you wish, you can be a counselor for the badge. Please check with your local scout council.

Regards,

Laszlo Hideg

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

The robotics merit badge pre-release event was an exciting a successful event. Thanks to Oakland U. School of Engineering for providing the venue and students with thier robotics projects and interact with the scouts and allow them to operate several robots.. Thanks to Boy Scout Great Lakes Council for helping with event registration and publicity.

Thanks to Walter P. Chrysler Museum for supporting this event. Thanks to ABB Robotics and Fanuc Robotics for thier displays and providing an industrial point of view to the scouts.

Thanks very much to Adambots Team #245, Rochester Adams HS and Stoney Creek HS for bringing FIRST robots from 2010, 2009, 2005 as well as OCCRA robots. Thier students interacted with the scouts and had scouts driving all of the robots.

Thanks alot to the FEDS Team #201, Rochester HS for bringing thier FIRST 2009 robot. Thier students interacted with the scouts and had scouts driving thier robot.

Thanks most of all to Killer Bees Team #33 for helping to organize the event and having students interact with the scouts and have the scouts drive the robots. They brought thier FIRST robot from 2010 and OCCRA robots.

Early unconfirmed numbers indicate about 100 scouts (boy scouts, cubs and some girl scouts), plus family and scout adults, for easily an additional 100 people or more. And of course, bunches of FIRST students !!

Please see the attached. It is the presentation used for part of the event. It DOES NOT have the requirements but is leads you to some similarities seen in all merit badges.

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

The Robotics Merit Badge has finally been posted. You can check out the requirements here.

Re: Robotics Merit Badge
 

You just can't un-ring a bell, so here is more stuff:

http://boyslife.org/about-scouts/mer...launch-events/

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...ryId=135228346

More direct material will be here soon:

http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/...ts-of-america/

Press release by BSA early Monday April 11, 2011