Reference Material- BSA Robotics Merit Badge Book

[Rick TYler]

I had the privilege of being on the team that created and wrote the merit badge requirements and book. Almost everything in this thread is accurate. The merit badge was designed to be platform-independent and to encourage participation by Scouts on robotics teams, and also to ensure that a Scout does not HAVE to be on a team to complete the merit badge.

The Scout shop is now selling the Boe-Bot and Ollo Bug robotics kit (http://www.scoutstuff.org/bsa/crafts/science.html), and VEX has created a special lower-cost kit for the BSA (http://www.vexrobotics.com/bsa-robotics-bundle.html). Of course, other platforms like LEGO, Fischertechnik and, as Blake wrote, home-brewed assemblies of parts and controllers can be used to fulfill the requirements.

(Lazlo was also on the Robotics MB team, and wrote a big chunk of the book.)