Should my son join a FTC or VRC after Lego?
My son has been participating in a LEGO Club (no official competitions), but is “aging out” of the club. He really wanted to join an FTC, but all teams are
Robotics
What does ‘2 degrees of freedom’ mean in requirement 4b?
Thank you for your question. The 2 degrees of freedom refers to the robot not just the attachment. This is just to make sure the robot has some complexity. 2 degrees of
Is Electronics merit badge a prerequisite for Robotics?
This is a good question and one we discussed in our development group. Electronics is not likely to ever be a prerequisite for Robotics. There are many robotics platforms
Do you all think that the Arduino kits would make a good match for this badge?
Yes, the Arduino controller would be a good choice. As a counselor, though, I would encourage Scouts to use what they have. If a Scout wanted to meet the requirements
Is the Lego Mindstorms NXT kit compatible with the requirements?
Any version of the Mindstorms kits gives you what you need to build a great
If you don’t want to use a kit, how do you start making a robot? Where do you get the supplies?
Taking apart an old radio control car is a great place to start. It has motors, a chassis and a battery already. All you need to do is find a processor of some kind and make sure your control signals work. While operating a radio-controlled car will not satisfy the requirements of the merit badge, taking an RC car, adding a controller (the computer brain that does the robot’s thinking) and some other mechanisms probably will. As always, talk to your merit badge counselor first to make sure that what you are planning is safe and will satisfy the requirements.
Overview of the engineering design process
When developing a robot design, it is wise to follow an engineering design process. Essentially, the engineering design process consists of the following steps.
Robotics resources
ROBOTICS COMPETITIONS One of the best places to find the latest on various robotics competitions is http://robotevents.com, the website of the Robotics Education and
Fun Stuff
Take a break from all the programming and engineering to play fun robot-themed jokes, learn interesting robot trivia and discover fun facts.
Robot jokes
Robotics isn't all serious. It can also be the source of some pretty funny jokes. Laugh at some of these robot jokes, and then send us some of your own. If we use your joke, we'll send you a free Robotics merit badge launch patch.
What do you like best about robots?
I really like the fact that we are able to use robots to improve all of our lives by having them perform tasks that are either dangerous, dreary or difficult. Having said
How do I start a robot team in my troop?
Start by speaking to your merit badge counselor. He or she should be able to give you some idea about the types of robot competitions available in your area and what it takes
What should I study in high school to allow me to work with robots?
To prepare yourself for a college degree that will allow you to work with robots, you should study as much math as possible in high school. The best place for you to end up
Robotics merit badge launch events
The Boy Scouts of America will participate in many robotics events during the month of April to help celebrate the launch of the Robotics merit badge. Here are some of them.