[b]Boy Scouts of America Introduces Robotics Merit Badge[/b]
When people think of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), they envision activities like camping, knot-tying, and canoeing, but soon, they'll need to add robot-building to that list. Scouts in 2011, through the introduction of the Robotics merit badge, now have the opportunity to design, build, and demonstrate a robot of their own creation.
The Robotics merit badge is part of the BSA's new curriculum emphasis on STEM: science, technology, engineering, and math. The BSA focus on STEM takes a fun, adventurous approach to helping Scouts develop critical skills that are relevant and needed in today's competitive world. The new merit badge is one of 31 STEM-related merit badges that Scouts can earn[URL=http://science.nasa.gov/media/medialibrary/2011/04/08/PR-Robotics-Merit-Badge-FINAL.pdf]...[/URL]
Credit: Boy Scouts of America
The Associated Press [URL=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=135228346]reports[/URL]:
[i]NASA, which allowed its Mars rover to be depicted on the badge, also agreed to take 100 patches into space on the Endeavour shuttle mission. Those badges will be distributed through an online contest...
The new badge will be formally announced Tuesday and unveiled Saturday in Boston during one of more than 75 events being held around the country to mark National Robotics Week.[/i]