43
Boy Scouts work to earn new robotics badge at YSU
By Bob Jackson
YOUNGSTOWN
Being a Boy Scout has come a long way from the days of learning to pitch tents, tie knots and build campfires.
These days, Scouts are learning to design and build robots.
Introduced in April, robotics is one of several new merit badges Boy Scouts can earn. Some two dozen Scouts were at Youngstown State University’s Moser Hall on Saturday to earn their badges during a six-hour workshop.
“They’re trying to update things to get current with the times,” said Kurt Hildebrand, program chairman for the Boy Scouts of America’s Whispering Pines District. “They’re trying to come up with things to help keep the kids’ interest.”
According to the BSA’s website, the robotics merit badge is part of BSA’s new curriculum emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The 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 site says.
Hildebrand said it took only one day for enrollment in the robotics class to be filled when it was posted some three weeks ago. Most classes take two weeks or more to fill, he said.
“So the interest is definitely there,” he said.
Saturday’s workshop included about an hour of instruction by Daryl Gross, an instructor in YSU’s Engineering Technology program, who also is a former Boy Scout. Gross said he spent more than 50 years in Scouting, both as a Scout and a leader. He became an Eagle Scout in 1962.
After the instructional portion, Scouts were divided into groups of six, with each group given a robotics kit provided by the university. They built the small, tabletop-size robots together, then controlled them to perform functions such as picking up objects from a table.
“We were trying to get ours to write on a piece of paper,” said Matthew Turner, 14, of Hubbard. “But then we decided to see whether it could just take the pen out of someone’s [shirt] pocket.”
“It’s kind of a funny feeling, when the robot is taking the pen from your shirt,” said Lukas McCoy, 13, of Youngstown. “But it was a blast.”
Lukas said he signed up for the workshop because he enjoys pursuing unique merit badges.
“I like being different,” he said. “I like getting badges that most people don’t have.”
His younger brother, Tristan, 11, had a simpler reason for signing up: “I just like robots.”
After they’d spent the morning building their own robots, the Scouts spent the afternoon learning how to program and flowchart robot design, and then doing some hands-on experimenting with huge, industrial robots that are used in YSU’s robotics program.
“These are real robots that are actually used in manufacturing,” said Professor Mike Costarell. “They can pick up 500 or 1,000 pounds like a toy and throw it around like it’s a candy bar.”
Gross said the robots once were used at the General Motors plant in Lordstown for production of the Chevrolet Cobalt and Cruze. They were donated to the university when GM installed new robots at the plant.
“It’s very rare that kids get to come into a place like this and see equipment like this, let alone actually get to use it,” Hildebrand said. “Keeping their attention for a full day like this is really great.”
Gross said allowing the Scouts to build the smaller robots gave them a chance to see the internal components of a robot, which was good because “obviously I can’t take the big ones apart.”
He said the university wanted to partner with the Boy Scouts to help develop interest in STEM activities. The university will keep the completed robots and use them again, if the organization decides to collaborate on another workshop later.