INTRODUCTION
Robotics: Inspired Technology
Which of these fields are involved in robotics? You may choose from the following: engineering, electronics, psychology, sociology, biology, physics, artificial intelligence, math, art, mechanical design, mechanical construction, computer programming, sound synthesis, vision, ultrasonics, linguistics, microelectronics, process control, system automation, musicology.
If you said “all of them,” you’re right.
And if you think I missed some, I have. Robotics is all of these things, and much more. Its popularity comes from all the disciplines it embraces. When you build a robot, you can explore everything from mechanical design to computer engineering to behavioral science.
Every robot is different, a reflection of its creator—you. Want to make an art bot that spins around on a piece of paper, drawing pictures using crayons? Why not! It’s your creation. You set the rules.
No Better Time to Play with Robots
New technologies have dramatically driven down the cost of building a robot, not to mention the time it takes to construct one. Now is the ideal time to get into robotics. It’s never been cheaper, and the result far exceeds what was possible even five years ago.
For less than $75 you can construct a sophisticated, fully autonomous robot that can be programmed from your computer. Easily change its behavior as you experiment with new designs.
Robotics is still a cottage industry. There’s plenty of room for growth, with a lot of discoveries yet to be made. Maybe you’ll be the one to make them?
If so, that’s where this book comes in.
Inside Robot Builder’s Bonanza
This book is part tutorial and part reference. It tells you what you need to know to build a robot, plus a whole lot more about the art and science of robotics.
Robot Builder’s Bonanza, Fourth Edition, is all about having fun while learning how to design, construct, and use small robots. Hands-on plans take you from building basic motorized platforms to giving the machine a brain—and teaching it to walk and talk and obey commands.
This book is about inspiring you—in the guise of a how-to book on constructing various robots and components. The modular projects in this book can be combined to create all kinds of highly intelligent and workable robots of all shapes and sizes. Mix and match your projects the way you like.
The projects in this book are a treasure chest of information and ideas on making thinking machines. You’ll find what you need to know to construct the essential building blocks of a personal robot.
Absolutely brand-new to all things robotics and electronics? Then be sure to visit the RBB Online Support site for the free My First Robot tutorial lessons. See Appendix A, “RBB Online Support,” for more details.
ABOUT THE FOURTH EDITION
This book is a fully updated and greatly expanded revision of Robot Builder’s Bonanza, first published in 1987, and then updated again in 2001 and 2006.
Previous editions of this book have been perennial bestsellers. I’m proud to say this is one of the most widely read books ever published on amateur robotics.
In the pages that follow, you’ll find updated coverage of exciting technologies like the latest Arduino and PICAXE microcontrollers; hands-on projects using unique forms of light, vision, and sound sensors; robot construction using high-grade wood, plastics, and metals; advanced servo and DC motor control; and rapid prototyping techniques for building bots in record time.
With this edition is a special emphasis on construction plans that are not only affordable, but easily reproducible through the use of commonly available parts. To make it easier for first-time builders, none of the projects in this book require expensive or elaborate tools.
FREE ONLINE CONTENT, PARTS FINDER, VIDEOS, BONUS GOODIES
This book comes with free online content: the RBB Online Support site. See Appendix A for the lowdown. On the support site you’ll find:
My First Robot—a series of easy-to-follow fully illustrated lessons that teach you the basics of electronics, soldering, robot planning, and construction
Project Parts Finder—where to find all the parts for the projects in this book, including sources and part numbers
Animated and interactive learning tools, including circuit simulators
New and updated links to Web sites and manufacturers
Enhanced and updated robot e-plans
How-to videos, bonus articles, tutorials on robot construction, and more
In order to provide more space for juicy tidbits about robot building, some of the longer programming examples are moved from the printed page and located as free downloads on the RBB Online Support site. When applicable, you’ll see a note like this one telling you to go to the support site so you can fetch the code.
What You’ll Learn
Robot Builder’s Bonanza is divided into eight sections; each one covers a major component of building a robot.
Part 1: The Art and Science of Robot Building. What you need to get started; setting up shop; how and where to get robot parts.
Part 2: Robot Construction. Robots made of plastic, wood, and metal; working with common materials; converting toys into robots; mechanical construction techniques; using rapid prototyping techniques to build fast and cheap robots. Includes three full and complete robot projects: PlyBot, PlastoBot, and TinBot.
Part 3: Power, Motors, and Locomotion. Using batteries; powering the robot; working with different kinds of motors; powering motors from computerized electronics; mounting motors and wheels; using space-age shape memory alloy.
Part 4: Hands-on Robotics Projects. Lots of projects and ideas for building robots with wheels, tracks, and legs; constructing arm systems; building robot hands.
Part 5: Robot Electronics. Circuitry for robots; common components and how they work; constructing circuits on solderless breadboards; making your own soldered circuit boards.
Part 6: Computers and Electronic Control. Smart electronics for your bot; introduction to microcontrollers; programming fundamentals.
Part 7: Microcontroller Brains. All about three popular microcontrollers: Arduino, PICAXE, and BASIC Stamp; interfacing electronics to your microcontroller or computer; operating your robot via wire, infrared, and radio remote control.
Part 8: Sensors, Navigation, and Feedback. Collision detection and avoidance; sensing when objects are nearby; gravity, compass, and other navigation sensors; measuring distance using ultrasonic sound and infrared; eyes for your robot; navigation techniques; making and listening to sound; smoke, flame, and heat detection.
Whenever practical, I’ve designed the components as discrete building blocks, so that you can combine the blocks in just about any configuration you want. The robot you create will be uniquely yours, and yours alone.
Expertise You Need
Actually … you don’t need any experience to use this book. It tells you what you need to know.
But if you happen to already have some experience—such as in construction, electronics, or programming—you’re free to move from chapter to chapter at will. There are plenty of cross-references to help you expand your discovery zone.
Robot Builder’s Bonanza doesn’t contain hard-to-decipher formulas, unrealistic assumptions about your level of electronic or mechanical expertise, or complex designs that only a seasoned professional can tackle.
I wrote this book so that anyone* can enjoy the thrill and excitement of building a robot. The projects can be duplicated without expensive lab equipment, precision tools, or specialized materials—and at a cost that won’t contribute to the national debt!
*If you’re under 15 or thereabouts, ask for help from a parent or teacher. Some of the projects in this book involve using tools and techniques that could be dangerous if proper safety precautions are not followed.
The projects in this book have been written to avoid the really bad stuff, but you can still get seriously burned, cut, punctured, or poisoned if you’re not careful.
Beyond Cool
Think of Robot Builder’s Bonanza as an adventure in technology—with a lot of fun thrown in for free.
As you construct your bot, you’ll learn the latest technologies firsthand. It puts you way ahead of the curve, whether your interest in robotics is for school, for work, or as a hobby.
Years before the public even heard of a smartphone, bot builders were messing around with electronic compasses, accelerometers, gyroscopes, global positioning satellites, microcontrollers, touch screens, artificial intelligence, voice control, speech synthesis, and more. Robotics is your ticket to many of the exciting technologies of today and tomorrow.
Think of Robot Builder’s Bonanza as a treasure map. The paths provided between these covers lead you on your way to building one or more fully functional robots. So turn the page, and start the adventure.