The Technologies
This first section of the book introduces you to Arduinos, 3D printing, and the mindset of the community that has developed the consumer versions of these techologies.
Chapter 1 is an overview of the differences in mindset and views of learning between the maker/hacker community and the traditional, educational one. It is also a guide to the rest of the book. In Chapter 2, you learn about the Arduino microprocessor and the low-cost ecosystem of sensors, motors, and other electronics that has sprung up based on the Arduino. One of those ecosystems is the low-cost, open source 3D printer, introduced in Chapter 3.
If you take Arduinos, some motors and sensors, and maybe a few 3D-printed parts, you can make yourself robots and other things that move on their own. Chapter 4 discusses the basics of robots and gives you some entry points into the overwhelming number of kits, ideas, and online tutorials.
Taken together, these chapters provide the material you need to know before moving on to the more complex applications of the technologies covered in the rest of the book.