Robot builders bonanza 4th edition

It tells you what you need to know to build a robot, plus a whole lot more about the art and science of robotics.. You’ll find what you need to know to construct the essential building b

ROBOT BUILDER’S

BONANZA

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gordon McComb has written 65 books and thousands of magazine articles—over a million copies of his books are in print, in more than a dozen languages For 13 years, Gordon wrote

a weekly syndicated newspaper column on computers and high technology, which reached

several million readers worldwide He’s a regular contributor to SERVO Magazine and other

publications, and maintains an active Web site dedicated to teaching the art and science of robot building

ROBOT BUILDER’S

BONANZA GORDON McCOMB

FOURTH EDITION

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Acknowledgments xxi

Introduction xxv Part 1—The Art and Science of Robot Building

Do It Yourself, Kits, or Ready- Made? 9

CONTENTS

Specialty Online Robotics Retailers 31

Scavenging: Making Do with What You Already Have 36

Part 2—Robot Construction

Use Common Sense— and Enjoy Your Robot Hobby 48

Chapter 7—Working with Wood 69

What’s This about Heat Treatments? 110

Brackets 135

Rapid Construction with Semipermanent Fasteners 147

Producing “Quick- Turn” Metal and Plastic Prototypes 159

Fischertechnik 161

Construction with Snap- Together Components 163

Experimenting with “No- Cut” Metal Platform Designs 171

Keep Your Eyes Peeled and Your Tape Measure Out 176

Part 3—Power, Motors, and Locomotion

On the Web: How to Solder a Barrel Plug onto a Battery Holder

On the Web: Managing the Weight of Your Robot 218

Testing Current Draw of a Motor 224

Bonus Projects: Interfacing to Motor Bridge Modules 248

Modifying a Standard Servo for Continuous Rotation 261

Mounting and Aligning Motors with Aluminum Channel 269

Attaching Mechanical Linkages to Servos 276

Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Gears 283

Part 4— Hands- on Robotic Projects

Degrees of Freedom in a Typical Robotic Arm 340

Build a Functional Revolute Coordinate Arm 345

Part 5—Robot Electronics

But First, a Word about Electronics Symbols 381

Potentiometers 388Capacitors 390

Steps in Constructing a Solderless Breadboard Circuit 411

Making Long- Lasting Solderless Circuits 411

Overview of Your Primary Circuit Board Options 414

Making Permanent Circuits on Solder Breadboards 415Using Point- to- Point Perforated Board Construction 416

Creating Electronic Circuit Boards with PCB CAD 418Producing Arduino- Specific Boards with Fritzing 420

On the Web: Etching Your Own Printed Circuit Board 421

Making Semipermanent Circuits with Wire Wrapping 422

Part 6—Computers and Electronic Control

Under the Hood of the Typical Microcontroller Chip 441

Lucky Seven Most Common Programming Statements 452

Part 7—Microcontroller Brains

Example: Controlling an RC Servo with the PICAXE 493Example: Reading Buttons and Controlling Outputs 494

Hooking Up: Connecting the BASIC Stamp to a PC 499

Interfacing Switches and Other Digital Inputs 506

Interfacing RC Servo Motors to the BASIC Stamp 508

Chapter 40—Interfacing Hardware with Your

On the Web: Understanding Bitwise Port Programming 533

Commanding a Robot with Infrared Remote Control 537

Part 8—Sensors, Navigation, and Feedback

Experimenting with Piezoelectric Touch Sensors 563

Modulated Infrared Proximity Detector 574

Using Lenses and Filters with Light- Sensitive Sensors 600

Odometry: Calculating Your Robot’s Distance of Travel 609

Experimenting with Tilt and Gravity Sensors 619

Using a Microcontroller to Produce Sound and Music 628

Sound and Music Playback with a Microcontroller 631Speech Synthesis: Getting Your Robot to Talk 632

Robot- Human Interaction with Lighting Effects 649

Detecting Dangerous Gas 661

Robotics 669Electronics 670

Drill Bit and Tap Sizes— Imperial 673Drill Bit and Tap Sizes— Metric 674Numbered and Fractional Inch Drill Bit Comparison 675Fasteners: Standard (Imperial) Threads at a Glance 675Comparison of Decimal Inch, Fractional Inch, Mil, and Gauge 676

Formulas 677Abbreviations 679

The Six Most Common Units of Measure in Electronics 682

Index 685

Once more I’ve climbed the mountain And once more I look back to those who have helped

me turn my vision into reality

To my friends at the San Diego robotics group; to John Boisvert and his amazing robotics emporium; to Mike Keesling, Alex Brown, and Tony Ellis; to those I’ve met over the years on

the comp.robotics.misc newsgroup for their great ideas, wisdom, support, and advice; and to Frits Lyneborg and the entire LetsMakeRobots.com community;

To Russell Cameron, roboteer extraordinaire, and to Jan Malasek of Pololu, Mario blay of Robotshop, Clive Seager of Revolution Education, Jim Frye of Lynxmotion, Nathan Seidle of SparkFun, Gerry Coe of Devantech, and Claudia and the crew at DAGU;

Trem-To the makers and keepers of the Arduino, PICAXE, BASIC Stamp, FIRST CAD Library, and Fritzing for great tools, great software, and great art;

To Judy Bass and the editors at McGraw- Hill, who’ve put up with me all these years; to my agents at Waterside Productions; and to Bill Gladstone who first helped me take on this proj-ect way back in 1985 (how time flies!);

And last but certainly not least, to my wife, Jennifer

I offer my heartfelt thanks, one and all

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Adafruit Industries (www.adafruit.com): Figures 37- 2, 37- 3, 37- 10 Christopher Schantz (www.expressionimage.com): Figure 2- 14 Cooper Industries (www.cooperhandtools.com): Figure 30- 4 Devantech (www robot- electronics.co.uk).: Figure 48- 2

General Electric: Figure 2- 4

Hitec RCD (www.hitecrcd.com): Figure 23- 1 Lynxmotion (www.lynxmotion.com): Figures 1- 1, 2- 6, 2- 7, 20- 10, 27- 2, 28-13 iRobot Corporation (www.irobot.com): Figures 1- 6, 2- 3

Maxbotics Inc (www.maxbotics.com): Figure 43- 14 Miga Motor Company (www.migamotors.com): Figure 25- 7 Parallax Inc (www.parallax.com): Figures 2- 10, 34- 2, 39- 1, 43- 3, 48- 6 Pitsco Education (www.pitsco.com): Figures 1- 7

RoboRealm (www.roborealm.com): Figure 44- 12 Pololu (www.pololu.com): Figures 10- 4, 10- 7, 45- 5, 45- 19

Russell Cameron/DAGU Hi- Tech Electronic: Figures 1- 1, 44- 10

Scott Edwards Electronics (www.seetron.com): Figure 27- 6 SparkFun Electronics (www.sparkfun.com): Figures 42- 14, 46- 7, 46- 9, 46- 10

The author expresses his deepest gratitude for the use of 3D CAD objects developed by Ed Sparks at FirstCadLibrary.com; to the developers and contributors of the Fritzing project

(www.fritzing.org); for public domain art developed by Wikipedia user Inductiveload, and

oth-ers; and to the talented artists of the 3D models used throughout this book

This publication contains images used under license from Corel Corporation, Hemera Technologies, Shutterstock.com, and other licensors

PHOTO AND ILLUSTRATION CREDITS

Robotics: Inspired Technology

Which of these fields are involved in robotics? You may choose from the following: ing, 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

engineer-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 eries yet to be made Maybe you’ll be the one to make them?

discov-If so, that’s where this book comes in

INTRODUCTION

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 ized platforms to giving the machine a brain— and teaching it to walk and talk and obey com-mands

motor-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

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W E B

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; mount-ing 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 com-puter; 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

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G

Robot Builder’s Bonanza doesn’t contain hard- to- decipher formulas, unrealistic

assump-tions 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 ized materials— and at a cost that won’t contribute to the national debt!

special-*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

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

G

ROBOT BUILDER’S

BONANZA

Par t 1

The Art and Science

of Robot Building

There he sits, as he’s done countless long nights before, alone and deserted in a dank and musty basement With each strike of his ball- peen hammer comes an ear- shattering bong and an echo that seems to ring forever Slowly, his creation takes shape and form— it started

as an unrecognizable blob of metal and plastic, soon it was transformed into an eerie ette, then

silhou-Brilliant and talented, but perhaps a bit crazed, he is before his time: a social outcast, a misfit who belongs neither to science nor to fiction He is the robot experimenter, and all he wants to do is make a mechanical creature that serves drinks at parties and wakes him up in the morning

Okay, maybe this is a dark view of the present- day amateur robotics experimenter Though you may find a dash of the melodramatic in it, the picture isn’t unrealistic It’s a view held by many outsiders to the robot- building craft— a view more than 100 years old, from the time when the prospects of building a human- like machine first came within technology’s grasp

Like it or not, if you want to build robots, you’re an oddball, an egghead, and— yes, let’s

get it all out— a little on the weird side!

As a robot experimenter, you’re not unlike Victor Frankenstein, the old- world doctor from Mary Shelley’s immortal 1818 horror thriller Instead of robbing graves in the still of night, you “rob” electronics stores, flea markets, and surplus outlets in your unrelenting quest— your

thirst— for all kinds and sizes of motors, batteries, gears, wires, switches, and other gizmos

Like Dr Frankenstein, you galvanize life from these “dead” parts

What the Adventure Holds

Just starting out building your first robot? You’re in for a wonderful ride! Watching your ation do something as simple as scoot around the floor or table can be exhilarating Those

Welcome to the Wonderful World

of Robotics!

around you may not immediately share your excitement, but you know that you’ve built something— however humble— with your own hands and ingenuity.

If you’re one of the lucky few who has already assembled a working bot, then you know the excitement I’m talking about You know how thrilling it is to see your robot obey your commands, as if it were a trusted dog

You know the time and effort that went into constructing your mechanical marvel, maybe something like the ones in the robo- zoo picture in Figure 1-1—all are hobby robots And although others may not always appreciate it (especially when it marks up the kitchen floor with its rubber tires), you’re satisfied with the accomplishment You’re looking forward to the next challenge

And if you’ve built a robot, you also know of the heartache and frustration that come with the process You know that not every design works, and that even a simple engineering flaw can cost weeks of effort, not to mention ruined parts This book will help you— beginner and experienced robot creator alike— get the most out of your robotics hobby

Why Build Robots?

I wanted to build my first robot the moment I saw the sci- fi movie classic The Day the Earth

Stood Still (the original, mind you, not the remake) Many have gotten the Bot Building Bug

from watching movies, like Star Wars, Short Circuit, or Terminator.

No matter where the inspiration comes from, there are many reasons to build your own robot Here are just a few of them

ROBOTICS IS A KEYSTONE OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY

I recently purchased a new smartphone As I went through its feature list I was amazed at all the things it could do— and how many of them were technologies we robot builders were play-

ing with over a decade ago!

Robotics is a natural test bed for new ideas Robot builders have been among the first

Figure 1-1 Amateur robots can take many forms and sizes: mobile (moving) robots use wheels, tracks, or legs for propulsion; arms and grippers allow the robot to manipulate

its environment (Includes photos courtesy

Lynxmotion and Russell Cameron)

amateurs to play with microcontrollers, accelerometers, digital compasses, voice control, tronic gyroscopes, global positioning satellite modules, speech synthesizers, solid- state imag-ers, vision recognition, tactile feedback, and many other cutting- edge technologies.

elec-What’s more, all of this is available at low cost The pocket- size microcontroller circuit board in Figure 1-2 costs less than a dinner for two and rivals the thinking power of the com-puter that put Apollo astronauts on the moon (You’ll be learning lots more about this micro-controller in Chapter 37, “Using the Arduino.”)

Whether you’re a garage- shop tinkerer, a student, or an engineer working for a Fortune

500 company, experimenting with amateur robotics gives you ample opportunity to discover the technologies the world will be using tomorrow

ROBOTICS AS A GATEWAY TO A CAREER

Still going to school? Haven’t yet decided what you want to do with your life? Believe it or not, building a robot can lead the way

Robotics involves dozens of interconnected sciences and disciplines— mechanical design and construction, computer programming, psychology, behavioral studies, ecology and the environ-ment, biology, space, micro- miniaturization, underwater research, electronics, and much more

You don’t need to be an expert in these fields just to build a robot You can concentrate your studies on those things that most interest you, using your robot as a doorway to further-ing your interests

ROBOTICS TO THE RESCUE

Science fiction has long painted the robot as evil— either on its own or as the minion of a mad scientist Yet it turns out robots may be a way for people to live better, longer lives

• Robots can venture where people can’t, or don’t want to, go Send a bot into a collapsed mine shaft, or to the bottom of the ocean, or to the dusty surface of Mars It’ll get the job done, and it doesn’t need air or McDonald’s breaks

• A bomb- sniffing robot can save the lives of many people It can locate the explosive and defuse it much more safely than humans can

• Robots can act as nurses and doctors, even to those with highly contagious diseases, way around the world

half-Figure 1-2 The modern microcontroller, like this Arduino, provides an amazing amount of computational power for controlling a robot

• Kids respond to robots in ways that can actually help them to develop interpersonal skills

There are even some robots used as therapy for children with certain learning and social disorders

MOST OF ALL, ROBOTICS IS FUN!

It’s okay to build robots just for kicks Really!

Challenge yourself to a new project, and enjoy a hobby shared by many others worldwide

Share your designs on a blog or forum Enter a competition to see whose robot is fastest or strongest Post a video of your robot on YouTube, and show it off

The Building- Block Approach

Robots are made of many individual parts that act as modules or subsystems So a great way

to learn about amateur- made robots is to construct individual components, then combine them to make a finished, fully functional machine

The robots you create are made from building blocks, so making changes and updates to them is relatively simple When designed and constructed properly, the building blocks, like those in Figure 1-3, may be shared among a variety of robots To save time and money, it’s not unusual to reuse parts as you experiment with new robot designs

Most of the building- block designs presented

in this book are complete, working subsystems

Some operate without ever being attached to a robot or control computer The way you con-nect the modules is up to you You can experi-ment with each part, altering it and improving upon it When it works the way you want, incor-porate it into your robot or save it for a future project

Lower Costs, Better Bots

Homebrew robotics used to be expensive and time consuming Weak electronic brains limited what the finished robot could do No longer

Amateur robots are now:

• Lower cost It’s possible to build a fairly

sophis-ticated autonomous robot for less than $75, with only ordinary tools Similar robots used to cost $500 or $600 and required specialized gear to make

• Simpler Thanks to ready- made sensors,

spe-cialty electronics, and prefab parts, it’s much easier to construct robots by putting together construction blocks

Figure 1-3 The basic building blocks of a fully

functional robot include a computer control or other

central processor, a drive system for mobility, and

various sensors

• More powerful Inexpensive microcontrollers add horsepower and functionality, with more

memory, faster processing speeds, and easier interfacing to other components If you have

a PC with a USB port, you can start working with microcontrollers today— many cost just

a few dollars and can control an entire robot

Skills You Need

You don’t have to be an expert in electronics and mechanical design to build robots Far from

it Which of these best describes you?

• I’m just starting out If you’re an absolute raw beginner in all things robotics, start with the

My First Robot lessons found on the RBB Online Support site (see Appendix A for details)

The lessons give you step- by- step instructions for building the RBB Bot, an inexpensive

autonomous (runs on its own) robot You’ll learn about the fundamentals of electronics and robotics

• I have some electronics or mechanical background Plow straight ahead to the

construc-tion guides and how- tos that follow This book is organized into parts so that you can bone

up on your skills and knowledge as you read

• I’m an experienced tinkerer If you are already versed in electronics and mechanics, you’re

well on your way to becoming a robot experimenter extraordinaire You can read the

chapters in the order you choose There are plenty of cross- references among chapters to help you connect the dots

ELECTRONICS BACKGROUND

Electronic circuits are what make your robots “thinking machines.” You don’t need extensive knowledge of electronics to enjoy creating robots You can start with simple circuits with a minimum of parts As your skills increase, you’ll be able to (at the least) customize existing circuits to match your needs

This book doesn’t include much in the way of electronics theory, just practical information

as it relates to building bots If you’re looking for detailed college- level instruction on ics, check out any local library and do a Web search for books and publications

electron-Many of the circuits in this book are in schematic diagram form, a kind of blueprint for how the parts of the circuit are connected If you’ve never seen a schematic, you can read up on

them in Part 5 of this book, plus the My First Robot lessons (see Appendix A, “RBB Online

Support”), which includes a whirlwind introduction to electronics There, you can see how a schematic road map corresponds to actual components of a circuit you can build yourself— see Figure 1-4 for an example There are really only about a dozen common schematic symbols, and you can learn what you need to know with just an evening of study

The parts for the electronic projects in this book are all selected to be widely available and reasonably affordable I decided not to include vendor part numbers right in the book because these can change quickly

Instead, you can visit the RBB Online Support site (see Appendix A) for updated lists of parts used in this book and where to get them You’ll also find direct links to many parts— just click and you’re there

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PROGRAMMING BACKGROUND

Modern robots use a computer or microcontroller to manage their actions In this book you’ll find plenty of projects, plans, and solutions for connecting the hardware of your robot to any

of several kinds of ready- made robot brains

Like all computers, the ones for robot control need to be programmed If you are new or relatively new to computers and programming, start with Chapter 36, “Programming Con-cepts: The Fundamentals.” None of the projects in this book require expensive or complex programming tools

MECHANICAL BACKGROUND

Some robot builders are more comfortable with the mechanical side of robot building than the

electronic or programming sides— they can see gears meshing and pulleys moving As with

electronics, you don’t need an extensive knowledge of mechanical and engineering theory to build robots

This book provides several start- to- finish robot designs using a variety of materials, from cardboard to space- age plastic to aluminum If you’re a workshop beginner, you’ll find helpful tips on what tools to use and the best materials for constructing your robot bodies

If you’re one of those who just hate the idea of cutting a piece of wood, or drilling through

plastic, there’s good news: you’ll find plenty of mail- order sources for purchasing bare- bones robot mechanics You still need to assemble things, but you can get by with just a screwdriver

These sources are listed in Appendix B, as well as throughout the book and on the RBB Online Support site referenced in Appendix A

THE WORKSHOP APTITUDE

To be a successful robot builder, you should be comfortable working with your hands Even if you don’t build your own robot bodies start to finish, you’ll need to assemble the parts using basic tools

Figure 1-4 Schematics are like road maps for building electronics

You only need to learn about a dozen common symbols, and you’re well on your way to building the typical robot circuit

If you feel your workshop skills aren’t up to par, try one of the basic robot platforms ies) in Part 2 You can choose a robot body made with wood, plastic, or metal.

(bod-You’ll find construction tips and techniques throughout this book, but nothing beats hands- on shop experience With experience comes confidence, and with both come more professional results

TWO VERY IMPORTANT SKILLS

So far, I’ve talked about basic skills that are desirable for the hobby robotics field There two important skills that you cannot develop from reading books: they are patience and the will-ingness to learn

• Be patient! Give yourself time to experiment with your projects Don’t rush into things, or

else you’re bound to make mistakes If a problem continues to nag at you, put the project aside and let it sit for a few days Keep a small notebook handy and jot down your ideas so you won’t forget them

• Be willing to learn new things! If trouble persists, maybe you need to study more before

you can tackle the problem Be willing to go beyond this book and discover things on your

own Research is never in vain.

Do It Yourself, Kits, or Ready- Made?

There’s never been a better time to be an amateur robot builder Not only can you construct robots “from scratch,” you can buy any of several dozen robot kits and assemble them using

a screwdriver and other common tools

MAKE YOUR OWN

This book is chock full of robot projects made from wood, plastic, and metal One of the robots you can build is shown in Figure 1-5 This one is the Hex3Bot, from Chapter 27,

“Build Robots with Legs.” Construction takes about a day (depending on your shop skills) and requires only basic tools

Or you can try building a robotic arm, complete with separate motors for each joint See Chapter 28, “Experimenting with Robotic Arms,” for a project you can make in your shop Then

in Chapter 29, “Experiment with Robotic Grippers,” give your robo-arm a hand and fingers

Figure 1-5 Using the right materials and tools, it takes a day or less to construct a homemade robot like this one The Hex3Bot uses easy- to- cut plastic