PiBot: Build Your Own Raspberry Pi Powered Robot

by Wolfram Donat

Since the Raspberry Pi was released in 2012, it has changed the game for both professionals and hobbyists alike. Its small size (about the size of a credit card) and low price have made it a popular alternative to the Arduino microprocessor for projects ranging from home automation to web servers to mobile image processing. Its ARM processor allows it to run a version of Debian Linux, and it can be configured to work with the physical world via onboard GPIO pins and optional extra equipment. This book is not a collection of projects for the Pi. Rather, it takes one project - a small mobile robot - and takes you step-by-step through the process of building one, from installing the libraries needed to access the GPIO pins to configuring a wireless adapter to some suggestions (not explicit instructions) on how to construct the bot's body. When you have finished, you will have a working robot that you can log into and control remotely via command line, with the possibility of using a shell or a Python script. Complete with full-color photographs and a collection of resources about where to buy/download/obtain the necessary ingredients, the author also offers free support for those with questions or problems building their bot. For anyone who has wanted to do something a little more impressive with their Pi, this book is a must-have! NEW - Companion course on The PiBot course on Udemy ( is now active as well. Included in the purchase of this book is a promotional coupon for a discount on the course. For those that would like a more structured, lecture-based approach to building their bot, it's the perfect add-on to the book!

42 pages, Paperback

First published June 9, 2013

Reviews

[Paul Yan · Rating 4 out of 5]

extremely short, but a good quick start guide