Intermediate Robot Building

by David Cook

For readers of Robot Building for Beginner (Apress, 2002 and 2009), welcome to the next level. Intermediate Robot Building, Second Edition offers you the kind of real-world knowledge that only renowned author David Cook can offer.

In this book, you’ll learn the value of a robot heartbeat and the purpose of the wavy lines in photocells. You’ll find out what electronic part you should sand. You’ll discover how a well-placed switch can help a robot avoid obstacles better than a pair of feelers. And you’ll avoid mistakes that can cause a capacitor to explode.

Want a robot that can explore rooms, follow lines, or battle opponents in mini-sumo? This book presents step-by-step instructions and circuit and part descriptions so that you can build the robot featured in the book or apply the modules to your own robot designs.

Finally, you’ll find the complete schematics for Roundabout, a room explorer that requires no programming and uses only off-the-shelf electronics. With Roundabout, you’ll use many of the same techniques used by professional robotics engineers, and you’ll experience many of the same challenges and joys they feel when a robot “comes to life.”

What you’ll learn

How to build a robot from scratch

Digital electronics and moderate machining

How to use and integrate modern modules useful to all robots: power supplies, motor couplers, motor drivers (including H-bridges), opponent and obstacle detectors, and floor sensors.

How to embrace and extend the base robot design

How to use Roundabout, which operates with off-the-shelf brains, so that no programming is required

How the additions of a microcontroller, configuration switches, and even a music module all come together as a final two-tier automaton showing a versatile Robot who is seemingly the master of its domain.

Who is this book for?

This book is aimed at intermediate builders: adults, college students, and advanced high school students. It requires background experience in electronics, at least to the extent covered by Robot Building for Beginners.

Because the hobby involves soldering, electricity, and light machining, the writing is targeted toward individuals with those capabilities.

The book has been referenced in a number of high school and college courses.

464 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2004

About the author

David [9^] Cook

David Cook is an engineering manager at Motorola. He has 20 years of experience as a software developer, creating everything from award-winning computer games to mobile background-check applications for police. Self-taught in electronics and basic mechanics, David explains his years of robot experiences to the average backyard scientist in a comfortable and helpful manner, without scholarly intimidation. David hosts the popular robot site RobotRoom.com.

Reviews

[Smellsofbikes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good wide-ranging and informative book on drive circuitry, sensor design and integration, and mechanicals, with quite a bit of practical electronics.

[Cloay]

- available in SG NLB 629.892 (Serangoon)

[Daniel Maturana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to follow and very detailed. Probably the best book for hobbyists building robots by themselves.

[John Purvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough discussion of building a robot from scratch.