Robot
Building for Beginners is a wonderful book that
provides
basic, practical knowledge on getting started in
amateur robotics. Short chapters are perfectly suited for
bedtime reading. It contains step-by-step instructions and
small, hands-on experiments, including a line-following
robot that the
reader builds out of a sandwich container.
By the end, the reader will make a palm-size solar robot
and is also introduced to contests and potential project
plans.
Learning robotics by yourself isn't easy. It helps when
the encouragement comes from someone who's been there. Not
only does Robot Building for Beginners assist the reader in
understanding a particular piece, but prepares them with
techniques to learn new parts on their own.
Author David Cook begins with the anatomy of a homemade
robot and advice on how to proceed successfully. General
sources for tools and parts are provided in a consolidated
listing and with specific part references throughout each
chapter. Basic safety and numbering systems are also
covered.
An in-depth analysis of digital multimeters gives the
reader all the information they need to select and obtain
this valuable tool for themselves. Other tools and parts
include: wire strippers, snips, hack saws, needle nose
pliers, tap and die, nine-volt batteries, wire, alligator
clips, LEDs, capacitors, resistors, solderless breadboards,
soldering irons, solder, flux, heat-shrink tubing,
photosensors, transistors, chips, motors, gears, wheels,
screwdrivers, wrenches, nutdrivers, screws, bolts, hot
glue, and solar panels.
Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: Welcome Robot Inventor!
Chapter 2: Where to Obtain Tools and Parts
Chapter 3: Safety
Chapter 4: Digital Multimeter
Chapter 5: Numbers and Units
Chapter 6: Robot Line-Following
Chapter 7: Nine-Volt Batteries
Chapter 8: Clips and Test Leads
Chapter 9: Resistors
Chapter 10: LEDs
Chapter 11: Power On!
Chapter 12: Solderless Prototyping
Chapter 13: Solderless Breadboard Setup
Chapter 14: Variable Resistors
Chapter 15: Comparator
Chapter 16: Transistor Switches
Chapter 17: DC Motors
Chapter 18: Adding Gearhead Motors
Chapter 19: Wheels
Chapter 20: Coupler
Chapter 21: Soldering Equipment
Chapter 22: Soldering and Connecting
Chapter 23: The Motherboard
Chapter 24: Body Building
Chapter 25: Launching the Line-Follower
Chapter 26: Encore
Chapter 27: Appendix
Index