Junkbots, Bugbots, and Bots on Wheels: Building Simple Robots with Beam Technology / Edition 1

by Mark Tilden, David Hrynkiw, Mark W. Tilden

Overview

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Create a cool robot from scratch—in just a few hours!

Ever wonder what to do with those discarded items in your junk drawer? Now you can use electronic parts from old Walkmans, spare remote controls, even paper clips to build your very own autonomous robots and gizmos. Get step-by-step instructions from the Junkbot masters for creating simple and fun self-guiding robots safely and easily using common and not-so-common objects from around the house—or within a quick shopping trip away. Using BEAM technology, ordinary tools, salvaged electronic bits, and the occasional dead toy, you'll be able to construct a solar-powered obstacle-avoiding device, engineer a mini-sumo-wrestling robot, build a motorized walking robot bug, and much more. So grab your screwdriver, raid that dumpster, and join the robot-building revolution!

• Get an overview of basic electronics, robot construction methods, and learn the difference between "dead bug" and "live bug" electronics
• Identify the essential tools you need for mechanical assembly and gain important safety tips
• Find out why BEAM robotics is a growing alternative to traditional CPU-based robotics
• Learn "dumpster diving" strategies for collecting prime robot construction material that's available no other way
• Use a cell phone battery or solar panel from a calculator to create dual-power sources for your robot
• Understand how to use soldering equipment and various support tools

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780072226010
Publisher:	McGraw Hill LLC
Publication date:	09/27/2002
Series:	Consumer Series
Edition description:	List
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

McGraw-Hill authors represent the leading experts in their fields and are dedicated to improving the lives, careers, and interests of readers worldwide

Table of Contents

1: Welcome to the World of Simple Robotics!

2: BEAM Safety: Read This Before Building a Robot

3: Identifying Electronic Bits

4: Electronics Assembly Techniques

5: Tools and Mechanical Assembly Techniques

6: Dumpster Diving 101: How to Scavenge Robot Parts

7: Project 1: The Symet: An Introduction to Solar Powered Robotics

8: Project 2: The Solaroller: BEAM-Style Drag Racer

9: Project 3: The Herbie Photovore

10: Project 4: The Bicore Headbot

11: Project 5: The BEAM Magbot Pendulum

12: Project 6: The BEAM Mini-Sumo Wrestling Edgebot

13: Project 7: The BEAM Walking Robot

14: Biomech Motor Bridges and the Adaptive Bicore

A: Resources for More BEAM Information

B: Materials and Techniques of BEAM Robotics

C: Technical SchematicsIndex

Editorial Reviews

The Barnes & Noble Review
Robotics should be challenging enough to be fun but easy and cheap enough for mere mortals. You shouldn’t need your own machine shop or a posse of eager graduate students ready to serve your every whim.

Fortunately, “easy” and “cheap” won’t prevent you from building some very cool robots. Nature specializes in using available materials and appropriate technology -- and in generating designs of uncanny elegance. If “Mom” can do it, so can you.

The cheap, easy approach to robotics is best exemplified by Mark Tilden’s BEAM Technology. BEAM robots do great stuff despite having the most minimal brains imaginable. They use whatever you’ve got hanging around (don’t toss that broken Walkman). They run endlessly on solar power, yet they’re smart enough not to run under the bed and just stay there to die.

In this book, Mark Tilden and Dave Hrynkiw (president of Solarbotics, the No. 1 BEAM gear supplier) walk you through creating BEAM robots that walk, seek light, avoid obstacles, and do a whole lot more. Tilden and Hrynkiw are friendly, enthusiastic guides, full of great advice. If you’ve wanted to get involved with robotics but couldn’t overcome the “intimidation” factor, your time has come. Bill Camarda

Bill Camarda is a consultant, writer, and web/multimedia content developer. His 15 books include Special Edition Using Word 2000 and Upgrading & Fixing Networks For Dummies®, Second Edition.