Robot Book: Build & Control 20 Electric Gizmos, Moving Machines, and Hacked Toys
INTRODUCTION BUILDING ROBOTS SHOULD BE FUN Hacking old elec tronics and repurposing them is a start to something more complex Making robots or bots for short should be a creative and educational experience The activities in this book will help you get your feet wet in the robot world You will learn the basics of electronics and how simple robots function You will make things move shake and walk Program ming and building more complex robots are tasks for the future you will have to do much more work before you can create a robot to clean your room or do your homework This book starts with simple vibration bots Vibration bots use motors to make them move Next you will learn how to hack old toys and give them new life as your own personal robots Finally the book will give you some hints on where to go next if you love robotics Science should be fun and rewarding and experi mentation is the key Always start with a plan but realize that trial and error also can be valuable Don't be afraid to modify and change the plans in this book to make your own unique robots Have a blast and enjoy
Now it's time to get
MW UN GETTING STARTED WHAT IS A ROBOT A robot is any machine that is designed to do a task Robots can range from robotic welders to Watson Robotic welders and other industrial robots repeat the same task thousands of times a day saving humans from backbreaking labor Watson is a think ing machine created by IBM that in 2011 beat two of the greatest Jeopardy players of all time The word robot was first used in a play by the Czech playwright Karel Capek in 1920 He and his brother derived the word from robota a Czech word meaning hard work In his play the robots looked more like C 3PO than the robots you will be build ing SAFETY Electricity can hurt you It needs to be treated with respect You should always get an adult s permission to take apart any electronic device Explain to the
adult what you want to do and what you need from the broken toy cell phone toothbrush or other device NEVER take apart any electronic device that has a video monitor When taking apart anything electronic even if it is broken remove the battery If it has a cord cut off the cord first SoLDERING Most of the bots in this book can be built using elec trical tape for the wire connections But to make robots more permanent soldering is a must Any good future robot builder needs to learn how to sol der electrical joints Metals conduct electricity Solder is a soft metal that melts easily with heat When solder is melted between two exposed wires it creates a permanent electrical connection Soldering irons create the heat needed to melt the solder but they are dangerous You must get adult help and permission to solder Soldering takes practice and you must follow safety precautions Read and follow the directions that came with your soldering iron Never touch the tip of a soldering iron it will be very hot You should solder only in a well ventilated area since the heat creates nasty fumes Always solder on a surface that is not flammable Keep paper away from the sol dering iron Many soldering iron kits come with a stand that holds the hot iron If you are going to do
