Robot Book: Build & Control 20 Electric Gizmos, Moving Machines, and Hacked Toys
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
many electronic projects I highly recommend buying a soldering kit with a stand Another great accessory for soldering is a Third Hand to hold your piece in place A Third Hand is available at any electronics or hobby store This great device has at least three bendable arms and usually a magnifying glass You can clip any piece you are working on onto the arms This gives you two free hands your hands to hold the solder and the sol dering gun Make sure you get permission from an adult before soldering But again almost all of the bots in this book can be built without using a soldering iron WHERE TO GET PARTS This book focuses on simple robots but you'll still need parts to make your robots get up and go Com mercial robot kits are available from LEGO K NEX and other sources but building simple bots using parts you may already have is more exciting Never throw out toys computer parts or even lead cell phones or toothbrushes without scavenging parts first Remember to get adult permission and help before you start taking anything apart Save any gears motors pulleys belts wheels switches lights and battery holders Also keep any wire you find Create a robot junk box for all the cool parts you Scavenge Electronic toys that no longer work are great
sources for parts A few of the projects in this book use repurposed old toys for bots You can also find cheap toys at thrift stores that cost less than two or three dollars each As you take them apart think about creative uses for their parts Even if your toy doesn't match the one shown in a project you can use it to create your own robot and give it an original name like Jessica's Dazzling Dino Bot or Max the Motor Bot PARTS OF A ROBOT Moving robots need a source of motion and to create motion they need a motor The first several projects in this bookvibration bots and walking bots are powered by simple small motors Electric motors are found in many common devices Dead cell phones are a great source of very small vibration motors Small hobby motors are found in battery operated cars An old computer CD drive has a motor that eas ily can be powered by a 9V battery Disposable vibrat ing toothbrushes also have motors and many toys have wind up motors Of course you can always buy motors at electronics stores or hobby stores Having a motor to power your robot is essential but you also have to get the motion to the ground to make your robot move That means your robot will sometimes need some type of wheels or legs Old toys are a great source for wheels but you can also buy wheels from hobby and craft stores Most vibra
