Overview
Main description
From the publishers of BattleBots: The Official Guide comes this do-it-yourself guide to BEAM (Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics, Mechanics) robots. They're cheap, simple, and can be built by beginners in just a few hours, with help from this expert guide complete with full-color photos. Get ready for some dumpster-diving!
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
Back cover copy
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
