Cook Robot Building for Beginners

2. ed
ISBN: 978-1-4302-2749-6
Verlag: Apress
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 516 Seiten

'I wrote this book because I love building robots. I want you to love building robots, too. It took me a while to learn about many of the tools and parts in amateur robotics. Perhaps by writing about my experiences, I can give you a head start.' -David Cook Robot Building for Beginners, Second Edition is an update of David Cook's best-selling Robot Building for Beginners. This book continues its aim at teenagers and adults who have an avid interest in science and dream of building household explorers. No formal engineering education is assumed. The robot described and built in this book is battery powered and about the size of a lunchbox. It is autonomous. That is, it isn't remote controlled. You'll begin with some tools of the trade, and then work your way through prototyping, robot bodybuilding, and eventually soldering your own circuit boards. By the book's end, you will have a solid amateur base of understanding so that you can begin creating your own robots to vacuum your house or maybe even rule the world!

David Cook is an engineering manager at Motorola. He has 20 years of experience as a software developer, creating everything from award-winning computer games to mobile background-check applications for police. Self-taught in electronics and basic mechanics, David explains his years of robot experiences to the average backyard scientist in a comfortable and helpful manner, without scholarly intimidation. David hosts the popular robot site RobotRoom.com.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Cook, David

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Title Page;1
2;Copyright Page;2
3;Dedication Page;3
4;Contents at a Glance;4
5;Table of Contents;6
6;About the Author;30
7;About the Technical Reviewers;31
8;Acknowledgments;32
9;Introduction;33
9.1;Intended Audience;33
9.1.1;“Where’s the stuff about the killer saws?”;33
9.1.2;“Houston, we have a problem.”;33
9.1.3;Not Ready to Learn How to Solder?;33
9.1.4;Beyond LEGO But Still Not Ready to Solder?;34
9.2;Note Regarding Part Lists;34
9.3;Getting Updates and Seeing What’s New;34
10;Chapter 1: Welcome Robot Inventor!;35
10.1;Four Disciplines;35
10.2;Anatomy of a Homemade Robot;35
10.2.1;Brains;37
10.2.2;Electrical Power;37
10.2.2.1;Power Source;38
10.2.2.2;Power Regulation;38
10.2.2.3;On/Off Switch;39
10.2.3;Sensors;39
10.2.3.1;Pushbuttons;41
10.2.4;Action and Feedback;41
10.2.4.1;Movement;41
10.2.4.2;Indicator Lights;43
10.2.5;Miscellaneous Components;43
10.2.6;Body;43
10.2.6.1;Aesthetics;44
10.3;Building Up;44
10.3.1;Taking Small Bites;44
10.3.2;Making Modules;45
10.3.3;Keeping It Fun and Keeping It Light;46
10.3.4;Finding Camaraderie and Support;47
10.4;Onward and Upward;47
11;Chapter 2: Where to Obtain Tools and Parts;49
11.1;Ordering Free Information;49
11.2;Discovering Hidden Messages;51
11.2.1;Considering Colum;51
11.2.2;Counting Pages;51
11.2.3;Comparing Prices;51
11.3;Saving Money;52
12;Chapter 3: Safety;54
12.1;Benefiting from Age and Experience;54
12.2;Following Instructions;54
12.3;Reading Chemical Labels;55
12.4;Donning Safety Glasses;55
12.4.1;Hanging Glasses and Placing Them Face Up;55
12.5;Wearing Other Safety Clothes;56
12.6;Insuring Adequate Ventilation;57
12.7;Storing Properly;57
12.7.1;Talking About Your Activities, Materials, and Tools;57
12.8;Washing Before Eating;57
12.9;Avoiding Nasty Elements;58
12.9.1;Lead;58
12.9.2;Mercury;59
12.9.3;Cadmium;60
12.9.4;Purchasing Safer Parts Labeled RoHS;60
12.10;Shocking;60
12.10.1;AC vs. DC;60
12.10.2;Using Rechargeable Batteries and Professional Transformers;60
12.10.3;Connecting Through Circuit Breakers and GFCI Outlets;61
12.10.4;Saving the Ground Prong;63
12.10.5;Disconnecting Power;64
12.11;Steering Clear of Dangerous Robots;64
12.12;Sizing Up Motors;64
12.13;Lighting Up;65
12.14;Staying Rested and Level-Headed;65
13;Chapter 4: Digital Multimeter;66
13.1;Must-Have Features;66
13.1.1;Digital;67
13.1.2;Digits;67
13.1.3;DC Voltage;68
13.1.4;DC Current;68
13.1.5;Resistance;68
13.1.6;Probes or Leads;68
13.1.7;Overload/Fuse Protection;68
13.2;Nice-To-Have Features;69
13.2.1;Capacitance;69
13.2.2;Diode;70
13.2.3;Continuity;70
13.2.4;Frequency;70
13.2.5;Duty Cycle;70
13.2.6;Autoranging;71
13.2.7;Auto Power Off;71
13.2.8;Transistor;72
13.2.9;Dual Display;72
13.2.10;Maximum;72
13.2.11;Minimum;73
13.2.12;Stand;73
13.3;Optional Features;73
13.3.1;Inductance;73
13.3.2;RS-232/USB Data Interface;74
13.3.3;Scope;75
13.3.4;Backlight;75
13.3.5;Stopwatch/Single Pulse Width;75
13.3.6;Temperature;75
13.3.7;Sound;75
13.3.8;Count;75
13.3.9;Bar Graph;75
13.3.10;Data Hold;76
13.3.11;Data Auto;76
13.3.12;High/Low/Logic;76
13.3.13;Memory;76
13.3.14;Relative;77
13.3.15;Offset;77
13.3.16;Limit Testing/Compare;77
13.3.17;Holster or Rubber Boot;77
13.4;AC Features;77
13.4.1;AC Voltage;78
13.4.2;True RMS;78
13.4.3;AC Current;78
13.5;Obtaining Hook Probe Adaptors;78
13.6;Comparing Actual Multimeters;79
13.6.1;Understanding the Features of a Low-End Multimeter;79
13.6.2;Understanding the Features of a Mid-Range Multimeter;81
13.6.3;Understanding the Features of a Higher-End Multimeter;83
13.6.4;Comparing Prices with Features;84
13.7;Proceeding Without a Meter;85
14;Chapter 5: Numbers and Units;86
14.1;Choosing the Metric System;86
14.2;Reducing Powers of a Thousand;86
14.2.1;M & m;88
14.2.2;Alternative for Greek Micro;89
14.3;Abbreviating Units;89
14.4;Too Little;90
14.4.1;Guessing Missing Units;91
14.4.2;Expanding from Three Digits;92
14.4.3;Converting Colors to Numbers;93
14.4.4;Determining Component Values with a Multimeter;95
14.5;Base Subjects Covered;95
15;Chapter 6: Robot Line-Following;96
15.1;Defining the Course Conditions;97
15.1.1;Surface Materials;97
15.1.2;Course Lighting;97
15.1.3;Defining the Line;97
15.1.3.1;Picking Line Marking Material;97
15.1.4;Curving and Crossing Lines;99
15.1.5;Summarizing Course Conditions;100
15.2;Picking the Robot’s Size;100
15.3;Seeing Sandwich;101
15.3.1;Examining Sandwich;102
15.3.1.1;Line-Following Switch;102
15.3.1.2;Power Source and Power Switch;103
15.3.1.3;Sensors and Headlights;104
15.3.1.4;Brighter-Side Indicators;106
15.3.1.5;The Brains;106
15.3.1.6;The Muscle;107
15.3.2;Sandwich Body;108
15.3.2.1;Connecting It Together;109
15.4;Obtaining a Kit;110
15.5;Building Up;110
16;Chapter 7: Nine-Volt Batteries;112
16.1;Testing Battery Voltage;113
16.1.1;Setting Up a Multimeter for Voltage Testing;113
16.1.2;Interpreting Test Results;115
16.2;9 V Battery Characteristics;116
16.3;9 V Battery Recommendations;117
16.3.1;Recommended;117
16.3.2;Nickel-Metal Hydride;117
16.3.3;Lithium-Polymer;118
16.3.4;Alkaline;119
16.3.5;Specialized Use;120
16.3.6;Lithium;120
16.3.7;Not Recommended;121
16.3.7.1;Carbon and Zinc;121
16.3.7.2;Nickel-Cadmium;121
16.3.7.3;e2 Titanium and Ultra;121
16.4;Battery Brand Names;122
16.5;Using 9 V Batteries in Robots;123
16.5.1;Mounting Batteries;123
16.6;Powering Forward;125
17;Chapter 8: Clips and Test Leads;126
17.1;The Gators Are Hungry Tonight;126
17.2;Obtaining Hook Clips;127
17.3;Testing Jumpers;128
17.3.1;Setting Up a Multimeter for Continuity Testing;129
17.3.2;Testing an Open Connection;130
17.3.3;Testing a Shorted Connection;131
17.3.4;Testing an Alligator Connection (Shorted);132
17.4;Discovering Unintended Connections;132
17.5;Plumbing with Jumpers;133
18;Chapter 9: Resistors;134
18.1;Limiting Power with Resistors;134
18.2;Obtaining a Resistor Variety Pack;134
18.3;Understanding Size and Tolerance;135
18.4;Cut It Out;136
18.4.1;Obtaining a Wire Cutter Tool;137
18.5;Resistance and Ohms;138
18.6;Measuring Resistance;138
18.6.1;Interpreting the Resistance Displayed on the Meter;139
18.6.2;Experiencing Resistance Ranges;140
18.7;Looking Up Resistor Values Online;141
18.8;Labeling and Storing;142
18.8.1;Obtaining Storage Cases;142
18.9;Resisting the Temptation to Skip Ahead;143
19;Chapter 10: LEDs;144
19.1;Learning About LED Attributes;144
19.1.1;LED Sizes;144
19.1.1.1;Using Calipers to Measure LED Diameter;144
19.1.2;LED Shapes;146
19.1.3;LED Lens Clarities;147
19.1.3.1;Water Clear;147
19.1.3.2;White Diffused;148
19.1.3.3;Colored Diffused;148
19.1.4;LED Viewing Angles;148
19.1.5;LED Colors;148
19.1.5.1;Relating Color to a Wavelength;149
19.1.5.2;Indicating Color via the CIE Standard Colorimetric System;150
19.1.6;LED Brightness;150
19.1.6.1;Super Ultra High Brightness to the Max;150
19.1.7;LED Efficiency;151
19.2;Extreme Close Up of an LED;151
19.3;Identifying Multicolor LEDs;152
19.3.1;Bicolor;153
19.3.2;Tricolor or Tri-state;153
19.3.3;Full Color;153
19.4;Testing an LED;154
19.4.1;Setting Up a Multimeter for Diode Testing;154
19.4.2;Interpreting LED Test Results;156
19.4.2.1;Forward Voltage Drop;157
19.5;Variety Pack;158
19.6;Brightening Your Way;158
20;Chapter 11: Power on!;160
20.1;Building and Testing a Power Indicator Circuit;160
20.2;Introducing the Parts List;160
20.2.1;Testing the Parts Before Assembly;160
20.3;Reading a Schematic;161
20.4;Building the Power Indicator Circuit;162
20.4.1;Do You See The Light?;163
20.4.2;Experimenting with the Power Indicator Circuit;163
20.5;Understanding the Roles of Each Component;163
20.6;Measuring the Power Indicator Circuit;164
20.6.1;Measuring In-Circuit Voltage;164
20.6.1.1;Measuring Voltage “At” a Point;166
20.6.1.2;Measuring Voltage “Drop” or Voltage “Across” a Part;166
20.6.1.3;Summarizing Circuit Voltage;168
20.6.2;Measuring Current Flow;168
20.6.3;Calculating Battery Life;170
20.6.3.1;Extending Battery Life;170
20.6.3.2;Selecting Resistors;171
20.6.3.3;Calculating Current;172
20.6.4;Don’t Measure Voltage with Probe in Current Terminal;172
20.7;Circuit Summary;173
21;Chapter 12: Solderless Prototyping;175
21.1;Needing A Better Way;175
21.2;Solderless Breadboards;175
21.2.1;Connecting with Holes;176
21.2.1.1;5-Position Group;177
21.2.1.2;Center Gap;178
21.2.1.3;25-Position Distribution Bus;180
21.2.2;Binding Posts;180
21.2.2.1;Banana Plugs;181
21.2.3;Hungry for Breadboards;182
21.3;Solderless Breadboard Wire;183
21.3.1;Choosing Jumper Wire;185
21.3.1.1;Obtaining Reinforced Jumper Wire;186
21.3.1.2;Obtaining Flat, Ready-Made Jumper Wire;186
21.4;Making Your Own Jumper Wire;187
21.4.1;Stripping the Insulation Off of the End of the Wire;187
21.4.1.1;Choosing Wire Strippers;188
21.4.2;Cutting the Wire to Length;188
21.4.3;Bending the End of the Wire;189
21.4.3.1;Selecting Electrical Pliers;189
21.5;Making The Connection;192
22;Chapter 13: Solderless Breadboard Setup;193
22.1;Considering Power Sources;193
22.1.1;Obtaining 9 V Battery Snap Connectors;194
22.1.2;Connecting Power to Binding Posts;194
22.2;Choosing a Power Switch;196
22.2.1;Understanding SPDT;196
22.2.2;Adding a Power Switch to the Breadboard;197
22.3;Connecting Power Buses;197
22.3.1;Adapting Multimeter Probes Using Jumper Wire;198
22.3.2;Connecting the Lower Bus;199
22.3.3;Split Down the Middle;200
22.4;Installing a Power Indicator LED;200
22.4.1;Checking Voltages at Certain Points;201
22.4.2;Trimming Leads;202
22.5;Demystifying the Robot’s Power Switch;202
22.6;Ready for More;203
23;Chapter 14: Variable Resistors;204
23.1;Potentiometers;204
23.1.1;Trimpot;205
23.1.2;Turning the Dial;206
23.1.3;Obtaining Assorted Trimpots;207
23.1.4;Testing Potentiometers;207
23.1.4.1;Measuring the Maximum Resistance of a Potentiometer;207
23.1.4.2;Measuring the Variable Resistance of a Potentiometer;208
23.1.4.3;Linear Versus Logarithmic/Exponential;209
23.2;Variable Brightness LED Circuit;209
23.2.1;Building the Variable Brightness LED Circuit;210
23.3;Brightness Balancing Circuit;211
23.3.1;Building the Brightness Balanced LEDs Circuit;211
23.4;Cadmium-Sulfide Photoresistors;212
23.4.1;Obtaining Assorted Photoresistors;213
23.4.2;Experiencing the Variable Resistance of a Photoresistor;214
23.5;Light-Controlled Circuit;214
23.6;Balanced Brightness-Sensing Circuit;215
23.6.1;Part List for Balanced Brightness-Sensing Circuit;216
23.6.2;Brightness-Sensing Pairs;216
23.6.3;Matching Photoresistors;216
23.6.4;Resistance-Balancing Potentiometer;217
23.6.5;Current-Limiting Resistor;218
23.6.6;Test Points;218
23.6.6.1;Calculating the Voltages;218
23.6.6.2;Evaluating Test Point 1;219
23.6.7;Converting Resistance to Voltage with a Voltage Divider;221
23.6.8;Building the Balanced Brightness-Sensing Circuit;221
23.6.9;Inability to Balance the Brightness-Sensing Circuit;222
24;Chapter 15: Comparators;223
24.1;Voltage Comparator;223
24.1.1;Examining the LM393;224
24.1.1.1;Turning to the Datasheet;224
24.1.1.2;Inspecting the Pinouts;225
24.1.1.2.1;Locating the Power Supply Pins;225
24.1.1.2.2;Identifying the Comparators;225
24.1.2;Obtaining Comparators;226
24.2;Brightness Comparator Circuit;227
24.2.1;Comparing a Schematic with a Wiring Diagram;227
24.2.2;Labeling Parts;228
24.2.3;Drawing Connected and Unconnected Wire;228
24.2.4;Understanding the Brightness Comparator Circuit;229
24.2.5;Parts List for the Brightness Comparator Circuit;229
24.2.6;Building the Brightness Comparator Circuit;229
24.2.6.1;Having Fun with the LED Indicators and Light Sensors;230
24.2.6.2;Diagnosing Problems in the Brightness Comparator Circuit;231
24.3;Adding Headlights;233
24.3.1;Understanding the Headlight Circuit’s Two LEDs;233
24.3.2;Building the Headlight Circuit;234
24.3.3;Repeating the Multiple LED Trick;235
24.3.3.1;Determining the Number of LEDs that the Battery Voltage Can Support;235
24.3.3.2;Calculating the Maximum Current Draw;236
24.4;Appreciating a Simple Mind;236
25;Chapter 16: Transistor Switches;237
25.1;Defining Negative Power;237
25.1.1;Focusing on the 2907A Transistor;238
25.1.1.1;Pushing the 2907A’s Button;238
25.1.1.2;Checking the Datasheet;239
25.1.1.3;Obtaining 2907A Transistors;239
25.2;Testing Bipolar Transistors with a Multimeter;239
25.2.1;Testing with a Multimeter that Has a Transistor Socket;240
25.2.1.1;Testing a Transistor When You Have the Datasheet;240
25.2.1.1.1;Gain Varies from Transistor to Transistor;241
25.2.1.1.2;Switching Off and On Rather Than Amplifying;241
25.2.1.2;Testing a Transistor When You Don’t Have the Datasheet;242
25.2.2;Testing with a Multimeter that Has a Diode Test;242
25.3;Bipolar Transistor Test Circuits;244
25.3.1;Examining the Schematic for the PNP Transistor Test Circuit;244
25.3.1.1;Dimming the LED for Reverse Connections;245
25.3.2;Building the PNP Transistor Test Circuit;246
25.3.2.1;Correcting Problems with the PNP Transistor Test Circuit;246
25.3.2.2;Experimenting with the Functioning PNP Transistor Test Circuit;246
25.3.2.3;Gathering Data About the PNP Transistor;247
25.3.3;Examining the Schematic for the NPN Transistor Test Circuit;247
25.3.4;Building the NPN Transistor Test Circuit;248
25.4;Brightness Comparator Circuit with Transistors;248
25.4.1;Calculating Current-Limiting Transistors;249
25.4.1.1;Identifying Stresses Beyond Official Limitations;249
25.4.2;Building the Brightness Comparator Circuit with Transistors;251
25.5;Summarizing PNP and NPN Transistors;252
26;Chapter 17: DC Motors;253
26.1;How DC Motors Work;253
26.1.1;Looking Inside an Iron-Core Permanent-Magnet DC Brush Motor;254
26.1.1.1;Stator;254
26.1.1.2;Rotor;255
26.1.1.2.1;Rotor Shoes 226;256
26.1.1.2.2;Rotor Commutator;256
26.1.1.2.3;Rotor Brushes;257
26.1.2;Looking Inside an Iron-Core Permanent-Magnet DC Brushless Motor;257
26.1.2.1;Living Longer Without Brushes;258
26.1.2.2;Switching with Brushless Circuitry;258
26.1.2.3;Limitations of Brushless Motors;259
26.1.3;Looking Inside a Coreless Permanent-Magnet DC Brush Motor;259
26.1.3.1;Comparing Coreless vs. Iron Core;259
26.2;Simple DC Motor Circuit;260
26.2.1;Selecting a Motor for the Simple DC Motor Circuit;260
26.2.2;Selecting a Battery for the Simple DC Motor Circuit;261
26.2.3;Building the Simple DC Motor Circuit;261
26.3;Primary Characteristics of DC Motors;263
26.3.1;Rotational Speed Characteristic of DC Motors;263
26.3.1.1;Measuring RPM;264
26.3.1.1.1;Mounting Putty Aids Motor Experimentation;265
26.3.1.2;Converting RPM to a Metric Unit;266
26.3.2;Torque Characteristic of DC Motors;266
26.3.2.1;The Significance of Distance in Torque;266
26.3.2.2;Sliding Torque;268
26.3.2.3;Calculating Torque Needed for a Robot;269
26.3.3;Voltage Characteristic of DC Motors;269
26.3.3.1;Understanding the Relationship Between Voltage and Speed;269
26.3.4;Current Characteristic of DC Motors;271
26.3.4.1;Examining Periods of Widely Changing Current Consumption;271
26.3.4.1.1;Start-Up Current;272
26.3.4.1.2;No-Load Current;273
26.3.4.1.3;Load Current;273
26.3.4.1.4;Stall Current;273
26.3.4.2;Planning for Current Consumption;274
26.3.5;Efficiency Characteristic of DC Motors;274
26.3.6;Audible Noise Characteristic of DC Motors;275
26.3.7;Electrical Noise Characteristic of DC Motors;275
26.3.8;Mass Characteristic of DC Motors;276
26.3.9;Dimension Characteristic of DC Motors;276
26.3.10;Summarizing the Characteristics of DC Motors;276
26.4;DC Gearhead Motors;277
26.4.1;Looking Inside a Spur Gearhead Motor;278
26.4.1.1;Revealing Pairs of Smaller and Larger Gears;278
26.4.1.2;Gearbox Shaft;279
26.4.2;Describing Gear Ratios;280
26.4.2.1;Absolute Gear Ratio;280
26.4.2.2;Simplified Gear Ratio;280
26.4.2.3;Odd Gear Ratios;280
26.4.2.4;Indicating Both Absolute and Simplified Gear Ratios;281
26.4.2.5;Using a Colon;281
26.4.2.6;Looking at Real Gears;281
26.4.3;Imperfect Speed to Torque Conversion;282
26.4.4;Disadvantages of Gearheads;282
26.4.5;Comparing Planetary Versus Spur Gearhead Motors;282
26.4.6;Choosing a Gearhead Motor;283
26.5;Moving Forward;284
27;Chapter 18: Adding Gearhead Motors;285
27.1;Selecting Gearhead Motors;285
27.1.1;Obtaining the Gearhead Motors;285
27.1.2;Inspecting the Gearhead Motor;287
27.1.2.1;Current Usage of the Gearhead Motor;287
27.1.2.1.1;Determining the Least Current (Best Case);288
27.1.2.1.2;Determining the Most Current (Worst Case);288
27.1.2.1.3;Determining the Actual Current (Average Case);289
27.2;Adding Motors to the Brightness Comparator Circuit;289
27.2.1;Introducing the Diode;289
27.2.1.1;Protecting the Transistor with a Flyback Diode;290
27.2.1.2;Picking the Schottky Barrier Diode;290
27.2.1.3;Obtaining Schottky Barrier Diodes;291
27.2.2;Building the Motors onto the Brightness Comparator Circuit;291
27.2.2.1;Connecting the Diode in the Proper Orientation;292
27.2.2.2;Connecting the Motor;292
27.2.2.3;Repeating the Setup for the Other Transistor;292
27.2.2.4;Testing the Motors;293
27.3;Completing the Electronics;293
28;Chapter 19: Wheels;294
28.1;Anatomy of a Wheel;294
28.2;Characteristics of Robot Wheels;295
28.2.1;Creamy Air Filling;295
28.2.1.1;Effects of Air;296
28.2.2;Tire Shapes;296
28.2.3;Tire Width;297
28.2.4;Tread Designs;298
28.2.5;Tire Diameter;298
28.2.5.1;Calculating Linear Speed;299
28.2.6;Selecting Robot Wheels;301
28.2.6.1;Reasons for Choosing LEGO Wheels;301
28.3;Wheel Choice for Sandwich;302
28.3.1;Determining Minimum and Maximum Diameter;303
28.3.2;Determining the Maximum Diameter Based on Speed;304
28.3.3;My Choice of Wheels for Sandwich;305
28.3.4;Alternative Choices of Wheels for Sandwich;307
28.3.4.1;Compensating for Larger Wheels with Lower Voltage Batteries;307
28.3.4.2;Obtaining New Alternative Wheels;308
28.4;Cleaning Tires;310
28.5;Rolling Along;311
29;Chapter 20: Coupler;312
29.1;Alternatives;312
29.1.1;Making Couplers If You Have Metal-Working Equipment;313
29.2;Tubing;313
29.2.1;Choosing Between Brass and Aluminum Tubing;314
29.2.2;Specifying and Obtaining Tubing Sizes;314
29.2.2.1;Telescoping Tubing Required;315
29.2.2.2;Fitting the LEGO Cross Axle into a Tube;316
29.2.2.3;Fitting the Motor Shaft into a Tube;316
29.3;Measuring and Cutting the Tubing;317
29.3.1;Determining and Marking Tube Lengths;317
29.3.2;Cutting Tubing;317
29.3.2.1;Tube Cutter Tool;317
29.3.2.2;Variable-Speed Rotary Tool;318
29.3.2.2.1;Securing the Tubing in a Vise;319
29.3.2.2.2;Cutting the Tubing with a High-Speed Rotary Tool;319
29.3.3;Finishing the Cut by Sanding;320
29.3.4;Testing the Cut Pieces;321
29.4;LEGO Cross Axles;322
29.4.1;Selecting a LEGO Cross Axle Length;322
29.4.2;Obtaining LEGO Cross Axles;323
29.5;Gluing the Coupler Together;323
29.5.1;Coming Unglued;324
29.5.1.1;Notching the Cross Axle;324
29.5.2;Using Epoxy;325
29.5.2.1;Removing Extraneous Epoxy;326
29.6;Adding a Setscrew to the Coupler;326
29.6.1;Marking a Hole for the Setscrew;326
29.6.2;Drill Press;327
29.6.3;Drill-Press Vise;328
29.6.4;Drilling the Hole for the Setscrew;328
29.6.5;Tapping the Hole for the Setscrew;329
29.6.6;Inserting the Setscrew;330
29.7;Admiring the Coupler;330
30;Chapter 21: Soldering Equipment;332
30.1;Solder Wire;332
30.2;Flux;334
30.3;Soldering Iron;335
30.4;Soldering Stand;336
30.5;Soldering Sponge;336
30.6;Helping-Hand Tool;337
30.7;Desoldering Vacuum Tools;338
30.8;Steps of a Typical Soldering Session;339
30.9;Get Ready to Solder;340
31;Chapter 22: Soldering and Connecting;341
31.1;Putting Together the Motors and Switches;341
31.1.1;Putting Together the Motors;342
31.1.1.1;Preparing and Attaching the Motor Wires;342
31.1.1.2;Holding the Motor Firmly and Preparing the Soldering Iron;343
31.1.1.3;Soldering the Motors;344
31.1.1.3.1;In Soldering, Practice Makes Perfect;345
31.1.1.4;Protecting Soldered Joints with Heat-Shrink Tubing;346
31.1.1.4.1;Obtaining Heat-Shrink Tubing;346
31.1.1.4.2;Protecting the Motor Terminals with Heat-Shrink Tubing;347
31.1.1.5;Adding Connectors;349
31.1.1.5.1;Molex KK Connectors;350
31.1.1.5.2;Obtaining Molex KK Equipment;351
31.1.1.5.3;Attaching Molex KK Connectors to the Motors;352
31.1.2;Putting Together the Line-Following Switch;356
31.1.2.1;Obtaining the Line-Following Switch;356
31.1.2.2;Preparing and Attaching the Switch Wires;357
31.1.2.3;Soldering the Line-Following Switch;358
31.1.2.3.1;Reasoning Behind the Diagonal Cross Over;360
31.1.2.3.2;Finishing Soldering the Line-Following Switch;360
31.1.3;Putting Together the Tube LED Circuit;361
31.1.3.1;Examining the Tube LED Circuit Schematic;362
31.1.3.2;Building the Tube LED Circuit;363
31.1.4;Finishing Up;363
31.1.4.1;Obtaining the Power Switch;363
31.2;Soldering Experience;364
32;Chapter 23: The Motherboard;366
32.1;The Line-Following Circuit;366
32.1.1;Tweaking For Better Performance;369
32.1.2;Point-to-Point Soldering Versus a Printed Circuit Board;370
32.1.3;Point-to-Point Soldering the Line-Following Circuit;372
32.1.3.1;Laying Out the Line-Following Circuit Components;372
32.1.3.1.1;Example Layout;373
32.1.3.1.2;Obtaining an IC Socket;374
32.1.3.2;Keeping the Components on the Board During Soldering;375
32.1.3.2.1;Gluing the Molex KK Headers to the Circuit Board;376
32.1.3.2.2;Bending Component Leads;377
32.1.3.3;Creating Power Distribution Buses;378
32.1.3.4;Soldering the Remaining Components;380
32.1.3.5;Trimming Leads with Wire Snips;381
32.1.3.6;Cleaning the Board;381
32.2;Testing the Robot’s Electronics;381
32.2.1;The Dangers of a Low-Resistance Circuit;382
32.2.2;Checking for Unsoldered Leads;382
32.2.3;Checking All Leads that Connect Directly to Positive Voltage;382
32.2.4;Measuring the Resistance of the Entire Circuit;383
32.2.4.1;Measuring the Power Off Resistance;383
32.2.4.2;Measuring the Power On Resistance;384
32.2.4.3;Measuring the Sensor Resistance;384
32.2.5;Measuring the Voltage Drop;384
32.2.6;Reheating Solder Joints;385
32.3;Holding Your Breath;385
33;Chapter 24: Body Building;386
33.1;Approaching Robot Bodies;386
33.1.1;Ethereal Drafting—Thinking About the Robot;386
33.1.2;Vision Revision—Accepting Constraints Based on Available Parts;386
33.1.3;Designing Custom Bodies;387
33.1.3.1;Plastic Prototyping—Constructing Models with LEGO Bricks;387
33.1.3.2;Material Substitution—Transitioning Out LEGO Parts;388
33.1.3.3;Origami Helper—Bending Paper Before Bending Metal;388
33.1.4;Embracing Prefabricated Platforms;389
33.1.4.1;Commercially Available Robot Platforms;389
33.1.4.2;Converting and Recycling Everyday Items for Robot Bodies;389
33.2;Transforming the Sandwich Container;390
33.2.1;Creating Motor Holes;390
33.2.1.1;Marking and Determining Space Required By the Circuit Board;390
33.2.1.2;Creating a Template Sticker for the Motor Holes;391
33.2.1.3;Positioning the Template Stickers on the Container’s Sides;391
33.2.1.4;Making Pilot Holes and Drilling Screw Holes;392
33.2.1.5;Introducing the Grinding Stone Accessory;393
33.2.2;Mounting the Motors;394
33.2.2.1;Obtaining Metric Screws;395
33.2.2.2;Needing Washers;396
33.2.3;Creating the Motor Tube;396
33.2.3.1;Obtaining the Motor Tube;397
33.2.3.2;Cutting the Motor Tube;397
33.2.3.3;Sanding the Motor Tube;398
33.2.3.4;Removing the Label Residue;399
33.2.3.5;Widening the Motor Diameters;400
33.2.4;Installing the Motors and Tube;401
33.2.5;Adding the Switches and Battery Holder;402
33.2.5.1;Installing the Power Switch;402
33.2.5.2;Installing the Line-Following Switch;403
33.2.5.3;Installing the 9 V Battery Holder;404
33.2.6;Adding the Circuit Board;404
33.2.6.1;Circuit Board Mounting Hardware;405
33.2.6.2;Selecting and Obtaining Spacers;405
33.2.6.3;Installing the Circuit Board;406
33.2.7;Drilling Holes for the Trimpots;409
33.2.8;Carving Out a Window in the Container Lid;409
33.2.9;Finishing Touches;410
33.3;Ready to Roll;410
34;Chapter 25: Launching the Line-Follower;411
34.1;Correcting and Tweaking;411
34.1.1;Preliminary Examination;411
34.1.1.1;Checking the Power Supply;411
34.1.1.2;Checking the Sensors;412
34.1.1.3;Balancing the Sensors;412
34.1.1.4;Checking the Motors;413
34.1.1.5;Determining the Light and Dark Positions of the Line-Following Switch;414
34.1.2;Trial Run: Following a Straight Line;415
34.1.3;Correcting Common Problems;416
34.1.3.1;Line-Following Switch Toggled to Incorrect Position;416
34.1.3.2;Sensors Placed Too High or Too Low;416
34.1.3.3;Headlights Too Dim or Too Bright;417
34.1.3.4;Objectively Evaluating the Sensors and Headlights;417
34.1.3.4.1;Expected Voltages at the Sensor Test Points;419
34.1.3.4.2;Acceptable Ranges of Voltages at the Sensor Test Points;420
34.1.4;Does This Look Straight to You?;420
34.1.4.1;Following a Dark Line;420
34.1.4.2;Following a Light Line;421
34.2;The Maiden Voyage;422
34.2.1;Solving Steering Problems;423
34.2.1.1;Reducing Battery Voltage;423
34.2.1.2;Reducing Wheel Size;423
34.2.1.3;Modifying the Course;423
34.3;Potential Improvements;424
34.3.1;Protecting Against a Reversed Battery;424
34.3.2;Eliminating Surges with Capacitors;425
34.3.3;Improving Line-Following;426
34.3.3.1;Analyzing Cornering, Frame By Frame;426
34.4;Final Bow;429
35;Chapter 26: Encore;430
35.1;Robot Components;430
35.1.1;Logic Chips;430
35.1.1.1;Beyond the Golden Age of Logic Chips;431
35.1.2;Microcontrollers;431
35.1.2.1;Capabilities of Microcontrollers;431
35.1.2.2;Microcontroller Costs;432
35.1.2.3;Choosing a Microcontroller;432
35.1.3;Voltage Regulators;433
35.1.3.1;Voltage Regulator Packages;433
35.1.3.2;Voltage Regulator Types;433
35.1.3.3;Selection Criteria;434
35.1.4;Capacitors;434
35.1.4.1;Capacitor Roles;434
35.1.4.2;Capacitor Characteristics;435
35.1.5;Solar Power;435
35.1.5.1;BEAM Robots;436
35.1.6;Resistor Networks;437
35.1.7;Pushbuttons;437
35.1.8;DIP Switches;438
35.1.9;Jumpers and Shorting Blocks;439
35.1.10;Tilt Sensor;439
35.1.11;Temperature Sensors;440
35.1.12;Touch Sensors;441
35.1.13;Object Detection and Infrared Remote Control;441
35.1.14;Distance and Object Sensor;442
35.1.15;Oscillators and Crystals;443
35.1.16;Sound;444
35.1.17;Relays;444
35.1.18;Adding Gears;445
35.1.19;Servos;446
35.1.20;Encoders—Determining Wheel Speed;447
35.1.21;Displays;448
35.1.22;Wireless Data and Control;448
35.2;Everyday Challenges;449
35.2.1;Houseplant-Watering Robot;449
35.2.2;Compost Cart;449
35.2.3;Trash Emptier;450
35.2.4;Window Washer;450
35.2.5;Roof Rat;450
35.2.6;Micro Snowplow;450
35.2.7;Slug Squisher;451
35.2.8;Automatic Street mailbox;451
35.3;Contests;451
35.3.1;Worldwide Robot Sumo;451
35.3.2;Trinity College Fire-Fighting;452
35.3.3;Atlanta Robot Vacuuming;452
35.3.4;Seattle Robotics Society Robothon;453
35.3.5;Dallas Personal Robotics Group Roborama;453
35.3.6;Central Illinois Robotics Club;453
35.3.7;Chicago Area Robotics Group (Chibots);453
35.4;The Great Wide Open;454
36;Chapter 27: Appendix;455
36.1;Magical Ohm’s Law;455
36.1.1;Ohm’s Law is Helpful in Selecting a Current-Limiting Resistor;456
36.1.2;Help in Determining Current from a Voltage;456
36.1.2.1;Multimeter Voltage to Current Trick;457
36.1.3;The Key Point of Ohm’s Law;457
36.1.4;The Larger Implication of Ohm’s Law;458
36.2;Things I’ve Accidentally Destroyed While Writing This Book;458
36.2.1;Which Way Does a 9 V Battery Get Installed?;458
36.2.2;Melting Switches;459
36.2.3;Popping Multimeter Fuses;460
36.2.4;Fool Me, Twice;461
36.3;Voltage’s Real Name;461
36.3.1;Ground, Not Negative Voltage;461
36.3.2;V Double Letter;462
36.4;Practical Example;462
37;Index;463