Robot Building for Beginners

478 Pages·2010·17.021 MB·English

by  David Cook (auth.)

Robot Building for
Beginners

(cid:132) (cid:132) (cid:132)
David Cook
Robot Building for Beginners
Copyright © 2009 by David Cook
All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
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ISBN-13 (pbk): 978-1-4302-2748-9
ISBN-13 (electronic): 978-1-4302-2749-6
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President and Publisher: Paul Manning
Lead Editor: Steve Anglin
Technical Reviewer: Scott Preston
Editorial Board: Clay Andres, Steve Anglin, Mark Beckner, Ewan Buckingham, Gary Cornell,
Jonathan Gennick, Jonathan Hassell, Michelle Lowman, Matthew Moodie, Duncan Parkes,
Jeffrey Pepper, Frank Pohlmann, Douglas Pundick, Ben Renow-Clarke, Dominic Shakeshaft,
Matt Wade, Tom Welsh
Coordinating Editor: Jim Markham
Copy Editor: Ralph Moore
Compositor: bytheway Compositors
Indexer: Potomac Indexers
Artist: April Milne
Cover Designer: Kurt Krames
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For everyone who looks at the everyday objects around them and sees the potential of what they could
become.
Contents at a Glance
(cid:132) Contents at a Glance..............................................................................................iv
(cid:132) Contents.................................................................................................................vI
(cid:132) About the Authors...............................................................................................xxx
(cid:132) About the Technical Reviewers.........................................................................xxxi
(cid:132) Acknowledgments............................................................................................xxxii
(cid:132) Introduction.....................................................................................................xxxiii
(cid:132) Chapter 1: Welcome Robot Inventor!......................................................................1
(cid:132) Chapter 2: Where to Obtain Tools and Parts.........................................................15
(cid:132) Chapter 3: Safety..................................................................................................21
(cid:132) Chapter 4: Digital Multimeter...............................................................................33
(cid:132) Chapter 5: Numbers and Units..............................................................................53
(cid:132) Chapter 6: Robot Line-Following ..........................................................................63
(cid:132) Chapter 7: Nine-Volt Batteries..............................................................................79
(cid:132) Chapter 8: Clips and Test Leads............................................................................93
(cid:132) Chapter 9: Resistors...........................................................................................101
(cid:132) Chapter 10: LEDs.................................................................................................111
(cid:132) Chapter 11: Power on!........................................................................................127
(cid:132) Chapter 12: Solderless Prototyping....................................................................143
(cid:132) Chapter 13: Solderless Breadboard Setup..........................................................161
(cid:132) Chapter 14: Variable Resistors...........................................................................173
(cid:132) Chapter 15: Comparators....................................................................................193
iv
(cid:132) CONTENTS AT A GLANCE
(cid:132) Chapter 16: Transistor Switches........................................................................207
(cid:132) Chapter 17: DC Motors........................................................................................223
(cid:132) Chapter 18: Adding Gearhead Motors.................................................................255
(cid:132) Chapter 19: Wheels.............................................................................................265
(cid:132) Chapter 20: Coupler............................................................................................283
(cid:132) Chapter 21: Soldering Equipment.......................................................................303
(cid:132) Chapter 22: Soldering and Connecting...............................................................313
(cid:132) Chapter 23: The Motherboard.............................................................................339
(cid:132) Chapter 24: Body Building..................................................................................359
(cid:132) Chapter 25: Launching the Line-Follower...........................................................385
(cid:132) Chapter 26: Encore.............................................................................................405
(cid:132) Chapter 27: Appendix.........................................................................................431
(cid:132) Index...................................................................................................................439
v
(cid:132) CONTENTS
Contents
(cid:132) Contents at a Glance..............................................................................................iv
(cid:132) Contents.................................................................................................................vI
(cid:132) About the Authors...............................................................................................xxx
(cid:132) About the Technical Reviewers.........................................................................xxxi
(cid:132) Acknowledgments............................................................................................xxxii
(cid:132) Introduction.....................................................................................................xxxiii
(cid:132) Chapter 1: Welcome Robot Inventor!......................................................................1
Four Disciplines.................................................................................................................1
Anatomy of a Homemade Robot........................................................................................1
Brains.......................................................................................................................................................3
Electrical Power........................................................................................................................................3
Power Source......................................................................................................................................4
Power Regulation................................................................................................................................4
On/Off Switch......................................................................................................................................5
Sensors.....................................................................................................................................................5
Pushbuttons.........................................................................................................................................7
Action and Feedback................................................................................................................................7
Movement............................................................................................................................................7
Indicator Lights....................................................................................................................................9
Miscellaneous Components......................................................................................................................9
Body..........................................................................................................................................................9
Aesthetics..........................................................................................................................................10
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(cid:132) CONTENTS
Building Up......................................................................................................................10
Taking Small Bites..................................................................................................................................10
Making Modules.....................................................................................................................................11
Keeping It Fun and Keeping It Light........................................................................................................12
Finding Camaraderie and Support..........................................................................................................13
Onward and Upward........................................................................................................13
(cid:132) Chapter 2: Where to Obtain Tools and Parts.........................................................15
Ordering Free Information...............................................................................................15
Discovering Hidden Messages.........................................................................................17
Considering Columns..............................................................................................................................17
Counting Pages.......................................................................................................................................17
Comparing Prices...................................................................................................................................17
Saving Money..................................................................................................................18
(cid:132) Chapter 3: Safety..................................................................................................21
Benefiting from Age and Experience...............................................................................21
Following Instructions.....................................................................................................21
Reading Chemical Labels................................................................................................22
Donning Safety Glasses...................................................................................................22
Hanging Glasses and Placing Them Face Up..........................................................................................22
Wearing Other Safety Clothes..........................................................................................23
Insuring Adequate Ventilation..........................................................................................24
Storing Properly...............................................................................................................24
Talking About Your Activities, Materials, and Tools...............................................................................24
Washing Before Eating....................................................................................................24
Avoiding Nasty Elements.................................................................................................25
Lead........................................................................................................................................................25
Mercury..................................................................................................................................................26
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(cid:132) CONTENTS
Cadmium................................................................................................................................................27
Purchasing Safer Parts Labeled RoHS....................................................................................................27
Shocking..........................................................................................................................27
AC vs. DC................................................................................................................................................27
Using Rechargeable Batteries and Professional Transformers..............................................................27
Connecting Through Circuit Breakers and GFCI Outlets.........................................................................28
Saving the Ground Prong........................................................................................................................30
Disconnecting Power..............................................................................................................................31
Steering Clear of Dangerous Robots................................................................................31
Sizing Up Motors..............................................................................................................31
Lighting Up.......................................................................................................................32
Staying Rested and Level-Headed...................................................................................32
(cid:132) Chapter 4: Digital Multimeter...............................................................................33
Must-Have Features........................................................................................................33
Digital.....................................................................................................................................................34
Digits......................................................................................................................................................34
DC Voltage..............................................................................................................................................35
DC Current..............................................................................................................................................35
Resistance..............................................................................................................................................35
Probes or Leads......................................................................................................................................35
Overload/Fuse Protection.......................................................................................................................35
Nice-To-Have Features....................................................................................................36
Capacitance............................................................................................................................................36
Diode......................................................................................................................................................37
Continuity...............................................................................................................................................37
Frequency...............................................................................................................................................37
Duty Cycle...............................................................................................................................................37
Autoranging............................................................................................................................................38
viii
(cid:132) CONTENTS
Auto Power Off........................................................................................................................................38
Transistor...............................................................................................................................................39
Dual Display............................................................................................................................................39
Maximum................................................................................................................................................39
Minimum................................................................................................................................................40
Stand......................................................................................................................................................40
Optional Features.............................................................................................................40
Inductance..............................................................................................................................................40
RS-232/USB Data Interface....................................................................................................................41
Scope......................................................................................................................................................42
Backlight.................................................................................................................................................42
Stopwatch/Single Pulse Width...............................................................................................................42
Temperature...........................................................................................................................................42
Sound.....................................................................................................................................................42
Count......................................................................................................................................................42
Bar Graph................................................................................................................................................42
Data Hold................................................................................................................................................43
Data Auto................................................................................................................................................43
High/Low/Logic.......................................................................................................................................43
Memory..................................................................................................................................................43
Relative...................................................................................................................................................44
Offset......................................................................................................................................................44
Limit Testing/Compare...........................................................................................................................44
Holster or Rubber Boot...........................................................................................................................44
AC Features.....................................................................................................................44
AC Voltage..............................................................................................................................................45
True RMS................................................................................................................................................45
AC Current..............................................................................................................................................45
Obtaining Hook Probe Adaptors.......................................................................................45
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