An Introduction to Robotics

This exciting book breaks new ground by introducing the amateur to the ideas and concepts, both theoretical and practical, of robotics – a nascent discipline which will radically change the way we work. Although today we use the term ‘robots’, in the future other terms will have to be coined in order to describe their utility & capabilities. The book is divided into two sections: 1: How and why robots work and how they are controlled. 2: How to make a simple two-legged humanoid robot that can be programmed to walk. There are no complicated formulæ or equations to grapple with or complicated circuit diagrams to decipher, and you don’t have to be either a machinist or a programmer – everything is presented in clear, concise, everyday English. The robot can be built quickly on a workbench, or even a kitchen table, with a minimum number of handtools, and all the parts are easily available in the UK and the USA. This is a fascinating and unique book which explains the basics of a subject which is the next generation of model engineering, combining construction skills with computer programming and teaches you to build and run a working robot which can be controlled from any personal computer.Contents: History and Future; The Modern Robot; Mobile Robots; Running Motors; Encoders and Amplifiers; Sensors, Input and Output; Computer and Software; Robot Control Language; Robotic Vision; Selecting a Robot Design for Building; Skills, Tools, Time & Materials; Making the Walking Robot; Programming; Short Glossary of Robotic Terms; Table of ASCII Values; Scott Edwards Controller Information; Information on Software Discs; Drawing and Construction Notes; Component Supplier Information.