Blog

At last, fans of the LEGO BOOST robot building kit have the learning resource they’ve been missing! Enter The LEGO BOOST Activity Book: a full-color guide that will help readers learn how to build and code LEGO creations that move, explore their environment, grab and lift objects, and more.

The LEGO BOOST kit lets younger builders create fun, multifunctional robots by combining bricks with code, but it doesn’t come with a manual. With the help of this complete guide to the LEGO BOOST set, you’ll be on your way to building and programming BOOST robots in no time.

You’ll begin your exploration by building a basic rover robot called MARIO to help you learn the fundamentals of the BOOST programming environment. Next, you’ll add features to your rover to control its movement and make it repeat actions and react to colors and sounds. Once you’ve learned some programming basics, you’ll learn how to program your robot to do things like follow lines on the ground, scan its environment to decide where to go, and even play darts. As final projects, you’ll create two complete robots: BrickPecker to help you organize your bricks and CYBOT, a robot that talks, shoots objects, and executes voice commands.

As you advance through the book, optional lessons aim to deepen your understanding of basic robotics concepts. Brain BOOSter sections let you dig into the math and engineering behind your builds while a host of experiments seek to test your skills and encourage you to do more with your robots. With countless illustrations, extensive explanations, and a wealth of coding examples to guide you, The LEGO BOOST Activity Book is sure to take you from beginning builder to robotics whiz and give your robot-building brain that needed boost!

Learn how to use a Raspberry Pi in conjunction with an Arduino to build a basic robot with advanced capabilities. Getting started in robotics does not have to be difficult. This book is an insightful and rewarding introduction to robotics and a catalyst for further directed study. 

You’ll be led step by step through the process of building a robot that uses the power of a Linux based computer paired with the simplicity of Arduino. You’ll learn why the Raspberry Pi is a great choice for a robotics platform; its strengths as well as its shortcomings; how to overcome these limitations by implementing an Arduino; and the basics of the Python programming language as well as some of the more powerful features.

With the Raspberry Pi you can give your project the power of a Linux computer, while Arduino makes interacting with sensors and motors very easy. These two boards are complimentary in their functions; where one falters the other performs admirably.

The book also includes references to other great works to help further your growth in the exciting, and now accessible, field of smart robotics. As a bonus, the final chapter of the book demonstrates the real power of the Raspberry Pi by implementing a basic vision system. Using OpenCV and a standard USB web cam, you will build a robot that can chase a ball.

What You’ll Learn

• Install Raspbian, the operating system that drives the Raspberry Pi
• Drive motors through an I2C motor controller
• Read data through sensors attached to an Arduino

The best selling book on FTC Robotics just got better: Extensively updated with new material for the 2017-18 season! This edition includes information on new electrical and control systems and fabrication techniques such as 3D printing, the CNC router and more! FIRST Tech Challenge is the fastest growing FIRST robotics competition for students, but there has never before been a single volume to instruct new and veteran teams alike on how to navigate the competitions’ rich complexities. This book contains the accumulated wisdom of several champion teams who have won major state level championships as captain teams. The volume is organized into sections covering every aspect of FTC competition, each section containing bite-sized chunks of information: a single sentence describing a tip, trick, strategy, or secret used by top ranked teams, followed by a paragraph or two of examples, explanations, pictures, or diagrams. Almost four hundred of these recommendations are detailed in this book. By following these recommendations, your team is sure to improve, and maybe even become a champion team as a result!

The LEGO® BOOST® Idea Book contains dozens of ideas for building simple robots with the LEGO BOOST set.

The LEGO® BOOST® Idea Book explores 95 creative ways to build simple robots with the LEGO BOOST set. Each model includes a parts list, minimal text, screenshots of programs, and colorful photographs from multiple angles so you can re-create it without step-by-step instructions.

You’ll learn to build robots that can walk and crawl, shoot and grab objects, and even draw using a pen! Each model demonstrates handy mechanical principles that you can use to come up with your own creations.

Models come with building hints and ideas for putting your own spin on things. Best of all, every part you need to build these models comes in the LEGO BOOST Creative Toolbox (set #17101).

Discover what robots can do and how they work

Find out how to build your own robot and program it to perform tasks

Ready to enter the robot world? This book is your passport! It walks you through building your very own little metal assistant from a kit, dressing it up, giving it a brain, programming it to do things, even making it talk. Along the way, you’ll gather some tidbits about robot history, enthusiasts’ groups, and more.

The Dummies Way
* Explanations in plain English
* “Get in, get out” information
* Icons and other navigational aids
* Tear-out cheat sheet
* Top ten lists
* A dash of humor and fun

In Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi, you’ll learn how to build and code your own robot projects with just the Raspberry Pi microcomputer and a few easy-to-get components – no prior experience necessary!

Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi will take you from inexperienced maker to robot builder. You’ll start off building a two-wheeled robot powered by a Raspberry Pi minicomputer and then program it using Python, the world’s most popular programming language. Gradually, you’ll improve your robot by adding increasingly advanced functionality until it can follow lines, avoid obstacles, and even recognize objects of a certain size and color using computer vision.

Learn how to:
– Control your robot remotely using only a Wii remote
– Teach your robot to use sensors to avoid obstacles
– Program your robot to follow a line autonomously
– Customize your robot with LEDs and speakers to make it light up and play sounds
– See what your robot sees with a Pi Camera

As you work through the book, you’ll learn fundamental electronics skills like how to wire up parts, use resistors and regulators, and determine how much power your robot needs. By the end, you’ll have learned the basics of coding in Python and know enough about working with hardware like LEDs, motors, and sensors to expand your creations beyond simple robots.

Publisher’s Note: Products purchased from Third Party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality, authenticity, or access to any online entitlements included with the product.

Design, build, and pilot custom drones―no prior experience necessary!

This fun guide shows, step-by-step, how to construct powerful drones from inexpensive parts, add personalized features, and become a full-fledged pilot. DIY Drones for the Evil Genius: Design, Build, and Customize Your Own Drones not only covers safety, mechanics, drone design, and assembly, but also teaches the basics of Aerospace Engineering. You will discover how to add video transmitters, GPS, first-person view, and virtual reality goggles to your creations. The book walks you through the FAA licensing process and takes a look at advanced concepts, such as artificial intelligence and autonomous flight.

• Learn about aircraft parts, control mechanics, and safety practices
• Become an expert pilot―even handle flips and high-speed maneuvers
• Pick the perfect parts for your high-performance drone
• Find out how to solder and start assembling your drone
• Program the aircraft, calibrate the motors, and start flying!
• Add LED lights, GoPro mounts, and self-balancing camera gimbals
• Explore the world of first-person-view (FPV) drones and high-speed racing
• See how artificial intelligence can be put to use in the drone industry

Robots take over jobs that are too dirty, dull, or dangerous for people. In doing so, they make human lives safer and more interesting. As robots become increasingly capable and intelligent, they are taking on new roles in medical care, education, the military, exploration, and more. Discover what it could be like to live in a world filled with robot companions and helpers.