Category: Robotics Book

Algorithms are a fundamental component of robotic systems: they control or reason about motion and perception in the physical world. They receive input from noisy sensors, consider geometric and physical constraints, and operate on the world through imprecise actuators. The design and analysis of robot algorithms therefore raises a unique combination of questions in control theory, computational and differential geometry, and computer science.

This book contains the proceedings from the 2006 Workshop on the Algorithmic Foundations of Robotics. This biannual workshop is a highly selective meeting of leading researchers in the field of algorithmic issues related to robotics. The 32 papers in this book span a wide variety of topics: from fundamental motion planning algorithms to applications in medicine and biology, but they have in common a foundation in the algorithmic problems of robotic systems.

“The Three Laws of Robotics: 1: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm; 2: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law; 3: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law; The Zeroth Law: A robot may not harm humanity, or, by inaction, allow humanity to come to harm.” -Isaac Asimov Although this famous quote derived from Isaac Asimov, professor of biochemistry at Boston University, seems plausible, it is highly improbable. The truth is, with the current status of robotic innovation, we are decades or even centuries before we must worry about the consequences that robotic innovation will have for humanity in the future.
A robot is a simple enough idea. It is a machine that can do something by itself, in the simplest terms. You have almost certainly seen them in movies or read about them. Many people think of a metallic, human looking, machine when they think of a robot. The reality these days is a little less dramatic than that. In appearance, modern robots are often complex limbs or moving tools. They can complete tasks largely without the need for human assistance, but they are a long way from the types of robots people have been imagining for centuries; that’s right, the idea of the ‘robot’ is very old indeed.The things that robots might be able to do are a key driving force beyond their development.
These ideas drive related fields, and those in turn, drive people to come up with better ways to make and use robots.If you are interested in the future, history and present state of robotics, then this book is a must-have addition to your collection.

A colorful introduction to the technology behind robots explains complex mathematical and scientific concepts in simple, engaging ways. By the authors of ABCs of Engineering.

The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® EV3 Idea Book explores dozens of creative ways to build amazing mechanisms with the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 set. Each model includes a list of the required parts, minimal text, and colorful photographs from multiple angles so you can re-create it without the need for step-by-step instructions.

You’ll learn to build cars with real suspension, steerable crawlers, ball-shooters, grasping robotic arms, and other creative marvels. Each model demonstrates simple mechanical principles that you can use as building blocks for your own creations.

Best of all, every part you need to build these machines comes in one LEGO set (#31313)!

Harness the power of Raspberry Pi with Six Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) to create an amazing walking robot

About This Book

• Construct a two-legged robot that can walk, turn, and dance
• Add vision and sensors to your robot so that it can “see” the environment and avoid barriers
• A fast-paced, practical guide with plenty of screenshots to develop a fully functional robot

Who This Book Is For

If you are a programmer with an interest in building advanced robotics projects using inexpensive hardware and open source software, then this book is for you. Some experience with computer programming and implementing simple mechanical systems is required.

What You Will Learn

• Build a basic biped platform, a servo-based robot that can walk
• Add Six Degrees of Freedom (6DoF) to your robot and make it free to move forward/backward, up/down, and left/right
• Add vision through a webcam so that the biped can “see” the world around it
• Implement path planning so that the biped can move around autonomously
• Add wireless communication so that you can see what the robot is seeing and control the robot from a distance

In Detail

The Raspberry Pi B2 is an inexpensive embedded processor that provides a high-performance Linux development environment.

This book is a fast-paced guide that will show you how to use Raspberry Pi technology to build a biped robot that can interact with its environment. We start off by explaining the basics of getting your Raspberry Pi up and running, ready to be mounted on your biped platform. After this, you will be introduced to the art of constructing a mechanism for the biped platform. You will then learn to develop a vision system for your robot, as well as a means by which you can control and monitor it. At the end of this book, you will have learned enough to build a complex biped robot that can walk, turn, find its way, and “see” its environment.

Make your First Robot will help students to build and program their first robot using Arduino. It starts with an introduction of the hardware and software required to build and program the robots. The concepts are explained with simple analogies. Detailed explanation of the functionalities and programming of each hardware component are given. Integration of all the hardware components and programs to make a fully functional robot is explained for a mini Path-finder and Robotic Arm. Inexpensive components are used to build these robots. This book will flourish your imagination to the next level of robotics.

Learn to easily build gadgets, gizmos, robots, and more usingArduino

Written by Arduino expert Jeremy Blum, this unique book uses thepopular Arduino microcontroller platform as an instrument to teachyou about topics in electrical engineering, programming, andhuman-computer interaction. Whether you’re a budding hobbyist or anengineer, you’ll benefit from the perfectly paced lessons that walkyou through useful, artistic, and educational exercises thatgradually get more advanced. In addition to specific projects, thebook shares best practices in programming and design that you canapply to your own projects. Code snippets and schematics will serveas a useful reference for future projects even after you’vemastered all the topics in the book.

• Includes a number of projects that utilize differentcapabilities of the Arduino, while interfacing with externalhardware
• Features chapters that build upon each other, tying in conceptsfrom previous chapters to illustrate new ones
• Includes aspects that are accompanied by video tutorials andother multimedia content 
• Covers electrical engineering and programming concepts,interfacing with the world through analog and digital sensors,communicating with a computer and other devices, and internetconnectivity
• Explains how to combine smaller topics into more complexprojects
• Shares downloadable materials and source code for everythingcovered in the book
• Projects compatible with many official Arduino boards includingArduino Uno; Arduino Leonardo; Arduino Mega 2560; Arduino Due;Arduino Nano; Arduino Mega ADK; LilyPad Arduino and may work withArduino-compatible boards such as Freeduino and new third partycertified boards such as the Intel Galileo

Exploring Arduino takes you on an adventure andprovides you with exclusive access to materials not found anywhereelse!

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.

The Bestselling Robotics Book–Now with New Projects and Online Tools!

“Amazing…should be required reading for any budding robot builder!” -GeekDad, Wired.com

Have fun while learning how to design, construct, and use small robots! This richly illustrated guide offers everything you need to know to construct sophisticated, fully autonomous robots that can be programmed from your computer. Fully updated with the latest technologies and techniques, Robot Builder’s Bonanza, Fourth Edition includes step-by-step plans that take you from building basic motorized platforms to giving the machine a brain–and teaching it to walk, talk, and obey commands.

This robot builder’s paradise is packed with more than 100 affordable projects, including 10 completely new robot designs. The projects are modular and can be combined to create a variety of highly intelligent and workable robots of all shapes and sizes. Mix and match the projects to develop your own unique creations. The only limit is your imagination!

Robot Builder’s Bonanza, Fourth Edition covers:

• Parts, materials, and tools
• Building motorized wooden, plastic, and metal platforms
• Rapid prototyping methods
• Drafting bots with computer-aided design
• Constructing high-tech robots from toys
• Building bots from found parts
• Power, motors, and locomotion
• Robots with wheels, tracks, and legs
• Constructing robotic arms and grippers
• Robot electronics and circuit making
• Computers and electronic control
• Microcontrollers–Arduino, PICAXE, and the BASIC stamp
• Remote control systems
• Sensors, navigation, and visual feedback
• Robot vision via proximity, light, and distance

New! FREE online content at:
www.robotoid.com

• My First Robot tutorial lessons
• Project parts finder
• Animated, interactive learning tools
• How-to videos, robot e-plans, bonus articles, links, and more

Plus, go to:
www.mhprofessional.com/rbb4 for:

• Downloadable programs
• RBB app notes
• Bonus chapters

Make Great Stuff!
TAB, an imprint of McGraw-Hill Professional, is a leading publisher of DIY technology books for makers, hackers, and electronics hobbyists.