App Notes - Bonus Projects and Extra Goodies

Robot Builder's Bonanza and Arduino Robot Bonanza

These are free app notes (app stands for application) on all things robotics. Note: Some of the app notes refer to chapters and content in the books Robot Builder's Bonanza and Arduino Robot Bonanza, available in print or eBook form from Amazon and others.

Arduino

• More Experiments with Servo Objects - Learn more about how to use the Servo object to control radio control servo motors, including, using the attach and detach methods, and controlling servos using microsecond accuracy.
• The Chip Only Arduino - Ideas on using the Atmel ATmega IC to make a "chip only" Arduino (an Arduino using only the microcontroller IC, without the full development board).
• Operating Two Servos with the Arduino - All about running two servos at a time using the Arduino. It's easy when using the standard Servo library. Includes a discussion of operating the servos from their own power supply.

Batteries

• Battery Size Comparison - Comparison chart of the different sizes and typical weights of standard (and some not-so-standard) batteries.
• Comparing Pack Voltages of Batteries - Handy comparison chart of pack voltages of batteries, 1.2, 1.5, and 2 volts-per-cell. Chart lists packs with 2 to 12 battery cells.
• Best Battery Wiring Practices - Tips and tricks for good wiring when working with batteries. Short and sweet.
• Battery Care - Common-sense guidelines for keeping your batteries in top shape.
• Battery Pack Bridging Voltages - How to bridge a cell pocket in a battery holder to create "in-between" pack voltages (example: 4.5 volts when using a 4-cell battery holder and 1.5 volts-per-cell batteries).

Bonus Projects

• Build a Double-Decker RoverBot - Full constructions plans for building a two-deck roverbot, powered by twin R/C servo motors.
• The Clapper Gripper - How to build a simple "clapper-style" robotic gripper using a solenoid for actuation.
• Construct a Wormgear Gripper - Construction details for building a two-finger gripper, using a novel wormgear mechanism. The wormgear is constructed using plastic or metal gears and an ordinary machine screw.
• Flexible Finger Grippers - Basic design concept for building multi-joint gingers using flexible linkages.
• Build a 12-Servo Hexapod - Full construction plans on building the Hex12Bot, a 12-server walking hexapod robot. The plans use the XY joints described in Chapter 27 of RBB4.

Circuits

• Step-by-Step: Soldering a Barrel Plug onto a Battery Holder or DC Wall Transformer - How to solder a barrel plug connector on a battery pack or DC wall transformer.
• Experiments in Quadrature Encoders - How to use a quadrature encoder to measure distance and direction of travel. Includes working Arduino code.
• Making Pin Jumpers - How to make pin jumpers for easy breadboarding of larger parts (like speakers and switches), and for constructing your own long-lasting jumpers using stranded wire.
• Controlling a Servo Via an LM555 Timer IC - How to use an LM555 timer IC to build a simple servo tester circuit.
• More and More Motor Bridges - How to use various bridge circuits to operate the motors on your robot.
• Shape Memory Alloy Actuation with LM555 Timer IC - Using an LM555 timer IC to control the actuation of shape memory alloy (SMA) wire.
• Switching Voltage Regulation - Basic circuit for constructing a switching voltage regulator using a Maxim MAX738 IC.

Electronics

• All About LED Brightness - How the type and construction of light emitting diodes (LEDs) affect their apparent brightness.
• Robotic Arm Position Control - Ways to determine the position of joints in a robotic arm or wrist. Includes using potentiometers and optical or mechanical encoders.
• The Basics of Circuit Making - Quick introducing to the five most common methods of making electronic circuits.
• Etching Your Own Printed Circuit Board - Crash course in etching your own printed circuit boards (PCBs).
• Stupid Sound Tricks for Your Robot - Over a half-dozen methods for making and controlling sound for your robot.
• Understanding Capacitor Markings - All a bout how capacitors are marked -- value, working voltage, polarity, and tolerance.
• Stupid Light Tricks - Using electroluminescent wire, lasers fiber optics, and other techniques to "dress up" your robot with light.
• Control by Radio Signal - Methods of remotely controlling and communicating with your robot using radio signals. Includes a rundown of 802.11 WiFi, Bluetooth, and ZigBee standards.
• Stocking Up on Electronic Parts - The basic parts you need, and the quantities you should have, for general robot building.
• Logic Probes 101 - Introduction to the logic probe: what they are, and how they're used.

Power Train

• Robot Speed Calculator - Handy JavaScript-based robot speed calculator. Enter the speed of the motor in RPM, and the diameter of the wheel. The calculator determines the linear travel speed, in inches per second, of your robot.
• Using Flexible Power Trains Instead of Gears - Review of using flexible power train components (belts, pulleys, chains, and sprockets) instead of gears to transform motion from one place to another.

Programming

• Understanding Bitwise Port Programming - Introduction to programming using 8-bit (or larger) ports, and how to manipulate the individual pins of the port.
• Using Bitwise Operators - How to use bitwise operators in programming to manipulate the individual bits of a port or numeric value.
• Combining Data Types in a Variable - How to use (and the limitations of) different data types in a single variable.
• Understanding Data and Port Registers - Quick introduction to data and port registers on the typical microcontroller, and how they affect operation.
• Special Microcontroller Functions - Overview of special microcontroller functions you are likely to encounter, such as hardware interrupts, switch debouncer, and input pullups.

Robot Construction

• Managing the Weight of Your Robot - All about weight and weight distribution in robot design. Includes ideas on how to put your overweight robot on a crash diet.
• No Casters at All: Using Camber for Self-Balancing Robots - How to use wheel camber to enhance your robot's ability to maintain static balance.
• Tips on Constructing Large Bases - How to ensure you select the right components for use in larger and heavier robots.
• The Tracked Bot Vs 6WD - Pros, cons, and differences between building a tracked robot versus a 4WD or 6WD robot.
• What About Rivets - How (and when) to use rivet construction in your robot creations.
• Plastics in Everyday Household Articles - Review of the plastic materials used in everyday household items. Useful when repurposing plastic for your robot creations. Includes a chart for decoding plastic ID symbols.

Sensors

• Touch Sensitivity with Laser Fiber 'Whiskers' - How to construct a set of super-sensitive "soft contact" whiskers using a pen laser and inexpensive optical fibers.
• Using Passive Infrared Detection - How to detect humans, animals, and moving objects using passive infrared (PIR) sensors. Includes details on using ready-made PIR sensors, plus hacking an outdoor security light. Includes sample Arduino code.
• Build a Piezo Disc Touch Bar - Full construction details on making a semi-compliant touch bumper using ordinary piezo discs and an length of round aluminum rod. Included sample Arduino code.
• Using Lenses and Filters with Light-Sensitive Sensors - All about using lenses and filters to improve the performance of light-sensitive sensors, such as photoresistors and phototransistors.
• A Trio of Robotic Navigational Sensors - Introduction to three handy navigational sensors for robots: global positioning satellite (GPS), radio frequency identification (RFID), and inertial navigation with gyroscopes.