Includes educational but fun projects, from building basic motorized platforms to giving a machine a brain--teaching it to walk and talk and obey commands.

Includes index.

The Robot Experimenter --Anatomy of a Robot -- t Tools and Supplies -- Buying Parts -- Common Electronic Components -- Electronic Construction Techniques -- Programming Concepts : The Fundamentals -- Building a Plastic Robot Platform -- Building a Basic Wooden Platform -- Building a Metal Platform -- Constructing High Tech Robots from Toys -- Build Custom LEGO-based Robots -- Creating Functionoids with LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Invention System -- Programming the LEGO Mindstorms RCX : Advanced Methods -- All About Batteries and Robot Power Supplies -- Robot Locomotion Principles -- Choosing the Right Motor for the Job -- Working with DC Motors -- Working with Stepper Motors -- Working with Servo Motors -- Build a Roverbot -- Build a Heavy-Duty Six-Legged Walking Robot -- Advanced Locomotion Systems -- An Overview of Arm Systems -- Build a Revolute Coordinate Arm -- Build a Polar Coordinate Arm -- Experimenting with Gripper Designs -- An Overview of Robot "Brains" -- Interfacing with Computers and Microcontrollers -- Computer Control Via PC Printer Port -- Using the Basic Stamp -- Using the BasicX Microcontroller -- Using the OOPic Microcontroller -- Remote Control Systems -- Adding the Sense of Touch -- Collision Avoidance and Detection -- Robotic Eyes -- Navigating Through Space -- Fire Detection Systems -- Sound Output and Input -- Experimenting with Tilt and Gravity Sensors -- Tips, Tricks, and Tidbits for the Robot Expermenter.