Applied Robotics

Applied Robotics

E. WiseSAMS Technical Publishing1999311 pp.ISBN 0-7906-1184-8US$29.95 (paperback) CD-ROM

Keyword: Robotics

Applied Robotics is a practical introduction to robotics. The book is written in an informal manner that clearly describes the steps required for building a simple robot.

Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction to robotics and lists some of the tools and equipment which are necessary for building your own robot. Chapter 2,Mechanical platforms, contains a project for building a small wheeled platform and discusses different types of electric motors and the use of PMDC (permanent magnet, direct current) motors.

Chapters 3 and 4 discuss Power supplies and Electronic control respectively. A number of projects are included to give practical experience of the theory. These include: set-up/step-down regulators; a motor power pack; an electronics power pack; a MOSFET switch; PWM (pulse width modulation) speed control; and permanent motor drivers.

Chapters 5 to 9 discuss a number of ways to provide the robot with the capability of sensing its environment. These chapters address microcontrollers;touch, time, light and sound sensors; programming behaviours, and layers of intelligence.

Chapter 10 introduces Fuzbol, a programming language for the robot which uses fuzzy data types for fuzzy data. The following chapter discusses the implementation of position mapping and physical sense.

The final two chapters of the book discuss A/C servos and Pneumatics, and are included for reference, as they are not implemented on the test robot. Three appendices are included which contain a reference guide for the Fuzbol language,sample programs, and conversions and code references.

Overall this book is a superb introduction to robotics. It addresses the fundamental considerations for robot design and provides the reader with a step-by-step guide for making a small, mobile robot with a limited degree of artificial intelligence. Applied Robotics is suitable for a wide range of people, from technical hobbyists to HNC, HND and undergraduate students of engineering and computer science courses.