Making Simple Robot

Introduction:

Robots are getting simpler all the time. If that statement sounds backwards, consider this: as we continue to cram ever-more-powerful electronics into tinier and tinier containers, the number of things we can do at home, ourselves, with our everyday appliances and devices is growing exponentially. The same technology that makes it possible to squeeze a GPS, tilt sensor, camera, and wireless Internet connection into your cell phone also lets researchers design miniaturized robots that really pack a punch. For scientists, knowing that a robot brain doesn’t need to take up more room than a postage stamp means they can design robot bodies out of the most unexpected materials: soft polymers, folded paper, fabric that can bend and stretch instead of breaking. At one time building a robot out of such materials might have sounded nuts. But today even high schools and hobbyists, not to mention universities and commercial labs, have access to tools like 3D printers and laser cutters that can produce lightweight robot bodies able to survive falls from the tops of buildings— or from outer space. These new robots are more resilient and yet easily replaceable. If one prototype doesn’t work, it’s easy to tweak the design and cobble together another. It’s not just robot bodies that are getting simpler, though. Roboticists are taking a look around them at the natural world, especially lower-order animals that exhibit complex behavior without a lot of what we would traditionally think of as “smarts.” Where once the goal was to create a humanoid device that could do what people do, now the trend is to make something small yet effective. Instead of a giant laser-eyed Gort clomping across the landscape or Data with his positronic brain, we’re getting the skittering mechanical spiders of Minority Report. Roboticists are also asking whether a robot needs to be able to avoid every misstep and obstacle if it can easily pick itself up and keep going. A robot that can travel along through pretty much anything using only simple rhythmic motions can make do with a lot less computing power than one that needs to decide where to place every footstep based on sensory readings of the surrounding terrain. This frees up processing capability that can be devoted to higher-level tasks. It can also lead to pared-down, interdependent swarms of micro bots that do more as a team than they could do alone. The hive mind is real. And modular robots that can assemble and repair themselves are already on the horizon. For people who like to learn about robots, but who don’t have a background in science or technology, this is all great news. We watch in fascination as researchers turn old bicycle tires and PVC pipes into robotic arms and autonomous rovers. And as robots get simpler, we can begin to build our own designs that share many of the traits of “real” robots without a fancy lab or an engineering degree. When constructing a robot body takes nothing more advanced than zipties and a sewing machine, you’re now in a place where even rank beginners can get into the act. That’s where this book comes in. Making Simple Robots will show you how to use standard crafting techniques and skills to build designs that are only a few degrees away from the real thing. Don’t worry about getting in over your head. Many of the projects in Making Simple Robots will introduce you to some aspect of robotics without requiring you to build an entire machine. Some can be done in one session. Others can easily be broken down into steps that can be completed over a few afternoons. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by a beginning robotics book, Making Simple Robots is for you. None of the projects in this book assume any background in electronics. Unfamiliar tools and techniques will be described in detail. However, this book is also aimed at getting you out of your comfort zone. Curious about 3D printing? You’ll find a project to help you ease into it. Wondering how an Arduino microcontroller (a miniature “computer on a board” designed to run lights, motors and other electronics) works? You’ll get a chance to find out.