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Robotic Explorations: A Hands-on Introduction to Engineering
Fred G. Martin, MIT Media Labs

ISBN-10: 0130895687
ISBN-13: 9780130895684

Publisher: Prentice Hall
Copyright: 2001
Format: Paper; 462 pp
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Suggested retail price: $88.00
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This text is for Introductory Electrical Engineering, or capstone design courses. It is also appropriate for Electrical Technology Robotics courses.

This hands-on, introductory book is based on widely available, custom robotics materials (Handy Board, Interactive C, LEGO Technic).

  • Faculty can establish hands-on, intro-level engineering design courses.
  • Text is based on widely available, custom robotics materials (Handy Board, Interactive C, LEGO Technic).
  • Large existing user community.



1. Introduction.

Feedback Control, Cybernetics, and Robotics. Toys To Think With. About the Technology. An Overview of the Book.



2. A First Robot.

Interactive C and the Handy Board. The HandyBug. A First Program. Braitenberg Vehicles. Light and Touch Sensitivity. Randomness. Emergence and Meta-Sensing. Conclusion.



3. Sensors.

Sensor Interfacing. Building Sensors. Switch Sensors. Light Sensor Circuits. Resistive Position Sensors. Reflective Optosensors. Break-Beam Sensors. Shaft Encoding.



4. Motors, Gears, and Mechanism.

DC Motors. Gearing. Electronic Control. The Servo Motor. LEGO Design.



5. Control.

Simple Feedback Control. Proportional-Derivative Control. Sequential Control. Reactive Control. Conclusion.



6. Advanced Sensing.

Quadrature Shaft Encoding. Infrared Sensing. Ultrasonic Distance Sensing with the Polaroid 6500. Optical Distance Sensing with the Sharp GP2D02. Sensor Data Processing.



A. Inside the Handy Board Design.

Introduction to Microprocessors and the 68HC11. Introduction to Assembly Language Programming. The 68HC11 with the Handy Board Hardware. The AS11 Assembler. Differences between A and E Series 68HC11 CPUs.



B. Construction Techniques.

DC Motor. Servo Motors. Infrared Sensor and Transmitter. LEGO Adapter Cables.



C. Serial Communications and Data Collection.

Serial Line Interaction. Connecting to a Terminal Program. Printing to the Serial Line. Capturing Data.



D. Handy Board Reference.

Specifications. Ports and Connectors. Battery Maintenance. Part Listing. Printed Circuit Board Layouts.



E. Interactive C Reference.

Quick Start. 6811 Downloaders. Interactive C.



F. Robot Contests.

Introduction. Sample Contests. Contest Rule Analysis. Conclusion.



G. Resources.

Written by one of the founders of the famous MIT "6270" Lego Robotic design Competition, Robotic Explorations: A Hands-On Introduction to Engineering engages students in hands-on robot building, emphasizing technological systems of all kinds—electrical, mechanical, and computational. A first text for students as well as reference for practitioners, the book provides all the practical information needed to create an introductory freshman-level laboratory class. This versatile and pioneering book sparks the imagination and leads the reader into many thought-provoking and challenging engineering situations.

Robotic Explorations includes:

  • An introduction to the field of engineering design, accessible to students at multiple undergraduate levels, with concepts relevant to electrical, mechanical, and software systems.
  • Principles of mechanical design, illustrated using the catalog of parts available in the LEGO Technic® system.
  • Step-by-step instructions for building "My First Robot," a tutorial for beginning explorations of control.
  • Applications of various control strategies including traditional proportional/derivative feedback, behavioral robotics, and hierarchical control.
  • Designs and application ideas for robotic sensors.
  • Project guidelines for designing robot contests to facilitate students' learning of particular engineering concepts.
  • Documentation for using educational robotics technology developed at MIT—Handy Board control hardware and Interactive C software.

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