Page 10 - Build a Remote Controlled Robot

PREFACE

n recent years robots have captured the interest of more and
Imore people. Thanks to movies and TV, the notion of the
robot as a mechanical companion and servant has become a
common concept. As interest in robots grew, a number of
books showing how to build robots at home began to appear.
These books, however, were very technical, showing how to
build computer-controlled mobile platforms that are consid-
ered by most to be true robots.
My interest in robots leaned more toward the popular con-
cept of robots as humanlike friends and servants. I did not
have the technical skill or funds to build a computer-controlled
robot, so I decided to develop a robot that would fit the popu-
lar image of robots and not be too difficult to complete or
expensive to build. The result was Questor.
While working on Questor, I tried to develop a project that
I, as a beginner, could complete with little technical skill,
using tools I had in my workshop. Also, I wanted Questor to
look and function like a robot butler, a form I felt best fit the
friend/servant theme. For this reason I needed a people-sized
robot that would have great presence. I concentrated more on
form than sophistication to develop an impressive looking, but
relatively simple-to-build, project—a beginner’s project.
Later, when I decided to write a book about the project, I
wanted to avoid weaknesses I found in other how-to robot
books. This book is heavily illustrated, helping to take the
guesswork out of Questor’s construction. Next, the book deals
only with the construction of the robot, and not the theories
on which it is based. This type of information is best derived
from specialty electronics and robotics books. I have included

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