Page 12 - Robot Builders Source Book - Gordon McComb

Introduction
Imagine...
...an ocean—the Internet—so vast and deep the information contained in its
more than 40 million Web sites would fill tens of thousands of libraries.
Now imagine trying to find something in any of those thousands of libraries.
Enter the word “robotics” at the popular Google.com search engine, and
you’ll get a listing of some one million Web sites and pages. If each “hit” were a
piece of paper, the stack would reach some 30 stories—325 feet—into the air!
Imagine...
...you’re trying to find some specific information about robotics in this stack,
and you’re not sure what to look for.
That’s precisely what faces a growing legion of amateur and educational robot-
ics enthusiasts. The boom in robotics has brought with it a mountain of suppli-
ers and information. Thousands of companies worldwide provide parts, plans,
kits, and other material for building robots; thousands more support the
robotic craft with programming languages, operating systems, and computers.

Imagine...
...the most relevant information contained in one centralized clearinghouse.
This is what I imagined, and it’s why I compiled the book you now hold in
your hands. The Robot Builder’s Sourcebook is designed to serve as a compendium
for the amateur robotics enthusiast: what it is, where to get it, and how to get
started.

What You’ll Find in this Book
This book goes far beyond any search engine or links page you’ll find on the
Internet. In The Robot Builder’s Sourcebook you will find:
• Over 2,500 robot resources, including mail order suppliers, online retailers, and
informational Web sites. Each listing is placed in a category, such as Actuators -
Motors, and include detailed information about the resource—including (when
available) address and phone number.
• Sources for unusual parts and supplies you might not have known existed. How
about thin luminous “neon rope,” in vibrant colors, to dress up your robot;
or maybe adhesive tape that conducts electricity one way, but not another;
or perhaps a special casting material that softens in a commonly available
solvent, then sets to any shape you can imagine for your robot.
• Dozens of “sidebars” with additional information to help you understand critical
robotics technologies, such as motor types, sensor designs, and choice of
materials.
• Over 200 articles of relevant advice to both beginner and experienced reader, on vari-
ous robot building topics.
The Robot Builder’s Sourcebook is the Yellow Pages for amateur and educational
robotics. It is designed to be a constant reference for all robotics enthusiasts,
as it contains resources for both common and uncommon parts and supplies.
About the Listings
Not every company or individual having to do with robotics is listed in this
book. That would be counterproductive—it would mean tens of thousands of
listings, and you’d once again drown in a sea of too much information.

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Copyright 2003 by Gordon McComb. Click Here for Terms of Use.