Page 29 - Robot Builder's Bonanza

xxviii INTRODUCTION

Robot Builder’s Bonanza doesn’t contain hard- to- decipher formulas, unrealistic assump-
tions about your level of electronic or mechanical expertise, or complex designs that only a
seasoned professional can tackle.
I wrote this book so that anyone* can enjoy the thrill and excitement of building a robot.
The projects can be duplicated without expensive lab equipment, precision tools, or special-
ized materials— and at a cost that won’t contribute to the national debt!

*If you’re under 15 or thereabouts, ask for help from a parent or teacher. Some of the projects
G in this book involve using tools and techniques that could be dangerous if proper safety
precautions are not followed.
The projects in this book have been written to avoid the really bad stuff, but you can still get
seriously burned, cut, punctured, or poisoned if you’re not careful.

Beyond Cool

Think of Robot Builder’s Bonanza as an adventure in technology— with a lot of fun thrown
in for free.
As you construct your bot, you’ll learn the latest technologies firsthand. It puts you way
ahead of the curve, whether your interest in robotics is for school, for work, or as a hobby.
Years before the public even heard of a smartphone, bot builders were messing around
with electronic compasses, accelerometers, gyroscopes, global positioning satellites, micro-
controllers, touch screens, artificial intelligence, voice control, speech synthesis, and more.
Robotics is your ticket to many of the exciting technologies of today and tomorrow.
Think of Robot Builder’s Bonanza as a treasure map. The paths provided between these
covers lead you on your way to building one or more fully functional robots. So turn the page,
and start the adventure.

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