Page 18 - Robots Androids and Animatrons : 12 Incredible Projects You Can Build

Introduction

There are many interesting and fun things to do in electronics, and
one of the most enjoyable is building robots. Not only do you em-
ploy electronic circuits and systems, but they must be merged
with other technologies. Building a robot from scratch involves the
following:
Power supply systems
Motors and gears for drive and motion control
Sensors
Artificial intelligence
Each one of these technologies has numerous books dedicated
to its study. Naturally, a comprehensive look at each technology xvii
isn’t possible in one book, but we will touch upon these areas, and
you will gain hands-on knowledge and a springboard for future
experimentation.

Robotics is an evolving technology. There are many approaches to
building robots, and no one can be sure which method or tech-
nology will be used 100 years from now. Like biological systems,
robotics is evolving following the Darwinian model of survival of
the fittest.
You’re not alone when you become a robotist. I was surprised to
learn that there are many people, government organizations, pri-
vate organizations, competitions, and clubs devoted to the sub-
ject of amateur robotics. NASA has the most advanced robotics
systems program I ever saw. Much of the information is free for
the asking. If you have Internet access, jump to one of the search
engines (Yahoo, Excite, etc.) and search under robotics. You will
find the websites of many companies, individuals, universities,
clubs, and newsgroups dedicated to robotics.

Team LRN Introduction

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