Page 16 - The Definitive Guide to Building Java Robots

Preston_5564Front.fm Page xv Friday, October 7, 2005 5:14 AM

Introduction

Notes on Style

I admit I was a programmer before I started building robots. So my perspective may be some-
what skewed in the direction of a programmer. However, I also didn’t want this book to be from
a purely software engineering perspective. I wanted to keep the text balanced between robotics
and programming and not get too cute with either discipline, though from time to time I’m
afraid I may have indulged myself.

Who Should Read This Book

If you want off-the-shelf robot components, free software, and development tools, this is the
book for you. You can download all the software—it’s GPL (General Public License) or Apache
License—and you can purchase the components from your favorite robot supplier and/or
hobby shop. The following sections outline the experience you should have to get the most out
of the book.

Your Programming/Java Experience
I could say that you should have a good understanding of object-oriented techniques and Java
before getting started with this book, but if you’re like most roboticists, you’ll likely learn as you
go, and by following the various examples I’ve included within these pages.
Of course, if you don’t have a background in Java, you will undoubtedly experience a
learning curve before things begin to click. If you start getting lost due to the vocabulary or the
complexity of the examples, just purchase one of the beginning Java books from Apress. They’re
excellent. If things still don’t make sense, send me an e-mail or visit my web site and post a
question.

Your Robot Building Experience

For those picking up this book, you should hopefully be an intermediate robot builder already;
be familiar with microcontroller concepts, servo controllers, electronic speed controls, and
sensors; and have either built a robot from scratch or from a kit. I can recommend a few robots
from Lynxmotion, Inc., or if you want to build one from scratch, take a look at some of the
Apress books penned by David Cook.

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