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Bots /The Ultimate Palm Robot/ Mukhar & Johnson / 222880-6 / Chapter 10

Chapter 10 Having Fun with Your Robot 269

Intrigued by different gadgets? You can look at other sensors or output de-
vices beyond what we’ve explored in this chapter. What about sound or
touch? Can you add a device that makes the robot sensitive to particular
sound frequencies? Can you add a sensor that signals the processor when it
touches an object? What other devices can you control through the controller
board? You may want to look at adding a remote video capability to the robot,
so that the robot sends back a picture of where it is. Can you devise a robot that
can play a ukulele or a saxophone?

Perhaps you’re a software hacker. We’ve looked at some simple programs
for the robot. These programs can provide some interesting behavior, and yet
that behavior is somewhat limited. Wall following is useful for the robot, but
by itself it does not give the robot a long-term usefulness. Start thinking about
the bigger problems you might want your robot to handle and how you could
program the robot to handle them.
If you have a BrainStem, you might want to look further into reflexes.
While there is a lot of debate about self-awareness and animal intelligence, it
seems clear to us that regardless of where one draws the line, many behaviors
are driven by reflex and instinct. The less intelligent a creature, the more

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