Alexander Robotics

Robot Building For Beginners

My strategy for finding books is go to Amazon, search for a topic, then browse based on reviews and what others bought. This strategy lead me to the appropriately titled Robot Building for Beginners. If you’re new to robotics or electronics in general, buy this book. Right now.

David Cook walks through a variety of topics, from understanding tools like a multimeter to motors, wheels, and couplers. The book centers around building a basic line following robot, with each chapter covering a new feature of the robot. There is no mention of an Arduino — or any microcontroller for that matter — it’s all transistors, resistors, and comparators.

Cook’s writing eases you into what can be intimidating topics, holding your hand along the way. You’re left with a broad understanding of the mechanical and electrical components involved in a robot. Still, this is a beginner book and really serves to wet your appetite for more.

Intermediate version: Intermediate Robot Building

Electronics for Dummies

When I first started learning robotics, I went to Fry’s for a few capacitors and diodes to build a circuit I saw on Instructables. While scouring, I saw Electronics for Dummies. “Ha, I am far too smart for this book,” I said aloud, and then — when nobody was looking — I grabbed the book and ran to the checkout counter.

I’m glad I did.

If you’re new to electronics, Electronics for Dummies gives a good overview of why a component behaves a certain way. The book answers several questions like: How does a capacitor work? What happens when resistors are in parallel? What are the different types of semiconductors? And so forth.

As Electronics for Dummies covers the fundamentals well, I recommend it for anyone wanting a foundation for working with electronics. If you know how to calculate an RC time constant, a “for Dummies” book can probably be skipped. Also be warned, the book does not go into detail about using this electronics knowledge in creating your own circuits.

Intermediate version: Electronics Self-Teaching Guide.

Practical Arduino: Cool Projects for Open Source Hardware

I discovered Practical Arduino: Cool Projects for Open Source Hardware when searching Amazon for, surprise surprise, “Arduino.” The top result is Getting Started with Arduino, by one of the founders of the project. I had picked up Getting Started with Arduino from the Maker Faire a couple years back and found it a good absolute beginners book, but left me wanting more.

Practical Arduino features 14 Arduino projects — not a single one is a robot. While at first off put by this revelation, I came to appreciate the book more for focusing on everything else an Arduino can do.

Projects include an RFID security system, a weather station, and even a device to monitor your car’s on-board computer. Reading the book provides a strong insight into the Arduino and microcontrollers in general with topics like Interrupt Service Routine and Pulse Width Modulation. Practical Arduino is similar to Robot Building for Beginners in the way electronic components are explained (both are also Apress books). For example, when a setup requires an extra capacitor, the authors take the time to explain their motivations for doing so.