Continue to Site

Welcome to our site!

Electro Tech is an online community (with over 170,000 members) who enjoy talking about and building electronic circuits, projects and gadgets. To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

  • Welcome to our site! Electro Tech is an online community (with over 170,000 members) who enjoy talking about and building electronic circuits, projects and gadgets. To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

Starting Robotics.

Status
Not open for further replies.

Glacius

New Member
Hi, I'm interested in starting Robotics although i have had a bit of experience with lego mindstorms when I was younger (lol) and I was wondering if anyone could tell me any books I should get to help me start off. I was thinking about these two:

https://www.amazon.com/Kickin-Bot-I...5875914?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175851406&sr=1-1

and

https://www.amazon.com/Insectronics...5875914?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175851810&sr=1-2

And possibly

https://www.amazon.com/Robot-Builde...5875914?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175851903&sr=1-1

If anyone else could tell me of a good book to get started I'd really appreciate it. :)
 
mems ?!???!? what the **** are you talking about?
 
bloody-orc said:
mems ?!???!? what the **** are you talking about?
No need to be hostile. MEMS - Micro Electro Mechanical Systems
7 million hits on Google; it is your friend. This was the top hit today.
**broken link removed**
 
Papabravo
I didn't mean to be hostile, but I just didn't understand how has MEMS anything to do with this topic? I personally knew that... (you have to scare the newcomers so they start thinking before they post)
 
Are you quite sure that it has no relevance macro scale pursuits? I am by no means that confident.
 
MEMs are microsopic mechanical devices that you cannot build yourself. It's much more likely you would buy them as chips where they serve as accelerometers or gyroscopes.
 
If you want to be the one to sit there with a microscope and a razor blade and learn the ins and outs of physically constructing a device that functions in less than a centimeter of space using common materials, go ahead =)
 
Hi you all guys, this is my first post and I am very happy because i found that forum. Now to the topic :)
Well here where I live, there isn't a single place in the whole country where you can buy a book on robotics. But in fact I don't think I really needed one :) There is enough information on the net. And if you are patient you can find anything you need. Come out with an idea for a project, it shouldn't be complicated. For example something suitable is a mobile robot with 4 wheels. First you'll have to solve the problem of controlling DC motors where google comes very usefull :) Next you'll want to make the robot to run around on his own, so will face the need of a microcontroller. Write in the google PIC16F84 and you'll get tons of information. Soon after you have built-in the microcontroller you will realise the opportunities it gives you. And so, step by step you'll come in the world of robotics absolutely on your own and you'll have better knowlidge than just read a book and build the projects, you won't have to solve any problems, just follow the instructions and in the and you won't be able to design your own robot.
Svetlin.
 
dknguyen said:
MEMs are microsopic mechanical devices that you cannot build yourself. It's much more likely you would buy them as chips where they serve as accelerometers or gyroscopes.

And you can't figure out why or how Accelerometers and Gyroscopes would/could be used in Robotics? Hmm...
 
Thanks. I've recently bought the Pic 16f628A microcontroller and I'm looking for a programmer to use it. Would the VELLEMAN Pic Programmer/Checker be suitable?
 
RTFD!
it's all written in the manual!

EDIT: sry for getting a little pissed before... But people really should stop asking "stupid" questions that they could easily find an answer in 30 seconds themselves..
 
Last edited:
bloody-orc said:
RTFD! (read the ******* datasheet)
it's all written in the manual!

Eh Mate,
Chill out, the last thing I'd want to see is YOU banned from this forum for swearing. Well I only opened this post to see what you have contributed to the great robotics chat only to see you frustrated yet again.:(

Mate me and others DO value your contribition to this robotics chat but please leave the hissy fits out.

just my 2.2 cents worth

Cheers Bryan :D
 
Glacius said:
Would the VELLEMAN Pic Programmer/Checker be suitable?

If you mean the K8048, then yes, it's suitable. I've used the K8048 and have programed 16F84, 16F627 and 16F628 with it no problem.
However, it is a serial programmer and cannot work through a serial/USB adapter. ( Just incase you were thinking of trying it ).
 
Glacius said:
Thanks. I've recently bought the Pic 16f628A microcontroller and I'm looking for a programmer to use it. Would the VELLEMAN Pic Programmer/Checker be suitable?

Buy or build the Inchworm it's cheaper and more up to date. Works with many USB to RS232 adapters, programs the 16F628A no problem.
 
Also If you are really into programming PIC's in the future and would like your programmer work in 5 years time also, I would suggest investing some more and getting yourself a good USB programmer/ICD system. AVR has a board named "Dragon", witch does absolutely everything for just 49$. As I don't play with PIC's anymore I don't know if PIC has something similar for that kind of money (I somehow doubt it). You see Serial ports are very fast disappearing from modern PC's and are almost extincted on laptop computers. also USB has a bigger chance to be cross platform compatible. (works on WIn, Linux and OS from mac). But I have no idea, if you actually need that feature... Also buy something that is being kept alive and continually updated with new PICs etc. So when you one day discover a cool chip to program and you suddenly discover, that your programmer doesn't support that, cause it's too old or weak, it doesn't feel good... pay a fer $ more to get a more lasting thing.

As they say "I'm not rich enough to buy cheap things" ;)


Anyway good luck and sry for being a "bit" harsh on you before... (came from a math test, witch was a bit... hard (I won't give you an example so someone could say, that i'm mean again...) :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest threads

New Articles From Microcontroller Tips

Back
Top