| Acknowledgments | p. XI |
| Introduction | p. XIII |
| Welcome to Competition Robots | p. 1 |
| What Is a Robot? | p. 5 |
| Combat Robot Competitions | p. 5 |
| The Scope of This Book | p. 17 |
| Getting Started | p. 21 |
| The Robot Design Approach | p. 23 |
| Top Ten Reasons Why a Robot Fails | p. 34 |
| Sources of Robot Parts | p. 35 |
| Cost Factors in Large Robot Construction | p. 35 |
| Safety | p. 36 |
| Robot Locomotion | p. 41 |
| Robots with Legs | p. 42 |
| Tank Treads: The Power of a Caterpillar Bulldozer in a Robot | p. 45 |
| Wheels: A Tried and True Method of Locomotion | p. 47 |
| Motor Selection and Performance | p. 61 |
| Electric Motor Basics | p. 62 |
| Internal Combustion Engines | p. 76 |
| Conclusion | p. 77 |
| It's All About Power | p. 79 |
| Battery Power Requirements | p. 80 |
| Battery Capacity Basics | p. 83 |
| Electrical Wiring Requirements | p. 91 |
| Battery Types | p. 92 |
| Installing the Batteries: Accessible vs. Nonaccessible | p. 100 |
| Power Transmission: Getting Power to Your Wheels | p. 103 |
| Power Transmission Basics | p. 106 |
| Chain Drive Systems | p. 115 |
| Belt Drive Systems | p. 118 |
| Gearboxes | p. 122 |
| Controlling Your Motors | p. 127 |
| Relay Control | p. 128 |
| Variable Speed Control Basics | p. 139 |
| Remotely Controlling Your Robot | p. 157 |
| Traditional R/C Controls | p. 158 |
| Control Channels | p. 160 |
| AM, FM, PCM, and Radio Interference | p. 167 |
| Radio Interference and Reliable Control | p. 170 |
| Antennas and Shielding | p. 173 |
| Innovation First Isaac Robot Controller and Other Radio Modems | p. 175 |
| Failsafe Compliance | p. 179 |
| Robot Material and Construction Techniques | p. 183 |
| Metals and Materials | p. 184 |
| General Machining Operations | p. 193 |
| When in Doubt, Build It Stout | p. 201 |
| Weapons Systems for Your Robot | p. 203 |
| Weapon Strategy and Effectiveness | p. 204 |
| Closing Remarks on Weapons | p. 236 |
| Autonomous Robots | p. 239 |
| Using Sensors to Allow Your Robot to See, Hear, and Feel | p. 241 |
| Implementing Sensors in Combat Robots | p. 248 |
| Semiautonomous Target and Weapon Tracking | p. 250 |
| Autonomous Target Tracking | p. 253 |
| More Information | p. 257 |
| Robot Brains | p. 259 |
| Microcontroller Basics | p. 260 |
| Microcontroller Applications | p. 268 |
| Summary | p. 273 |
| Robot Sumo | p. 275 |
| Modifying an R/C Servo for Continuous Rotation | p. 281 |
| Building a Mini Sumo | p. 284 |
| Mini Sumo Body Assembly | p. 284 |
| Remote-Control Mini Sumo | p. 285 |
| Autonomous Mini Sumo | p. 286 |
| Edge Detector | p. 286 |
| Object Dector | p. 290 |
| Sensor Integration | p. 293 |
| Performance Improvements | p. 297 |
| Various Mini Sumo Robots | p. 297 |
| Motors | p. 299 |
| Motor Controllers | p. 299 |
| Ultrasonic Range Detectors | p. 300 |
| Infrared Range Detectors | p. 301 |
| Laser Range Finding and Vision Systems | p. 301 |
| Advanced Software Algorithms | p. 301 |
| Traction Improvements | p. 302 |
| Robot Part Suppliers | p. 302 |
| Real-Life Robots: Lessons from Veteran Builders | p. 305 |
| Ronni Katz--Building Chew Toy | p. 306 |
| Pete Miles--Building Live Wires | p. 316 |
| Afterword | p. 329 |
| The Future of Robot Combat | p. 330 |
| Prototyping Electronics | p. 335 |
| Breadboarding and Using Prototyping Boards for Electronic Circuits | p. 336 |
| Wire-Wrapping Prototyping | p. 337 |
| Soldering for Robots | p. 337 |
| Crimp-Style Connectors | p. 339 |
| Static Sensitivity | p. 340 |
| Resources and References | p. 343 |
| Robot Competition Web Sites | p. 344 |
| Electric Motor Sources | p. 344 |
| Battery Suppliers | p. 346 |
| Electronic Speed Controller Vendors | p. 346 |
| Remote Control System Vendors | p. 347 |
| Mechanical Systems Suppliers | p. 347 |
| Electronics Suppliers | p. 348 |
| Microcontroller Suppliers | p. 350 |
| Reference Books | p. 350 |
| Robotics Organizations | p. 351 |
| Other Robotics Resources | p. 352 |
| Helpful Formulas | p. 355 |
| Chain Drive Centerline Distances | p. 356 |
| Timing Belt Centerline Distances | p. 357 |
| V-Belts | p. 357 |
| Index | p. 358 |
| Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved. |
