Product Description

A major revision of the bestselling "bible" of amateur robotics building--packed with the latest in servo motor technology, microcontrolled robots, remote control, Lego Mindstorms Kits, and other commercial kits.

Gives electronics hobbyists fully illustrated plans for 11 complete Robots, as well as all-new coverage of Robotix-based Robots, Lego Technic-based Robots, Functionoids with Lego Mindstorms, and Location and Motorized Systems with Servo Motors.

Features a pictures and parts list that accompany all projects, and material on using the BASIC Stamp and other microcontrollers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #480918 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 720 pages

Review
The author of The Robot Builder's Sourcebook ... offers a series of easy-to-do projects ranging from adapting common toys to walking robots to giving your robot sound capabilities. He includes new information on LEGO(R) Mindstorms(tm), microcontrollers, robotics programming, and other technological developments. For learning the various components of putting together a robot, this is a great guide, and of course, as one would expect from the author, there are many useful resources listed. Library Journal 20021101

Review
The author of The Robot Builder's Sourcebook ... offers a series of easy-to-do projects ranging from adapting common toys to walking robots to giving your robot sound capabilities. He includes new information on LEGO(R) Mindstorms(tm), microcontrollers, robotics programming, and other technological developments. For learning the various components of putting together a robot, this is a great guide, and of course, as one would expect from the author, there are many useful resources listed. (Library Journal )

Book Info
Amateur guide to robotics, with science tidbits, field-tested projects, and modular organization. Also contains full appendices that provide suggestions for further reading, Internet information sources, names and addresses for mail order supply companies, and more. Softcover. DLC: Robotics.

Customer Reviews

A 'must' for any serious robot builder's reference shelf
This updated second edition of Gordeon McCombs' Robot Builder's Bonanza includes plenty of new plans and step-by-step instructions for building a robot, from a minibot and roverbot to a pepbot and Lego lightbots. New to this edition are insights on LEGO-based robots, fixed and mobile Servo motor systems, infrared, laser and other sensory equipment, and more. Robot Builder's Bonanza is a 'must' for any serious robot builder's reference shelf.

A source of energy - not solutions!
By profession I'm a Software Engineer
(This is about the second edition)
I borrowed this book at the local library -I'm glad that I didn't buy it!

I was told that my last review suck! I agreed (too much stress) and rewrote...

Generally this book is about reusing/rearranging junk for your robot projects (this may seem like a good idea). The book covers a lot of topics - too fast in most cases and offers you only "1" solution to a problem that if you sat down and think would solve in a completely different manner.
Chapter 40: "Sound output and input" the author simply forgets that he has a uC at his disposal and combines some 555 timer IC's for a siren - indeed software is a more obvious solution.
His final output stage is a lm386 from National that can deliver approx. 0,5w. (this not even a driver stage!)

I occasionally find the components required exotic - this may however be a local problem.
Overall I'm glad that I read this book it is completely stuffed with interesting ideas - I just almost never agree with the given solution.
I was dying to read the chapter on IR communication but it only made use of an ordinary remote control. - The book's program was ONLY about the receiver. Who wants to control their robot with their tv-remote controller.
Of course you want to design your own transmitter! No theory is given so again 'your solution'. I put my tv-remote on a scope and synthesised it using an Atmel uC.

This is what dislike about the book - the lack of theory. It contains tons of ideas but you must learn about it elsewhere.
(Oh my Good, he uses BASIC!)

A great update to a classic book.
I remember reading the first edition of the book and feeling disappointed, because this book showed you the various robot products that you could by, it really wasn't a tutorial that showed you how to complete a single robot from step one to finish. In many respects the second edition is written in much the same vain as the first edition. It's better to get this book if your an intermediate robot builder.

There are some many reasons why this is a good robot book, so here are three of them. First it gets you thinking and about building robots motivated me by the descriptions, second it tells you which kits or products are on the market, and finally
there are snippets of essential circuit board schematics.