where do I begin ?

Answering the question "Where Do I Begin": Start small and cheap. Build
an RC servo-based robot as your first one. You can get a RTR (ready to
run) microcontroller board for under $100. Some, like the OOPic-R, are
designed for small robotics and are plug and play. Be sure to check out
others at Parallax, Oricomtech, BD Micro, Junun (there are more; this is
just a start). Get current copies of SERVO, Nuts & Volts, and Robot
Magazine. They are a rich resource of articles and ads for robot parts.

Of course if you want to buy a copy of Robot Builder's Bonanza (I wrote
it) I won't stop you! But bear in mind most libraries carry it, as well
as other amateur robot texts. A good public library should be your first
stop.

Once you get ytour feet wet the learning curve won't seem to steep.
There is no need to learn "everything" about motors or batteries or
sensors upfront. It all comes naturally as you play.

For some small expandable robot kits that serve as good starter models
(sans brain, which you can add from a variety of sources) see the small
outfit I run Budget Robotics. There are others that offer similar
product: Lynxmotion, Rogue Robotics, Acroname, Junun, Solarbotics. and
many others -- all been in business for many years and are well
respected. This is a thriving hobby you will find exciting and
stimulating!

-- Gordon

I have been tinkering around with radio control vehicles for some time. When
they break, I take them apart and scavenge or "recycle" the parts.

an RC servo-based robot as your first one. You can get a RTR (ready to

Thank you for that info. That's what I needed. And, I did buy your book
today. I haven't started to read it yet, but glanced thru it at the
bookstore before I bought it. I had a 25% discount coupon so I just figured
it looked pretty complete and I don't have to worry about when it would be
due back at the library. Anyway, I am hoping to be able to start on
something next week once my finals are over. I have a complete workshop and
electronics bench with oscope, I have just never really worked with the
mechanical things like the wheels, gears and pulleys, and I have never
worked with microcontrollers either. It looked like your book covered these
details in a comprehensive way, at least for a beginner like myself.

Thank you again and, who knows, you may be receiving an order from me soon !

Joe

Joe:

_Robot_Builder's_Bonanza_ is now in the third edition
and is what many of us started with.  I would also
recommend David Cook's _Robot_Building_for_Beginners_.
Be sure to drop by your local public library, they usually
have several beginners robotics books on the shelves.
If not on the shelves, ask about Inter Library Loan;
for a small fee your librarian can fetch just about
any book you can imagine to the library for your to
check-out and read.  In addition, I would recommend
subscribing to both Servo Magazine and Nuts and Volts
Magazine (same publisher).  Lastly, you should attempt
to find a local area robotics club and join it.

There are two broad ways of getting started.  Either
get an all-in-one package like the Lego Mindstorms NXT
or the Vex Roboticts package, OR build from components.
If you go with the component approach, you will have
to decide between modified hobby servos for motor drive
or DC gear motors with an H-bridge.  We can help you with
that choice.  Also, you will have the more difficult
question of which microcontroller to use -- there are
many choices and what is right for me, may be completely
wrong for you.  The "which microcontroller should I use?"
is one of the most frequent ones on this list.

Start off with an easy robot, like an obsticle avoider
or a line follower.  Build up from there.

-Wayne

Thank you Wayne,

I tried replying to Gordon's message earlier today, but apparently I pressed
the 'reply' instead of 'reply to group', because I received a bounced email
from his addy. I know he has that for spam protection. My bad.

But, to summarize, I did buy Gordon's book. Robot Builder's Bonanza. I had a
25% discount at the book store, so I thought I would just get it. It seems
like it is more of a 'bible' for robot builders. I probably won't start work
on anything until after my final exams next week anyway. I have lots of
analog electronics assembly and design experience, but I know the mechanical
part is going to be difficult. I have also never worked with
microcontrollers, so that's another possible problem area. I also have a
small workshop with the basic hand tools. As Gordon suggested going with a
radio control for the first time, I have been tinkering with radio control
vehicles for awhile now. That's why now iI want to try and build something
that is autonomous. Anyway, I will be starting his book (probably tonite),
and I am glad I found this group in case I have any more questions.

Thanks again for the reply

Joe

Hello again Wayne,

You gave me an idea when you said line follower above. I am thinking about a
'fence follower'. I have a stockade fence around my yard. I guess it would
be possible to program it to go around the yard and stay, say 10 feet away
from the fence(ultrasonics, or IR, maybe). I am thinking about using one of
those kid's wagons (radio flyer), beef up  the wheels a bit to where they
are inflatable (like wheelbarrow wheels), and use a 12 V deep cycle marine
battery for the power source. I still have to figure out what type of drive
I should use, but, well, I am supposed to be studying so I should really get
back to that. Any ideas let me know.

Thanks again
Joe

[snip]


[snip]


A wall/fence follower is a good idea.  It would be better
to start with a small one that follows walls inside the house
before going outside.  The reason why is because you can use
smaller motors, batteries, H-bridges, etc. that are less
expensive.  As your motors, batteries, H-bridges get larger,
you have to be very careful about spurious resets occuring
on your microcontroller.  Once you have a small one working,
then you should scale it up for outside use.

My $.02,

-Wayne

Good idea, thanks Wayne.

Joe