Amphibionics : Build Your Own Biologically Inspired Reptilian Robot [Paperback]

Karl Williams (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 007141245X | ISBN-13: 978-0071412452 | Publication Date: April 8, 2003 | Edition: 1

This work provides the hobbyist with detailed mechanical, electronic, and PIC microcontroller knowledge needed to build and program a snake, frog, turtle, and alligator robots. It focuses on the construction of each robot in detail, and then explores the world of slithering, jumping, swimming, and walking robots, and the artificial intelligence needed with these platforms.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

ROBOTIC EVOLUTION HAS BEGUN! THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO JOIN THE REVOLUTION

If you’re a robotics hobbyist with a flair for creativity, here’s your opportunity to join the revolution and advance robotic evolution. Amphibionics: Build Your Own Biologically Inspired Reptilian Robot leads you step-by-step through four amazing projects which, when completed, will leave you as master of a gang of robot reptiles that jump, slither, walk, swim, and respond to their environment!

Packed with insight and a wealth of informative illustrations, Amphibionics show you how to build your own snake, frog, crocodile, and turtle. It focuses on the construction of each robot in detail, and then explores the world of slithering, jumping, swimming, and walking robots — along with the artificial intelligence needed to make these movements happen. The book also:

* Tells you all you need for mechanical construction, programming, locomotion, remote control, and customization
* Teaches you corresponding electronics, PIC programming, artificial intelligence, software, motor control, and wireless data linking.
* Instructs you to build your own customizable remote control using inexpensive transmitter and receiver modules
* Helps you add your own touches, through a special section that shows you how to evolve each robot further and make it unique
* And much, much, more!

With each project amazingly inexpensive to complete, you’re bound to wind up with your own brood of reptilian robots in no time!

About the Author

Karl Williams is an independent robotics researcher, electronics experimenter, and software developer. He is with Mitra Imaging, a leading medical imaging software company acquired by AGFA HealthCare Informatics. He is the author of Insectronics: Build Your Own Walking Robot and has written for Nuts and Volts magazine. A resident of Ontario, Canada, Karl has hosted a robotics and electronics website for four years, and received an IBM regional computer technology award for building a computer-controlled robotic arm.

Product Details

• Paperback: 363 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics; 1 edition (April 8, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 007141245X
• ISBN-13: 978-0071412452
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,478,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book! Build four incredible robots, June 6, 2003

By 

Stephen Carter (New Mexico, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amphibionics : Build Your Own Biologically Inspired Reptilian Robot (Paperback)

Finally a book that gives complete, concise details for building real working robots.

This book starts out with the basics of metal working and test equipement that will be needed to build the robots. There is a very informative chapter on PIC programming that makes understanding and programming microcontrollers very easy. The book has great mechanical drawings for cutting, drilling and bending the aluminum. The schematics are easy to follow and printed circuit board templates are also included so you can make your own circuit boards. There are also diagrams that show you exactly where each of the electronic components should be positioned on the boards. Once the circuit boards and mechanics have been constructed, complete wiring diagrams are included showing you how to wire everything up - this book does not let you down!!

The first robot project is a frog that achieves locomotion by jumping. This is a really cool design and it uses the same circuit board that was used for the Insectronic robot (his first
book).

The second robot is a snake and is very cool. This is my favorite robot in the entire book and the only one that I have built so far. It is so amazing to watch this robot move around
the room. Once again, the book is complete in the details for building and programming this robot along with building an infrared sensor board. Lots of great pictures. The author also has a website with movies of the snake...

THe Third robot is a four legged walking crocodile. This robot uses a dual motor gearmotor and an interesting mechanical design. This chapter also focuses on the implementaion of a wireless data link, remote control, DC motor control and leg sensors. The pictures and diagrams are excellent.

The fourth robot is a wheeled turtle robot that can move in any direction. It shows you how to use an ultrasonic range finder for precise measurement and an optical shaft encoder implemented for room mapping. This chapter is a lot of fun because the history of Grey Walters' historic robot turtle experminents are described.

Each chapter starts with a description of the robots biological counterpart and its inspiration.

This book is worth twice what it is selling for!

...

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book!, February 13, 2004

By 

Tom Ogden (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amphibionics : Build Your Own Biologically Inspired Reptilian Robot (Paperback)

In response to the last review I have to say that all of the files listed in the book actually ARE available on the authors website - just follow the links that are listed for the book support!! I downloaded all the files without any problems. Craig must have been confused about the PicBasic Pro compiler - you do have to buy that from a software company (microengineering labs) but getting the compiler makes PIC microcontroller programming painless and the author would be liable if he put it on his website for free. You don't even really need the compiler if you are building the robots as they are described in the book because the book lists the hex files needed to program the microcontroller. The great thing about this book is that it stands alone because all of the programs and the hex files are listed in the book so that you don't actually need to access the authors website at all - the book is complete on its own.
The projects are really amazing and so well described that I could do it without a lot of electronics knowledge to begin with. I've built the robot snake and the first time it slithered across the floor was a very exciting achievement. This is the kind of ground-breaking book that could inspire a whole new generation of AI robots!

5.0 out of 5 stars Amphibionics, September 13, 2011

By 

Mark Hunter "Computer and Electronic Engineer... (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Amphibionics : Build Your Own Biologically Inspired Reptilian Robot (Paperback)

I purchased this book because I love robotics. I can't find anything wrong with this book other than it is too short. The projects are well laid out and clear directions are given for their construction and assembly. The book has four projects that range from easy to more difficult, so a wide range of builders will find something useful. The author says one thing in the book that has stuck with me for along time now, I can only paraphrase the quote. If you build a robot that has electronics that work well and a mechanical design that is flawed and stops working you are left with a lump of electronics that blink and buzz. Not very useful. However, if you build a robot that has a great mechanical design and the electronics fail for some reason you still have a great little mechanism that can be used again or kept as an interesting addition to your collection. Because of this the author has some of the best mechanical designs for robots which I have read, and I collect robot books. The book takes you through the tools and equipment needed and then shows you how to print your own circuit boards which I have not found covered very much in robotics books. The book however, does not go into component electronics at all. Component electronics is not necessary for these robots so it would only add extra girth to the book and it can be learned from countless other books. Also check out Insectronics.