subject: Electronics Enthusiasts Take First Steps Into The Future With Robot Kits [print this page] The idea of building robots is probably one of the first and most stereotypical images conjured up when you mention electronics hobbyists. obots lectronicsand obbyistsseem to be words synonymous with each other.
Indeed, fashioning intelligent artificial life with robot kits is often one of the major attractions of electronics. And while it may appear to be a hobby enjoyed by only the most quirky geniuses, you be surprised by its widespread appeal.
With a multitude of equipment available too, it perhaps isn as tricky as you might think to build your own robot.
The joy of getting started with robotics is there plenty of equipment available. You might be a complete novice or an experienced designer. The multitude of robot kits and parts on offer provides ample inspiration to all enthusiasts.
Putting it all together: getting started with robot kits
What are you going to need to put everything together? If youe opted for a pre-packaged kit you probably won have to worry about additional items. Everything you need should be in front of you.
However, while you can buy robot kits to build racing cars or mechanical animals, some products are slightly different.
For example, Arduino robot kits will usually comprise a board and other pieces of equipment to get you started. Using the Arduino platform you can then set about creating your own bot.
But for the complete beginner, it might be more fun to build something you can easily visualise such as a mechanical kangaroo. Granted, it probably isn the first item you think of in relation to robotics. But the end product is something youl be able to relate to.
Once you become proficient at building robots and understanding their processes, designing them is the next step. Still, there nothing wrong with a robot Roo. Indeed, you can learn a lot about robotics by studying the functions and movement of mechanical animals.
Watch closely as the gearbox transforms rotation into the Kangaroo walking and hopping. You can also study the effects of different gear ratios too. A bespoke Kangaroo robot kit will have two ratios that you can use, each performing their own functions to control movement.
To enable you to view all of these processes at work, a quality kit will also encompass a transparent case. Furthermore, there often no soldering required. It just a case of snapping parts together. Essentially, a similar robot kit offers the perfect introduction to the practical and theoretical intricacies of the subject.
You don have to start out making an animal hop, skip, run and jump though. A small step beyond the cute beginner kits are programmable robots. Again, there is minimal assembly required. However, you may have more say in what the robot does. Isn giving instructions all part of the fun?
Have you got a little C programming experience? Youl probably find that maze solving and line-following models are great for learning about robotics.
Robot kits vary slightly in the level of expertise and knowledge youl need to get the most out of them. But they act as the perfect starting point for anyone interested in developing their knowledge of this popular hobby.
