Robot Books

Hobbyists may have difficultly finding a book about electronics that doesn't contain too much mathematical or theoretical material. The books listed on this page are those that I found helpful, readable, and interesting.

I won't list a book unless I own it and have read it.

Must-Have Books...

Robot Building for Beginners by David Cook

This book is for readers who like the schematics, photographs, and style of Robot Room, but who have been looking for complete step-by-step instructions or a beginning project. Robot Building for Beginners consists of all new material that doesn't exist on this web site. Highly recommended. Teens to adults. Here's a detailed look at the chapters.

Intermediate Robot Building by David Cook

A second book, also in the style of the Robot Room website and the first book. Presents a second robot that can be built with or without programming. All new material not presented on this site, plus greater in-depth material on the topics that receive the most questions on RobotRoom.com:

Highly recommended. College students to adults. Here's a detailed look at the chapters.

Junkbots, Bugbots, & Bots on Wheels by Dave Hrynkiw and Mark W. Tilden

Truly an excellent book from very talented builders!

Tons of clear photographs with complete instructions for multiple robots and related experiments. Lots of tips and tricks.

There are two things I like most about this book: First, the authors concentrate on recycling as many techno-trash parts as possible, which overcomes the cost barrier that many robot hobbyists encounter. Second, the designs are extremely different from the two-wheeled robots that I tend to build. Their fascinating (yet easy to build) robots are much like insects in appearance, movement, and behavior.

Home Shop Machinist magazine

This is a great magazine for lazy Sunday (or active Saturday) reading. I have stack of back issues on my night stand.

There is no less expensive way to "get into" machining than to read about it first. This magazine has lots of pictures. The reader-submitted projects run from beginner to expert. I really admire some of the craftmanship.

Good Books...

Robo Sapiens: Evolution of a New Species by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio

The only bad thing about this book is the cover. The photograph and title give the impression that contained inside are long-winded philosophical ramblings.

Actually, the book contains page after wonderful page of thought-provoking full-color photographs of every variety of robot. Most engineers concentrate so much on functionality (or just getting the darn thing to work) that they forget about aesthetics or flash. Even if unintentionally, this book helps draw designers into thinking about the form and beauty waiting to burst with a few simple added pieces.

It covers individual builders along with their pride and joy. It relates their long-term goals and unique techniques to create a little life. Very inspiring!

Practical Electronics for Inventors by Paul Scherz

I have never seen an electronics book this complete with such a breadth of subjects. The material is well written and is often the first source I turn to verify terms or technology. This covers basic, analog, digital, AC, and DC electronics. It's an encyclopedia for hobbyists. I refer to this book all the time.

I had room for only one book when I packed my bag for a weeklong trip. This was it!

A number of readers have since told me that the first edition of this book contained a lot of errors and typos. As such, I moved this out of my Must-Have section. Chuck Kutscher has been kind enough to put together this extensive first-edition corrections page.

And now that the second edition is out, Marty Ligare has a 22 page list of errors. What's wrong with me? I liked this book.

Mobile Robots: Inspiration to Implementation by Joseph L. Jones, Anita M. Flynn, and Bruce A. Seiger

Like many of you, when I was a kid I dreamed of building robots. I almost forgot all about that dream until I was in a bookstore with my wife and infant son about seven years ago. I ran across this great book, which re-inspired me to discover robot creation. The book has an interesting section on batteries, although the book touches on every facet of robotics.

Build Your Own Robot! by Karl Lunt

This book is a collection of articles. The short nature of each makes the book appropriate for many nights of nighttime reading. (Unless the stories get you so excited about building robots that you then can't sleep). I especially like his hacking of common objects, like drink coolers and children's toy trucks. His writing style made me comfortable writing in the first person, as that style seems to impart more of the energy of a project's experience.

Robot Sumo: The Official Guide by Pete Miles

Many pictures and diagrams. Describes a variety of robot designs, wheels, batteries, motors, motor drivers, microcontrollers, edge detectors, and opponent detectors. Good tips, such as using square bar stock for framing.

Some of the material is already well-covered on the web, such as the official robot sumo rules (http://www.fsi.co.jp/sumo-e/out/outa0000.html), introduction to robot sumo (SumoRules.html), how to make a sumo ring (SumoCircleMini.html), and a review of sumo robots that other people have made. However, it was still appropriate for the author to include such information in book form.

All in all, an excellent overview of everything involving Robot Sumo. I wish that it had a little more depth on certain subjects, such as head-to-head results from different example designs and simple experiments you can try yourself.

Scientific American magazine

This is a classic science-oriented magazine that covers a wide range of subjects. For those few moments when you tire of practical applications and would like your mind to wander into the theoretical or experimental. It's a nice present to come home to once a month.

Circuit Cellar magazine

This is a good electronics magazine. Lots of projects. Nowadays, it's good to support those that support our hobby.

Making Printed Circuit Boards by Jan Axelson

David says: "Oh no! This book seems to be out of print, so I've moved it out of the Must-Have section. Can anyone suggest a good replacement that I could recommend?"

After I learned that Mario hand-solders surface-mounted components, I knew I needed to start making my own printed circuit boards. This book is comprehensive as to all the popular methods of making individual circuit boards. With step-by-step instructions from start to finish, no experience is necessary. The book gave me enough knowledge and confidence that I ordered supplies and made PCBs myself.

Definitive Guide to LEGO MINDSTORMS by Dave Baum

I thought this wouldn't be very interesting, as I'm building my own robot cores from microcontrollers. I was wrong! Dave's book contains information about mechanics, drive systems, project ideas, and an unconscious bleeding enthusiasm for robotics.

Even if your entire LEGO collection consists of only a few pieces from a 1983 McDonald's Happy Meal, this book is worth owning just to see the things he's built. Have you ever built a robot candy dispenser, dump truck, brick sorter, robotic arm, and a temperature logger?

After I bought the book, I had the honor of running into Dave. He's a very nice guy.

Schaum's Outline of Digital Principles by Roger L. Tokheim

When I decided to learn about robots, I knew nothing about electronics. (Some people would say I still don't know anything about electronics.) This book helped teach me all of the digital knowledge I needed about basic chips and gates. In fact, the Alphanumeric LED Display project started as the 0 to 99 counter of Figure 13-6 in this book. Figure 12-8b, Diode ROM decoder, inspired the enormous diode ROM used in the Alphanumeric project.

Even though microcontrollers largely replace the need for many of the circuits and chips this book describes, beginners have an easier, faster, and less expensive time learning with integrated ICs. I feel I'm a better (and less frustrated) builder because this book taught me how to walk before I learned how to run.

Other Books...

Sensors For Mobile Robots: Theory and Application by H. R. Everett

This is a massive book. The author has significant experience with a wide variety of sensors. The early chapters are the best, with descriptions of the robots he's created and the successes and failures encountered in their lifespans. Later chapters were less interesting, as technology advances very rapidly, rendering many of the described sensors (and their earlier limitations) obsolete. Yet, the fundamental principles of operation remain valuable. The price of this book is way too high.

Robot Builder's Bonanza by Gordon McComb and Myke Predko

This book makes up in breadth what it lacks in depth. (Hence the subtitle "99 Inexpensive Robotics Projects".) For an example of lack of depth, the section on batteries covers some battery types, but not in enough detail to help the reader pick one battery type over another. It seemed like a lot of decision points ended with the conclusion "It depends", instead of "If you need such-and-such, choose this."

On the positive side, the author chooses simply terminology to prevent intimidation. Some chapters, like the one describing tools, really gives the sense of the variety of tools a robot builder uses. Other chapters are dedicated to the building of a particular robot -- which lets the reader replicate Gordon's designs.

After reading the book, I felt like I had spent the day at the author's house (or basement or garage) and he was showing every tool, part, and robot he had. We never got time to discuss any particular piece in depth, but I came away with a very comfortable sense for the world of hobby robots.

Second edition online errata page: www.robotoid.com/errata.html

Building Robot Drive Trains by Dennis Clark and Michael Owings

This book includes a number of helpful tips and ideas such as flexible-tubing couplers, modifying servos for continuous rotation, using stepper motors, and creating and reading encoders. Unfortunately, the book reads like it was written by two people (which it was), with half the chapters being very good, and the other half not, and some discontinuity in between. There are a number of technical errors, which makes me uncomfortable with a whole-hearted recommendation. However, being responsible authors, many corrections are posted on an online errata page (http://users.frii.com/dlc/robotics/brdt.html).

Mechanical Devices For The Electronics Experimenter by Britt Britton Rorabaugh

I find it difficult to criticize someone else's work, especially understanding the labor and sacrifices that are made in writing. I was really looking forward to reading this book, but was disappointed when I did. There aren't many practical examples of how to take advantage of physics and proven mechanical designs. Instead the author concentrates on the minutiae such as the years and materials of the bars that defined weight or mass. Towards the end, I got the impression the author was tired of writing and just wanted to make a page quota.

A lot of electronics books make the mistake of thinking that most readers care about the movement of electrons, molecular doping, or calculus equations to solve problems for which V=IR is perfectly competent. This book makes the same mistake with physics.

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