The robot book : build and control 20 electric gizmos, moving machines, and hacked toys

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Title:

The robot book : build and control 20 electric gizmos, moving machines, and hacked toys

Author:

Mercer, Bobby, 1961- author.

Series:

Science in motion (Chicago Review Press).

Summary:

"The 20 easy-to-build robots in this project book can be constructed for little or not cost using common household objects and repurposed materials."-- Provided by publisher.

Audience:

Ages 9+

Contents:

Getting started -- Vibration bots -- Hacked toy bots -- Everything else bots -- What is next?

Physical Description:

xi, 195 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm.

Subject Term:

Robots -- Juvenile literature.

Robotics -- Juvenile literature.

Personal robotics -- Juvenile literature.

Publisher:

Chicago Review Press,

Publication Date:

2014

ISBN:

9781556524073

Publication Information:

Chicago, Illinois : Chicago Review Press, [2014]

Call Number:

J 629.892 MERCER

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003015560	Juvenile Nonfiction	629.892 MERCER	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Drones, RC cars, artificial limbs, Roombas--the robots have arrived! Don't you want your own? Author and physics teacher Bobby Mercer will show you how to turn common household objects and repurposed materials into 20 easy-to-build robots for little or no cost. Turn a toothbrush, an old cell phone or pager, and scrap wire into a Brush Bot, or hack a toy car to hotwire a Not-So-Remote Bot. A small electric fan, several craft sticks, and rubber bands make a Fan-Tastic Dancing Machine, and drinking straws, string, tape, and glue can be used to construct a working model of the human hand.

Every hands-on project contains a materials list and detailed step-by-step instructions with photos for easy assembly. Mercer also explains the science and technology behind each robot, including concepts such as friction, weight and mass, center of gravity, kinetic and potential energy, electric circuitry, DC vs. AC current, and more. These projects are also perfect for science fairs or design competitions.

Author Notes

Bobby Mercer has been sharing the fun of science for over two decades as a high school physics teacher. He is the author of The Flying Machine Book , The Racecar Book , and Junk Drawer Physics .

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 4 Up-A concise title that introduces readers to the basics of robotics and building simple robots. The projects here all call for home appliances and everyday electronics, such as cell phones, toys, and computers, which are cited as the best sources for at-home robotic experimentation material. In order to complete these activities, students will need tools that include pliers, tape, screwdrivers, paperclips, and other more expensive pieces of equipment like motorized toy trucks, LED lights, and old CD computer drives, among other items. Those interested in tinkering with electronics will find the tasks engaging and thorough, though certain aspects of robot construction are overlooked, like the process of how to extract a battery from a cell phone or pager. Those seeking a more guided approach may need extra direction from a knowledgeable adult, though intrepid kids with an interest in science will likely innovate and improve upon some of the simpler robotic designs.-Amy M. Laughlin, Darien Library, CT (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

This addition to the Science in Motion series takes readers through the basics of creating their own robots, often repurposing parts and motors from old toys, outdated cell phones, and more (motorized toothbrushes form the basis for several projects in a section devoted to "vibrational robots"). Step-by-step instructions, b&w photographs, and materials lists make each project manageable and clear, while "Robot Science" sections illuminate the mechanics underlying them ("You pulling on a string represents a muscle pulling on a tendon," Mercer explains after readers have created an articulated humanoid hand using only cardboard, drinking straws, and string). It's a solid starting point for readers with an interest in circuitry or engineering-or who simply like to take things apart to see how they work. Ages 9-up. Agent: Kathryn Green, Kathryn Green Literary Agency. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Publisher's Weekly Review