The 3pi robot (see Pololu.com) is a small inexpensive platform worthy of expansion. This book describes the hardware and software needed to add all the major sensors found on our simulated robot (including bumpers, IR object detection, distance measurement, electronic compass, beacon detector, and more). Imagine having a real robot with all these capabilities available to experiment with.  The book is now available from Amazon in both standard PRINT and KINDLE formats.  Click one of the links below to be taken directly to Amazon. 

                                 Printed Book                                             Kindle Book

.       You can also download the source code discussed in the book using the link below.

.                           Source Code For 3pi                            Preview TOC and First Chapter

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Hardware Interfacing with RobotBASIC

This book provides the background needed for our more advanced books.  Don't think of this as a book for beginners though.  In addition to interfacing fundamentals it also covers such topics as voice recoginition, voice synthesis, vision, and communication and control over the Internet.  For those interested in the Arduino processors, this PDF provides some additional examples.

.Click Here for TOC and Sample Chapters

Buy on Amazon

ebook now available

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A Hardware Interfacing and Control Protocol 

This book utilizes the Parallax Propeller Chip as the basis for an indepth study of interfacing a wide variety of peripherals with RobotBASIC.  It emphasizes developing a protocol that makes it easy to modify and expand the system.  This ebook shows how some of the examples in this book can be implemented on a Arduino processor.

Click Here For TOC and Sample Chapters

Buy from Amazon

ebook from Amazon

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RobotBASIC Projects for the Lego NXT

The Lego NXT robot provides a hardware platform perfect for those without an electronics background.  This book is designed to teach beginners how to program a robot. An includable LegoLibrary.BAS will be provided that allows the the robot shown below to be controlled from RobotBASIC WITHOUT downloading ANY programs to the NXT computer.  The book will provide numerous projects involving the sound, line, bumper, and ranging sensors.

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SampleChapters

Purchase from Amazon

ebook now available

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The RobotBASIC Robot Operating System  (Currently Under Development)

UPDATE: During the last year or so, Sam has been living in Australia and John and his wife have moved to Florida. This has delayed much of the work on the RROS that had been planned.   Now that the new home is finally in order, John has been working steadily with new designs and numerous prototypes to make the RROS a reality. Much work still has to be done, but an end-point is at least in sight.  There will even be a RROS-LIGHT, that provides much of the functionality of our full-featured design, but with a few compromises.  For example, the LIGHT version can only manage a few specific types of standard sensors and it does not support a robot arm.  

The full RROS will manage almost any type of sensor allowing hobbyists without an electronics background to build and program sophisticated robots.  The RROS will probably be distributed Open-Source to allow expansion and customization.  We will even allow users to share their modifications through our web page.   The LIGHT version is requiring sensitive coding that will not be appropriate for modification, so it will probably be distributed as a pre-programmed IC to which users can connect any of the supported sensors and motor options.   Many motors and sensors can be directly connected without any support circuitry.  We are even considering a robot kit based on the LIGHT version, that will make it easy to build a RobotBASIC compatible robot.  If you are interested in any of these products, please let us know.  Below is a summary of the work that is taking place.

The idea of a RobotBASIC Robot Operating System (RROS) is simple.  Imagine a controller that can be connected to a PC running RobotBASIC (either through a wireless link, or wired if a netbook computer is embedded in the robot itself).  Hobbyists will be able to connect a wide variety of motors and sensors from different manufactures (Parallax, Pololu, Lynxmotion, etc) to the controller and RobotBASIC will be able to control the motors and read the sensory data using the SAME programs used to control the simulated robot. No low-level programming will be required.

Hobbyists will be able to build anything from a small to a large man-sized robot using this controller.  They will need minimal knowledge of electroinics because the controller will handle all the interfacing tasks (both hardware and software).  You simply choose the motors needed based on your robot's size and weight, and the sensors needed for your application and environment.  You will be able to choose anything from simple bumper switches to to a GPS navigation system.  Additional sensors can monitor beacons, measure distances to objects, and detect objects around your robot using either IR or ultrasonic.  Connect your choices to the controller and build your own base or use something already commercially available.  Just mount the sensors appropriately and you are ready to go because the RROS will transparently map all data to the RobotBASIC functions used for the simulation. You can fully develop algorithms using the simulator, then immediately let those SAME programs control a real robot.  We believe this is the way robotic behaviors should be developed and has been our goal since the beginning.

Using the RROS, hobbyists will finally be able to spend their time developing intelligent algorithms instead of designing hardware and debugging firmware.  This is a similar situation to the early 1970's when it took so much time and knowledge to build a computer that hobbyists seldom created significant applications.  When Apple and Radio Shack (among others) finally produced ready to use computers the emphasis moved to programming (where it belonged). Once that happened, the writing of application software took off, building the huge industry we enjoy and benefit from today.

Our goal is to make it easy for nearly anyone to build a robot that can be totally controlled from the RobotBASIC environment.    Below are a few pictures of some of the prototypes now under development.  The man-sized robot has a full-sized arm (seen better in the closeup).  Several smaller robots are also being developed.  Together, these prototypes allow testing of a wide variety of sensors and motors.

Small prototypes (above) are being used to test small DC motors and 
Servomotors as well as a wide variety of sensors. This one uses IR
ranging sensors to create VIRTUAL bumpers AND proximity sensors

This man-sized robot (above) is powered from an embedded PC that uses the RROS
to manage all the sensor and motor functions.  The photo below shows a close up of
the arm, which can pick items from the floor and place them on a kitchen counter. When
not needed, the arm folds away within the body's perimeter.  Ultrasonic ranging sensors
are used on this model as well as an external motor controller to handle larger motors.
Ultimately, hobbyists should be able to utilize nearly any popularly-available sensors and
motors, as manufactuers and advanced hobbyists add support for additional devices.