Cerebot by Fred Eady Meet Digilent's 32-bit PIC32MX-based learning tool that will serve as a controller for things like your robot's servos. Plus, there's a ton of peripheral modules for things like joysticks, LCDs, LEDs, and switches, to name a few. Page 46
Simulated Mars Mission with the GEARS-IDS Platform by R. Gene Turchin GEARS "heavy-duty erector sets on steroids" made for the pefect platform as part of an Engineering Challenge Day at the STEM Innovation Center. Page 54
It’s About Time(ing)! by Chuck Baird Learn some different techniques using single and multiple virtual timers to fulfill a variety of robotic applications. Page 41
A Robot and Its CheapBot-08 Controller - Part 2 by L. Paul Verhage Now that you have the cutest small robot ever created, it's time to find out about its line follower, proximity detector, and some future designs. Page 58
Robytes Robytes | December 2009 Stimulating Robot Tidbits. Page 08
GeerHead by David Geer Chiara - The Evolving Education-Research Robot Chiara is a six-legged, arachnid/crab-like robot with a pincer arm that was born from the mind of Carnegie Mellon University Professor Dave Touretzky, along with PhD student Ethan Tira-Thompson and mechanical engineer/ product designer Gaku Sato. Page 10
Ask Mr. Roboto by Dennis Clark Ask Mr. Roboto | December 2009 Your Problems Solved Here. Page 13
Robotics Resources by Gordon McComb Looking Ahead, Looking To You This issue marks the seven year anniversary of Robotics Resources. After some 85 installments, we’ve covered everything from yapping ‘bots to lighting up your creations with glow wire, to being the ultimate cheapskate, finding the best deals wherever they happen to be. Page 62
Beginner Electronics by William Smith Microcontroller Fundamentals As this is my last column, I wanted to finish with a topic I think needs to be covered. Many of the programming books I’ve read over the years tend to skip over a major concern for the beginner, which is how a microcontroller works and how to interface other electronics to it. This final article will cover the fundamentals of working with a microcontroller. I’ll use on one of my favorites: the Atom Nano. Page 71
Then and Now by Tom Carroll Segway Inspires Balancing Robot Research I normally jump right in, discussing the history and development of a particular type of robot and how that robot or the robot’s use has changed over the years. I’m going to digress away from my usual format and start with a technology and an individual who has changed robotics and the learning of robot science in a way that I personally feel no other individual has done before. Page 76
Szalor 2.0 in Combat Zone: Features The first thing I did when building my Antweight robot Szalor, was establish a design. After I had a design, it was time Page 30
Screws For You! in Combat Zone: Features For this month’s Parts Is Parts section, we dip once again into the bottomless well that is known as the RioBotz Combot Tutorial. Page 33
Franklin Institute 2009 in Combat Zone: Events The 2009 Franklin Institute Robot Conflict was held by NERC on October 4th in Philadelphia, PA. This was the third annual competition at the institute, with numerous robots competing in the one, three, 12, 30 lb, and Sportsman classes. Page 35
Fighting Robots Invade Classic RC Raceways in Combat Zone: Events The Ohio Robotics Club (ORC) — a member of the Robot Fighting League (RFL) — held its tenth event, “House of Robotic Destruction Fall 2009” (HORD) at Classic RC Raceways in Akron, OH on September 19th 2009. Page 37
Pyromancer in Combat Zone: Robot Profile Pyromancer has competed in Fall W.H.R.E 2006, Mechwars 10, Rotunda Rumble, Motorama 2007, ComBots Texas Cup, and RoboGames 2009. Page 38
