Ed Sobey - Build Your Own Robot Science Fair Project

To A. C. Gilbert, a man whose toys inspired generations of engineers, inventors, and scientists, including me

Published in 2016 by Enslow Publishing, LLC

101 W. 23rd Street, Suite 240, New York, NY 10011

Copyright 2016 by Ed Sobey, Ph.D.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Sobey, Ed.

Build your own robot science fair project / by Ed Sobey, Ph.D.

p. cm. (Prize-winning science fair projects)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-7660-7018-9 (library binding)

1. Robotics Juvenile literature. 2. Science projects Juvenile literature. I. Sobey, Edwin J. C.,

1948-. II. Title.

TJ211.2 S63 2016

629.892d23

Printed in the United States of America

To Our Readers: We have done our best to make sure all Web site addresses in this book were active and appropriate when we went to press. However, the author and the publisher have no control over and assume no liability for the material available on those Web sites or on any Web sites they may link to. Any comments or suggestions can be sent by e-mail to .

Portions of this book originally appeared in the book How to Build Your Own Prize-Winning Robot.

Illustration Credits: Stephen F. Delisle with modification by Accurate Art, Inc. c/o George Barile.

Photo Credits: Ed Sobey except bbbb/.

Cover Credits: bbbb/Shutterstock.com (robot); Ohn Mar/Shutterstock.com (science background).

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

CHAPTER 1 Learn About Robots

PROJECT 1: Building a Motorized Model Boat

PROJECT 2: Building a Motorized Model Car

CHAPTER 2 Learn About Electric Motors

PROJECT 3: Taking a Motor Apart

PROJECT 4: Measuring Voltages with a Voltmeter

PROJECT 5: Measuring Voltage Drops and Current

CHAPTER 3 How to Modify Servos

PROJECT 6: Hacking the Servos

CHAPTER 4 Add Some Wheels

PROJECT 7: Attaching the Motors to the Wheels

CHAPTER 5 Build a Robot Platform

PROJECT 8: Building the Platform

PROJECT 9: Attaching the Wheels and Motors to the Platform

PROJECT 10: Attaching the Circuit Board

CHAPTER 6 Supply Electrical Power

PROJECT 11: Series and Parallel Circuits

CHAPTER 7 Control the Robots Motion

PROJECT 12: Wire the Circuit Board

PROJECT 13: Running Servos with a Stamp Chip Experiments with a symbol feature PROJECT Ideas and Further Explorations.

PROJECT 14: Moving the Robot in a Straight Line

PROJECT 15: Completing the Square

CHAPTER 8 What Else Can the Robot Do?

CHAPTER 9 Robot Competitions and Science Fair Projects

Appendix A: Robot Kits and Supplies

Appendix B: Other Approaches to Robotics

Appendix C: Robotics Clubs and Organizations

Further Reading

Web Sites

Index

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Several robot professionals and avid hobbyists helped with technical details. Gene Elliott and other members of the Seattle Robotics Society provided references and background information.

Ken Gracey of Parallax contributed components I used to build model robots.

Texas BEST, Texas A&M University, and Texas Instruments invited me to their robot competition and inspired this book. Thank you, gracious hosts.

I am deeply indebted to Ted Mahler, cofounder of BEST and design engineer for Texas Instruments, for reviewing the manuscript and giving valuable suggestions.

Most of the photos were taken at robot camps and classes, especially Kids Invent Robots.

INTRODUCTION

Robots are a hot topic everywhere. Autonomous automobiles are now driving the streets and robotic helicopters are snapping photos from the sky. Some companies are developing parcel delivery services run by robots or robot-like devices. The greatest change in the field of robots is that the technology is now accessible and affordable. You can build robots, and this book will be your starting point.

Robotics involves electronics, mechanical systems, computers, and a variety of materials. This book will guide you through the most important elements of these fields. The starting point is getting you familiar and comfortable with electric motors and motor control.

Each chapter will give you information you need to build your robot, as well as specific examples and projects. , you can follow the projects from chapter to chapter using the suggested materials to make your own robot. You may, however, choose to create an original robot using different components from electronics, model, and robot stores. The Project Ideas and Further Exploration sections will give you ideas for different robot options.

As much as we hope you will enjoy reading about robots, we urge you to make one. Or make two. Learning is in the making, and you will learn so much while making your robot work the way you want it to.

At the 2012 World Robot Olympaid in Malaysia, these students watch their robots play soccer using programmed responses.

The Scientific Method

When you do a science project, especially one with your own original research, you will need to use what is commonly called the scientific method. In many textbooks you will find a section devoted to the subject. The scientific method consists of a series of steps.

1.Come up with a QUESTION or try to solve a PROBLEM. What are you curious about? What could your robot do?

2.RESEARCH your topic. Find out what is already known. Has anyone already answered your question or solved your problem? What facts are published about your topic?

3.Form a HYPOTHESIS, which is an answer to your question or a solution to your problem.

4.Design an EXPERIMENT to test your hypothesis. Collect and record the data from your experiment.

5.Study your experimental RESULTS and form a CONCLUSION. Was your hypothesis true or false?

6.REPORT your findings.

Safety First

Always follow these safety rules while working on your robots.

Do not use electric current from a wall or floor outlet except for devices that have been tested and approved.

Do not point sharp tools toward yourself or others.

Protect your eyes with glasses or safety goggles.

Get adult help before using any power tools or gasoline motors.

This book will launch you into designing and building your own robots. Have fun and be safe.

Chapter 1

LEARN ABOUT ROBOTS

Robots have invaded Hollywood. WALL-E, Chappie, and Johnny 5 joined R2-D2 and C-3PO from the Star Wars movies as modern heroes. But you cant rush out to buy one of these marvelous machines, you will have to make one.

Real robots are unlike the ones you see in the movies. Most of the movie robots arent robots at all. What makes a machine a robot?

To be a robot, a machine has to meet three criteria. First, it has to do mechanical work. That is, it must be able to move itself or move something else. So a computer is not a robot. In a factory, robots most often retrieve parts and put them where they are needed to assemble something. Sometimes they weld parts together. Other robots operate spray painters. Whatever else it does, a robot moves.