CHAPTER 1 ■ WELCOME ROBOT INVENTOR!Building Up
Because robots are complete entities, a lot of work must be invested before the creature begins functioning.
There are a few techniques that you may find useful to extend your patience and increase your enjoyment.
Taking Small Bites
Even a small robot is a large project. It is easy to become overwhelmed.
After coming home from work or school, or when the weekend comes around, focus on a small piece
that interests you. Perhaps get a motor to spin backwards and forwards. Perhaps attach a wheel to that
motor. Simply pick out and buy a few parts from a catalog.
At the end of day, hold up the piece that you worked on and spend some time admiring it. If it didn’t
turn out so well, think about all the things you learned.
Recognize your steady accomplishments and reward yourself for gradual progress. Don’t be a visionary,
be a builder.
Making Modules
Avoid the temptation to build an entire robot in one sitting or one piece. Instead, build individual modules
(see Figure 1-13) that become a robot when connected together. That way, if a module turns out well,
you can use the module’s design over and over again for subsequent robots. If a module turns out to be
ineffective or becomes damaged, only that portion needs to be replaced.
Figure 1-12. Line-following robot made from a candy container