Over the past 5 years, dramatic improvements in technology combined with the availability of the powerful, low-cost PIC microcontroller have spawned a renaissance in robot building. PIC Robotics, from popular electronics hobbyist author John Iovine, shows electronics enthusiasts how to incorporate the power of the PIC microprocessor into more than 6 complete and inexpensive robotics projects. * Projects include a bi-pedal robot that walks upright, an artificial vision robot that will track and follow various visual cues, and a functional robotic arm * Discusses Braitenberg vehicles, Grey Walter behavioral robots, and a speech recognition system * Step-by-step directions for each project and inspiration for hundreds more

John Iovine is the author of several popular TAB titles that explore the frontiers of scientific research. He has written Homemade Holograms: The Complete Guide to Inexpensive, Do-It-Yourself Holography; Robots, Androids, and Animatrons: 12 Incredible Projects You Can Build, considered a cult classic; Kirlian Photography: A Hands-On Guide; Fantastic Electronics: Build Your Own Negative-Ion Generator and Other Projects; and A Step Into Virtual Reality. Mr. Iovine has also written extensively for Popular Electronics, Nuts & Volts, Electronics Now, and other periodicals.

Preface

xi

Chapter 1. Robot Intelligence

1

(10)

What Is a Microcontroller?

1

(1)

Why Use a Microcontroller?

1

(1)

Designer Computers-So Many Microcontrollers

2

(1)

The Compiler

2

(1)

PIC Programming Overview

2

(1)

Software and Hardware

2

(1)

PicBasic and PicBasic Pro Compilers

3

(1)

EPIC Programmer

4

(1)

Firmware

5

(1)

Consumables

5

(1)

16F84 PIC Microcontroller

5

(1)

Step 1: Writing Code (the Basic Program)

6

(1)

Step 2: Using the Compiler

7

(1)

Step 3: Installing the Firmware, or Programming the PIC Chip

7

(1)

Ready, Steady, Go

8

(1)

Parts List

8

(3)

Chapter 2. Installing the Compiler

11

(8)

Installing the PicBasic Compiler Software

11

(1)

Installing the PicBasic Pro Compiler

12

(7)

Chapter 3. Installing the EPIC Software

19

(4)

Installing the EPIC Software in Windows

19

(3)

Installing the EPIC Software, DOS Version

22

(1)

Supplemental-Applications Directory

22

(1)

Chapter 4. CodeDesigner

23

(14)

CodeDesigner Features

23

(2)

Software Installation

25

(1)

Setting CodeDesigner Options

25

(6)

First Program

31

(2)

The EPIC Programming Board Software

33

(2)

Parts List

35

(2)

Chapter 5. Using DOS to Code, Compile, and Program

37

(12)

Compile 39

Programming the PIC Chip

43

(1)

The EPIC Programming Board Software

44

(5)

Using EPIC DOS Version

45

(1)

Continuing with the wink.bas Program

45

(4)

Chapter 6. Testing the PIC Microcontroller

49

(34)

The PIC Microntroller

49

(5)

The Solderless Breadboard

49

(1)

Three Schematics, One Circuit

50

(3)

Wink

53

(1)

Troubleshooting the Circuit

54

(1)

PIC Experimenter's Board and LCD Display

54

(11)

PIC Experimenter's Board 56 Use

56

(2)

Simple Experiment

58

(2)

Built-in LCD

60

(3)

Using the LCD: PicBasic and PicBasic Pro Examples

63

(2)

Introduction to Binary and the PIC Microcontroller

65

(13)

Using TRIS and Port Registers

68

(2)

Accessing the Ports for Output

70

(1)

Counting Program

71

(1)

Counting in Binary by 1

71

(1)

Input

72

(1)

The button Command

72

(2)

A button Example

74

(1)

peek

75

(1)

peek and PicBasic Pro

76

(1)

Basic Input and Output Commands

77

(1)

Servomotors

78

(1)

Parts List

79

(4)

Chapter 7. Intelligence

83

(4)

Approaches to Building Intelligence

83

(2)

Where's the Intelligence?

85

(1)

Layered Behavioral Responses

85

(1)

Behavior-Based Robotics

86

(1)

Chapter 8. Walter's Turtle

87

(38)

Behavior-Based Robotics

87

(1)

William Grey Walter-Robotics Pioneer

87

(1)

Four Modes of Operation

88

(1)

Observed Behavior

88

(1)

Building a Walter Tortoise

89

(1)

Drive and Steering Motors

90

(1)

Modifying the HS-42568 Servomotor

91

(6)

Sheet Metal Fabrication

97

(2)

Shell

99

(1)

Finding the Center of Gravity

100

(1)

Attaching Bumper to Robot Base

101

(3)

Bumper Switch

104

(3)

Mounting the Steering Servomotor

107

(2)

Photoresistor

109

(3)

Trimming the Sensor Array

112

(2)

Schematic

114

(1)

Program

115

(6)

Adding Sleep Mode

121

(1)

Power

121

(1)

Behavior

121

(1)

Fudge Factor

121

(1)

Light Intensity

121

(2)

Handedness

123

(1)

Parts List

123

(2)

Chapter 9. Braitenberg Vehicles

125

(18)

Neural I/O Relationships

126

(1)

Vehicles

126

(2)

Building Vehicles

128

(13)

Back Wheels

129

(2)

Front Wheels

131

(2)

CdS Photoresistor Cells

133

(4)

Trimming the Sensor Array

137

(2)

PIC 16F84 Microcontroller

139

(1)

Testing

139

(2)

Second Braitenberg Vehicle (Avoidance Behavior)

141

(1)

Parts List

141

(2)

Chapter 10. Hexapod Walker

143

(22)

Imitation of Life

143

(1)

Six Legs-Tripod Gait

143

(1)

Three-Servomotor Walker Robot

144

(1)

Function

144

(1)

Moving Forward

145

(1)

Moving Backward

146

(1)

Turning Left

147

(1)

Turning Right

148

(1)

Construction

148

(16)

Mounting the Servomotors

151

(1)

Leg Positioning

152

(2)

Linkage

154

(1)

Center (Tilt) Servomotor

154

(1)

Sensors

155

(3)

Electronics

158

(1)

Microcontroller Program

159

(5)

Parts List

164

(1)

Chapter 11. Speech Recognition

165

(20)

Applications

167

(1)

Software Approach

167

(1)

Learning to Listen

167

(1)

Speaker-Dependent and Speaker-Independent Recognition

167

(1)

Recognition Style

168

(1)

Speech Recognition Circuit

168

(4)

Circuit Construction

168

(1)

Keypad

169

(1)

To Train

169

(3)

Testing Recognition

172

(1)

Error Codes

172

(1)

Clearing the Trained Word Memory

172

(1)

Independent Recognition System

172

(1)

Voice Security System

173

(1)

Speech Interface Control Circuit

173

(4)

How the Circuit Works

174

(2)

PIC 16F84 Microcontroller Program

176

(1)

Active High Output

177

(1)

SPDT Relay Output

177

(1)

Circuit Construction

177

(1)

Programming the Speech Recognition Circuit: Training, Testing, and Retraining

177

(3)

SRI-02 and SRI-03 Interfaces

180

(1)

Robot Control

180

(1)

Parts List

181

(4)

Chapter 12. Robotic Arm

185

(40)

Servomotor Building Blocks for Robotics

185

(1)

Basic Servomotor Bracket Assembly

186

(3)

Assembling Multiple-Servomotor Assemblies

189

(3)

Building a Five-Servomotor Robotic Arm

192

(5)

Servomotors

197

(7)

Servomotor Controllers

199

(1)

Simple Servomotor Controller

200

(4)

Four- and Five-Servomotor Controllers

204

(11)

Increasing the Lifting Capacity of the Robotic Arm

215

(1)

Adding a Robotic Arm Base

216

(7)

Parts List

223

(2)

Chapter 13. Bipedal Walker Robot

225

(18)

A Question of Balance?

226

(1)

A Little Feedback

227

(1)

Servomotors

227

(1)

Servomotor Brackets

228

(1)

Footpads

228

(2)

Assembly

230

(1)

Schematic

231

(2)

Program

233

(8)

Subroutines M1, M2, and M3

234

(7)

Going Further

241

(1)

Turning Right and Left

242

(1)

Parts List

242

(1)

Chapter 14. Color Robotic Vision System

243

(26)

CMU Camera

244

(1)

Serial Communication

245

(3)

VB Application Program

248

(2)

Interfacing the CMU Camera to a Robot

250

(1)

PIC 16F84 Runs at 16 MHz

251

(1)

Program 1

251

(3)

Program 2

254

(7)

Incandescent or Fluorescent Lighting

254

(5)

Servomotors for Robot

259

(2)

Program 3

261

(5)

Robot Construction

264

(2)

Running the Program

266

(1)

Going Further

267

(1)

Parts List

267

(2)

Suppliers

269

(2)

Index

271

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.