Show issues for
October 2009

Servo Magazine


Features

Rockin’ Robot Style

Former showbiz PIzza animatronic band members reunite in a "Rock-afire Explosion."


Robotics Software Engineering - Part 2

Current trends in software development for robots are discussed.



Projects

CCS Mechatronics

This time we'll take a look at the softer side of robot construction and write some basic machine control component code using Custom Computer Services' C compiler.


Creepy Hyrbid - Part 2

This time, we'll program the microcontroller and the servo controller board to complete this unique platform.


Build a Building Block: A Dual Serial Motor Controller

A serial interface will be used to facilitate commincation between the master and the motor controller, making this a great building block for a variety of applications.



Columns

Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes | October 2009
Stimulating Robot Tidbits

GeerHead
by David Geer
Adept Quattro Handles Solar Cells With Care
The Adept Quattro s650H is an industrial robot with four parallel arms mounted on a rotational body. The arms are extensions of four motors, one motor per appendage. These arms are a good fit for processing crystalline silicon wafers for solar cells as they produce more solar cells per hour than human employees do.

Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto | October 2009
Your Problems Solved Here.

Beginner Electronics
by William Smith
PICkit 1 Programmer
The PICkit 1 is a leaded design so you can see all the components that make up the programmer, so things can easily be fixed if something fails on the board.

Robotics Resources
by Gordon McComb
Here Come the (Paper?) Robots!
At least once a month, I get email from a mom or grandparent asking for my advice about the best robot kit for their seven year old. Oh, and they don’t have much money to spend, so can the kit be under $20, and preferably under $10?

Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Robot Animal Strive to Match Humanoids in Realism
It didn’t take inventive designers and experimenters long to determine that creating realistic robot human beings was close to impossible.




Combat Zone

Shaka

in The Combat Zone

In late 2007, I began the design and construction of my first combat robot over three pounds: a 30 pound featherweight.


RioBotz Combot Tutorial summarized - Materials: Part 2

in The Combat Zone

Last month, SERVO summarized the first part of Chapter 3 — “Materials” — focusing on commonly used metals in combat bot building. This month, we switch focus to non-metals.


Coloring Titanium

in The Combat Zone

A curiosity about titanium is that its surface can be colored without paints or pigments; just using Coke (or Pepsi) in a technique called electrolysis or anodizing.


Gulf Coast Robotics Sports 2

in SERVO TankBot

July 11th was the second Gulf Coast Robot Sports event at the Robot MarketPlace in Bradenton, FL. Fifteen robots showed up for a chance at one of the prizes, totaling over $150.


Thoughts of a New EO

in The Combat Zone

So, you’ve been building robots for a while and now you want to put on an event. Sounds easy enough, in theory.


Professor Chaos

in The Combat Zone

Professor Chaos has competed in: RoboGames 2008 and RoboGames 2009.


Departments

Bots In Brief | October 2009
A Battery Of Balance, EyeBot Can See Y ou, 'Plane' And Simple UAV, Give Us A Hand, And More.