Chapter 1 Welcome Robot Inventor! 1 --
Anatomy of a Homemade Robot 2 --
Chapter 2 Where to Obtain Tools and Parts 17 --
Ordering Free Information 17 --
Discovering Hidden Messages 19 --
Benefiting from Age and Experience 23 --
Following Instructions 23 --
Donning Safety Glasses 24 --
Wearing Other Safety Clothes 25 --
Insuring Adequate Ventilation 25 --
Washing Before Eating 27 --
Avoiding Nasty Elements 27 --
Steering Clear of Dangerous Robots 35 --
Staying Rested and Level-Headed 36 --
Chapter 4 Digital Multimeter 37 --
Nice-To-Have Features 41 --
Obtaining Hook Probe Adaptors 52 --
Comparing Basic Multimeter Ads 53 --
Proceeding Without a Meter 62 --
Chapter 5 Numbers and Units 63 --
Choosing the Metric System 63 --
Reducing Powers of a Thousand 63 --
Base Subjects Covered 73 --
Chapter 6 Robot Line-Following 75 --
Defining the Course Conditions 76 --
Picking the Robot's Size 80 --
Chapter 7 Nine-Volt Batteries 95 --
Testing Battery Voltage 96 --
9 V Battery Characteristics 100 --
9 V Battery Recommendations 101 --
Battery Brand Names 106 --
Using 9 V Batteries In Robots 107 --
Chapter 8 Clips and Test Leads 111 --
Gators Are Hungry Tonight 111 --
Obtaining Hook Clips 112 --
Discovering Unintended Connections 120 --
Plumbing with Jumpers 121 --
Chapter 9 Resistors 123 --
Limiting Power With Resistors 123 --
Obtaining a Resistor Variety Pack 124 --
Understanding Size and Tolerance 125 --
Resistance and Ohms 128 --
Measuring Resistance 128 --
Labeling and Storing 132 --
Resisting the Temptation to Skip Ahead 134 --
Learning About LED Attributes 135 --
Extreme Close Up of an LED 144 --
Identifying Multicolor LEDs 145 --
Brightening Your Way 153 --
Chapter 11 Power Oh! Building and Testing a Power Indicator Circuit 155 --
Introducing the Parts List 155 --
Reading a Schematic 156 --
Building the Power Indicator Circuit 157 --
Understanding the Roles of Each Component 159 --
Measuring the Power Indicator Circuit 160 --
Measuring Current Flow 165 --
Chapter 12 Solderless Prototyping 175 --
Needing a Better Way 175 --
Solderless Breadboards 175 --
Solderless Breadboard Wire 185 --
Making Your Own Jumper Wire 190 --
Making the Connection 197 --
Chapter 13 Solderless Breadboard Setup 199 --
Considering Power Sources 199 --
Choosing a Power Switch 202 --
Connecting Power Buses 205 --
Installing a Power Indicator LED 209 --
Demystifying the Robot's Power Switch 212 --
Chapter 14 Variable Resistors 215 --
Variable Brightness LED Circuit 221 --
Brightness Balancing Circuit 223 --
Cadmium-Sulfide Photoresistors 225 --
Light-Controlled Circuit 228 --
Balanced Brightness-Sensing Circuit 229 --
Chapter 15 Comparators 239 --
Voltage Comparator 239 --
Brightness Comparator Circuit 244 --
Appreciating a Simple Mind 257 --
Chapter 16 Transistor Switches 259 --
Defining Negative Power 259 --
Testing Bipolar Transistors with a Multimeter 262 --
Bipolar Transistor Test Circuits 269 --
Brightness Comparator Circuit with Transistors 275 --
Summarizing PNP and NPN Transistors 278 --
Chapter 17 DC Motors 279 --
How DC Motors Work 279 --
Simple DC Motor Circuit 289 --
Primary Characteristics of DC Motors 292 --
DC Gearhead Motors 311 --
Chapter 18 Adding Gearhead Motors 321 --
Selecting Gearhead Motors 321 --
Adding Motors to the Brightness Comparator Circuit 325 --
Completing the Electronics 330 --
Anatomy of a Wheel 333 --
Characteristics of Robot Wheels 334 --
Wheel Choice for Sandwich 344 --
Chapter 20 Coupler 353 --
Measuring and Cutting the Tubing 358 --
Gluing the Coupler Together 366 --
Adding a Setscrew to the Coupler 370 --
Admiring the Coupler 375 --
Chapter 21 Soldering Equipment 377 --
Desoldering Vacuum Tools 385 --
Steps of a Typical Soldering Session 387 --
Get Ready to Solder 388 --
Chapter 22 Soldering and Connecting 389 --
Putting Together the Motors and Switches 389 --
Soldering Experience 419 --
Chapter 23 Motherboard 421 --
Line-Following Circuit 421 --
Testing the Robot's Electronics 437 --
Holding Your Breath 442 --
Chapter 24 Body Building 443 --
Approaching Robot Bodies 443 --
Transforming the Sandwich Container 448 --
Chapter 25 Launching the Line-Follower 479 --
Correcting and Tweaking 479 --
Potential Improvements 495 --
Everyday Challenges 530 --
Things I've Accidentally Destroyed While Writing This Book 540 --