Preface

Robots capture our imagination in stories and in the real world. Many of us are fascinated by these machines that can act autonomously with superhuman strength, speed, or other impressive qualities. Robots are also incredibly useful in many applications, from manufacturing to entertainment and education. Creating complete robot systems is a feat of engineering, and this book strives to enable you to do just that. With the most recent advances in electronics and the availability of more and more open source software tools for robotics, building robots has become more accessible than ever before. Using the popular, open source Arduino platform and easily accessible hardware components, this book will teach you all that is needed to bring your robot ideas to life.

DIY robotics with Arduino is a popular hobby for makers and electronics hobbyists, and without a solid foundation, all of the content you can find on the internet can be overwhelming. This book is based on more than a decade of experience of using Arduino for robotics projects and teaching the underlying technologies. It condenses many hard-earned lessons, tips, and best practices to accelerate your journey to becoming a well-rounded robot creator. With many example projects, from blinking an LED to a radio-controlled, self-balancing telepresence robot, it gives you invaluable hands-on experience that you need for planning your future projects.

Robotics and automation is a booming industry, even beyond its traditional applications. As societies around the world are aging, robotics technology will play a critical role in maintaining prosperity and happiness. With this book, you can lay the foundation for your involvement in robotics and set yourself on the path towards helping to shape our future.