"I wrote this book because I love building robots. I want you to love building robots, too. It took me a while to learn about many of the tools and parts in amateur robotics. Perhaps by writing about my experiences, I can give you a head start."--David Cook

Robot Building for Beginners, Third Edition provides basic, practical knowledge on getting started in amateur robotics. There is a mix of content: from serious reference tables and descriptions to personal stories and humorous bits.

The robot described and built in this book is battery powered and about the size of a lunch box. It is autonomous; that is, it isn't remote controlled.

The book is broken up into small chapters, suitable for bedtime (or bathroom) reading.

The characteristics and purposes of each major component (resistor, transistor, wire, and motor) are described, followed by a hands-on experiment to demonstrate. Not only does this help the reader to understand a particular piece, but it also prepares them with processes to learn new parts on their own. An appendix offers an introduction to 3D printing and parts of the robot can, as an alternative, be "printed" using a 3D printer.

The master project of the book is a simple, entertaining, line-following robot.

David Cook is an engineering manager at Motorola. He has 20 years of experience as a software developer, creating everything from award-winning computer games to mobile background-check applications for police. Self-taught in electronics and basic mechanics, David explains his years of robot experiences to the average backyard scientist in a comfortable and helpful manner, without scholarly intimidation. David hosts the popular robot site RobotRoom.com.

Chapter 1. Welcome Robot Inventor!

Chapter 2. Where to Obtain Tools and Parts

Chapter 3. Safety

Chapter 4. Digital Multimeter

Chapter 5. Numbers and Units

Chapter 6. Robot Line-Following

Chapter 7. Nine-Volt Batteries

Chapter 8. Clips and Test Leads

Chapter 9. Resistors

Chapter 10. LEDs

Chapter 11. Power On!

Chapter 12. Solderless Prototyping

Chapter 13. Solderless Breadboard Setup

Chapter 14. Variable Resistors

Chapter 15. Comparator

Chapter 16. Transistor Switches

Chapter 17. DC Motors

Chapter 18. Adding Gearhead Motors

Chapter 19. Wheels

Chapter 20. Coupler

Chapter 21. Soldering Equipment

Chapter 22. Soldering and Connecting

Chapter 23. The Motherboard

Chapter 24. Body Building

Chapter 25. Launching the Line-Follower

Chapter 26. Smoother, Smaller, Cheaper

Chapter 27. Encore

Appendix A: Leftovers

Appendix B: 3D Printing