Exploring Robotics with ROBOTIS Systems

Dr. Chi N. Thai is an Associate Professor at the College of Engineering of the University of Georgia where he lectures undergraduate and graduate courses on Systems Modeling, Multispectral Machine Vision and Robotics. His formal training includes B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, both at Northrop University. He obtained his Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from the University of California at Davis. He had done research in adaptive gear shifting for agricultural tractors, optimal hull design for boat tractors, characterization and modeling of quality of agricultural products using spectrometry and hyperspectral imaging. In recent years, he expanded his research and teaching interests into developing embedded plant health sensing packages for land- and air-based autonomous robotic systems and also in applying robotics to STEM teaching and learning at all age levels.

This book presents foundational robotics concepts using the ROBOTIS BIOLOID and OpenCM-904 robotic systems, and is suitable as a curriculum for a first course in robotics for undergraduate students or a self-learner. It covers wheel-based robots, as well as walking robots. Although it uses the standard "Sense, Think, Act" approach, communications (bot-to-bot and PC-to-bot) programming concepts are treated in more depth (wired and wireless ZigBee/BlueTooth). Algorithms are developed and described via ROBOTIS' proprietary RoboPlus IDE, as well as the more open Arduino-based Embedded C environments. Additionally, web-based multimedia materials are used for illustrating robotics concepts, code implementations and videos of actual resulting robot behaviors. Advanced sensor interfacing for gyroscope, inertial measuring unit, foot pressure sensor and color camera are also demonstrated.

First book to document the Robotis Bioloid and CM-9 robotic systems for self-learners

Motivations & Instructional Approach.- ROBOTIS' Robot Systems.- Hardware Characteristics.- Software Tools.- Foundational Concepts.- Actuator Position Control Basics.- Advanced Position Control.- Wireless Communications Programming.- Advanced Sensors.- Embedded C Options.- ROBOTIS-MINI System.