In order to intelligently handle a wide variety of generic tasks, a robot's hardware configuration must include a diverse selection of sensors and I/O capabilities. In the past, building such a robot has been a daunting task reserved for only those with significant knowledge and skill of both electronics and low-level microcontroller programming. Now, for the price of an interface board alone, hobbyists can have a complete hardware/software solution in the form of a 24-pin IC preprogrammed with the RobotBASIC Robot Operating System (RROS). The RROS will not only provide the physical interface needed for many motors and sensors, it will also provide the software required to seamlessly interface with all supported devices using the high-level RobotBASIC simulator-based commands and functions. This means that the RROS not only makes it easier than ever before to build a robot, it makes it easier to program one too. Imagine being able to simply connect a compass to the RROS chip and then immediately determine your robot's orientation with a single programming command such as angle = rCompass(). Imagine connecting infrared or ultrasonic sensors directly to the RROS chip and being able to determine where obstacles are that might block your robot's path using rBumper() and rFeel(). Controlling your robot is just as easy as acquiring its sensory information.

When commands like rForward and rTurn are used, your robot won't just respond, it will respond intelligently, automatically ramping up and down when speeds are changed and using compass readings and wheel encoder counts when possible and appropriate. And these examples don't begin to describe the power of the RROS. Read on to find the real power. of simplicity. NOTE: A PDF of this book may be downloaded FREE from RobotBASIC.org. It is provided in paperback for the convenience of our users.