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Rating: 
Summary: More than everything you need to know
Review: Building a robot from the ground up means that the drive train is first. This book provides everything that you need to know but is also inspiring and fun to read. I built most of the circuits in the book and all worked the first time and exhibited the discussed operation. I also built my first Robot drive train and ran into many of the issues that the authors anticipated and for which they provided excellent solutions. I read the book from front to back and it inspired me to build a robot, then as I was building it, from the ground up, I continued to find helpful information using the book as a reference. If you are even thinking about building robots start by reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: More than everything you need to know
Review: Building a robot from the ground up means that the drive train is first. This book provides everything that you need to know but is also inspiring and fun to read. I built most of the circuits in the book and all worked the first time and exhibited the discussed operation. I also built my first Robot drive train and ran into many of the issues that the authors anticipated and for which they provided excellent solutions. I read the book from front to back and it inspired me to build a robot, then as I was building it, from the ground up, I continued to find helpful information using the book as a reference. If you are even thinking about building robots start by reading this book.
Rating:
Summary: A robot book that delivers just what its title promises
Review: Constructing mobile robots crosses so many different skills, knowledge sets, and disciplines, a book focused on just "Building Robot Drive Trains" makes good sense. Clark and Owings have done just that. They've made an excellent reference for someone focusing on the mechanical drive section of their robot. Many of the tricks and techniques developed among robot makers are cataloged here. The book can save you many hours or trying this or that, when a better solution is already known. For instance, I never knew what a spider coupling was called or how it worked before seeing a picture of one taken apart in the book. Yet this is just one of the many types of couplings described in the book. The authors did cover some electronics, for instance H-bridges and motor drive chips circuits, and some programming concerning motor control and PID loops. However, the book delivers on its promise, and broadly covers drive trains from motors to gears, and even to legs and their gaits. The book is wonderfully illustrated throughout with an average of one or two tables, photos, drawings or figures per page. The result is a very visual book, easy to scan, easy to read, easy to return to as a reference.
Rating:
Summary: Everything you would need to know about motors
Review: I took on a freelance job and needed to get more detailed information/advice regarding motors and motor control. This book was all I needed. It's very informative and well written. It teaches you about the types of motors, how to select the right motor for your application, and finally how to control them using different kinds of circuits and integrated circuits. If you want to know the mathematical details of torque, how to measure your motor's torque, or how to decipher motor specs, it is all in this book.
This book will be a great reference even for someone who already has some knowledge of motors.
Rating: 
Summary: Very well thought out approach to robotic mobile platforms
Review: If you're into robotics you have probably read the great general texts on the subject. Mobile Robots, Robot Builder's Bonanza, and others. There are enough books out there that cover the topic in general. It seems that the time has come for more specific texts. Building Robot Drivetrains takes on this task with aplomb and unmasked enthusiasm. The authors have clearly taken great care not only in selecting the approaches to solving the problems of drivetrains, but they took just as much care in planning their delivery. The text flows nicely, with a touch of humor to bring the topic back down to Earth, where humans live and make mistakes, and sometimes need an "obvious" term or concept explained. It is full of tabular data and quick "rules of thumb" for getting on with a design. The authors also took care to present solutions that anyone can implement with just standard tools like a drill, vise and hacksaw wherever possible. If you want to build your own mobile robot platform, this is a great book to have both for research and general reference.
Rating:
Summary: Very well thought out approach to robotic mobile platforms
Review: If you're into robotics you have probably read the great general texts on the subject. Mobile Robots, Robot Builder's Bonanza, and others. There are enough books out there that cover the topic in general. It seems that the time has come for more specific texts. Building Robot Drivetrains takes on this task with aplomb and unmasked enthusiasm. The authors have clearly taken great care not only in selecting the approaches to solving the problems of drivetrains, but they took just as much care in planning their delivery. The text flows nicely, with a touch of humor to bring the topic back down to Earth, where humans live and make mistakes, and sometimes need an "obvious" term or concept explained. It is full of tabular data and quick "rules of thumb" for getting on with a design. The authors also took care to present solutions that anyone can implement with just standard tools like a drill, vise and hacksaw wherever possible. If you want to build your own mobile robot platform, this is a great book to have both for research and general reference.
Rating:
Summary: Brings robotics construction within reach of every hobbyist
Review: This book proves you don't have to own a machine shop or have lots of experience to build a robot. It shows simple and inexpensive techniques that almost anyone can use. The tough part of building a robot is working out the details. How do you attach a wheel to a motor shaft? Which drive type works best? The book gives the answers in an easy to understand, unintimidating style. The author explains terminology and keeps things simple. If you want to build a robot, but don't know where to begin, this is the book for you.
Rating:
Summary: Brings robotics construction within reach of every hobbyist
Review: This book proves you don't have to own a machine shop or have lots of experience to build a robot. It shows simple and inexpensive techniques that almost anyone can use. The tough part of building a robot is working out the details. How do you attach a wheel to a motor shaft? Which drive type works best? The book gives the answers in an easy to understand, unintimidating style. The author explains terminology and keeps things simple. If you want to build a robot, but don't know where to begin, this is the book for you.
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