Very Usefull links for ROBOT builder

Hello Everyone,

Here i am posting some of the important links that i came across before few days, related to robot building,
These links help u too much, just try each related link.

1. Electronics

1.1. General electronics sites

• A collection of tutorials in electronics subjects. Well worth a look.

http://www.designnotes.com/designschool.htm

•  A huge collection of links to other electronics sites, nicely indexed.

http://www.epanorama.net/

•  Another excellent large collection of links to electronics and software sites.

http://www.pin-outs.com/directory/

• A large resource of articles written by industry insiders, field service engineers, and semiconductor company engineers on a wide variety of electronics subjects.

http://www.chipcenter.com/kc/

•  A personal page by an electronics enthusiast. Very entertaining stuff, as well as informative.

http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/

• A circuit theory textbook online

http://www.sweethaven.com/acee/forms/toc01.htm

•  HVW Tech have many documents on a variety of electronics & robotics subjects on their site

http://www.hvwtech.com/downloads.htm
http://www.hvwtech.com/learning.htm

• Excellent optics resource and community

http://www.optics.net

• Excellent electronics resource and community

http://www.electronicsee.com

1.2. Electronics circuit archives

These sites offer archives of circuit diagrams. Most should be tested, but this is by no means guaranteed!

• http://www.keelynet.com/sources/schema1.htm
• http://www.udl.es/usuaris/p4089324/electronica/esquemas.htm
• http://www.glolab.com/freeinfo/info.html
• http://main.tuniv.szczecin.pl/~mjaskula/tomi/psu.html
• http://www.circuitarchive.co.uk/
• http://www.pwpublishing.ltd.uk/pw/tex/
• http://main.tuniv.szczecin.pl/~mjaskula/tomi/psu.html
• http://www.uslink.net/~cybercir/
• http://www.designnotes.com/circuits/

Electro Tech Online
Electro tech offers a great resource for discussing General Electronics, Electronic Projects, Robitics Chat and PIC/BASIC Programming. Electro Tech also offers Free Electronic Projects and Theory Articles.

1.3. Chip information

http://www.equinox-tech.com/chipdir/c/a.htm
http://www.chipcenter.com/circuitcellar/
http://www.bonex.co.uk/startpages/framed/home.htm

1.4. Electronics company information

http://www.epanorama.net/companies.html
http://www.nctnico.cistron.nl/all_man.htm

1.5. PCB layout and manufacture

• Eagle Layout Editor - The best free PCB design tool on the web. Superb. Free version is restricted to 10cm x 8cm size and no more than double sided but that still allows very complicated projects. Features schematic capture, extensive libraries, very good ripup-and-retry autorouter, user groups, extensive array of online public domain tools available for it.

http://www.cadsoft.de/

•  PCB Pool - Very good value PCB production house. For example, a double sided 10cm x 8cm PCB designed using Eagle above cost just £24 for a one-off including all P&P costs. Based in Ireland. Very helpful on the phone.

http://www.pcbpool.com/

•  ExpressPCB - A free PCB layout tool, with optional online manufacturing ordering (from USA). Cheap even though they come from the USA.

http://www.expresspcb.com/

•  PROTEUS Lite - A shareware PCB layout package. Better than ExpressPCB but no tied manufacturing service.

Proteus Lite at download.cnet.com

•  An excellent description of how to make your own PCBs. I did this stuff for 4 years and came to exactly the same conclusions as Mike has here. Making PCBs really isn't very hard these days now that most people have a PC which can run free layout software, and have a good printer that can print dark black onto transparencies.

•  Another guide to making PCBs

http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/3569/data/pcb2.htm

•  A method of building prototype circuits without making PCBs (and not using the dreaded Veroboard!). I'm not totally convinced by this method, personally I think it is always worth making a PCB. Using the techniques described in the links above, making PCBs is really quite easy.

http://www.chipcenter.com/circuitcellar/december00/c1200sb1.htm

•  An article describing the effects bad PCB layout can have, particularly on analogue circuits. Essential reading if you are building your own speed controller!

http://www.chipcenter.com/analog/c060.htm

1.6. Kits

•  Quasar Electronics http://www.quasarelectronics.com

•  Radio Shack (aka Tandy) http://www.radioshack.com/

•  This Greek company sell battery charger kits.

http://www.smartkit.gr/

1.7. MOSFETs

http://www.infineon.com/products
http://www.irf.com/technical-info/appnotes.htm

1.8. Optocouplers

•  A few manufacturers of optocouplers. All have online datasheets:

 Agilent is the new name for Hewlett Packard Semiconductors.
http://www.semiconductor.agilent.com/isolator/
 IDT:
http://www.idt.com/
 Infineeon is the new name for Siemens Semiconductors.
http://www.infineon.com/cgi/ecrm.dll/ecrm/scripts/prod_cat.jsp?oid=-8198
 Sharp are a big name in optoelectronics:
http://www.sharpsma.com/sma/Products/Opto/new_products/photocouplers.htm
 Toshiba:
http://www.toshiba.com/taec/cgi-bin/display.cgi?table= ProductDetail&ProductID=2796

1.9. Electronic devices for robots

•  Acroname make some pretty cool stuff including range finding and machine vision. Lots of technical article here too.

http://www.acroname.com/

•  An article describing range finding using the polaroid 6500 ranging module

http://www.acroname.com/robotics/info/articles/sonar/sonar.html

•  Using infra-red devices for range-finding.

http://www.acroname.com/robotics/info/articles/sharp/sharp.html

•  Robot vision - making your robot able to see!

http://www.acroname.com/robotics/info/articles/ramcam/ramcam.html

1.10. Microcontrollers and development systems

•  Quasar Electronics PIC programmer and Atmel ABR programmer

http://www.quasarelectronics.com/pic_programmers.htm
http://www.quasarelectronics.com/atmel_programmers.htm#3122

•  The Atmel AVR series is popular amongst hobbyists.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~sbolt/e-spider_prog.html

•  A couple of build-your-own PIC programmers:

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/7706/prog2.html

•  The Chip Directory section on microprocessors chronicles the development and describes a great many processors.

http://www.chipdir.com/chipdir/f/mcu.htm

•  ePanorama's microcontroller links section

http://www.epanorama.net/microprocessor.html#microcontrollers

•  Rabbit Semiconductor make a clone Z80 microcontroller with a cheap development kit

http://www.rabbitsemiconductor.com

1.11. Other useful electronics articles

•  A beginners guide to what capacitors are

http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/gadgets/caps/caps.htm

•  All about capacitors. These devices are not as simple a you may think. An advanced guide.

http://tm0.com/sbct.cgi?s=118415788&i=353328&d=1467049

2. Speed controllers

 4QD. Manufacturer of speed controllers. Has a lot of good technical info on the site too.
The Open Source Motor Controller project. A speed controller design & project.

http://www.inconnect.com/%7Edennis/osmc/

 IFI Robotics. Manufacturer of speed controllers.

http://www.ifirobotics.com/victor_883.htm
 
A description of electronic speed controllers

http://www.omegaco.demon.co.uk/mechtml/fmectech.htm#anchor479856

3. Motors, Solenoids, and Actuators

 Iskra. Manufacturer of electric motors. Includes sketchy performance characteristic graphs. http://www.avtoelektrika.com/

 Parvalux. Manufacturer of electric motors. No technical data that I can find.
http://www.parvalux.co.uk/products.asp
 
 Litton. Manufacturer of electric motors and actuators. Includes comprehensive datasheets.
http://www.litton-ps.com/Motors/motors.html
 
 Theory of starter motors. Quite a good page.
http://www.apra.org/publications/electrical/fordther.htm
 
 Controlling voltage spikes (motor suppression). SGS Thomson Acrobat document.
http://us.st.com/stonline/books/pdf/docs/1703.pdf
 
Lynch. Manufacturer of electric motors. Characteristic graphs included.
http://www.lynchmotor.com/ 
 
Using car windscreen wiper motors
http://www.geocities.com/sprite-midget/wipers.htm

4. Batteries

http://www.battery-index.com/
http://www.mhpower.com.au/TecBroInx.html
http://www.4qd.co.uk/faq/bmnc2.html
http://www.oksolar.com/battery/deka.html
http://www.hepi.com/lit.htm
http://www.steatite.co.uk/batt/rg12v_24.htm
http://www.sonnenschein.org/
http://www.yuasa-exide.com/catalog.asp
 
 A commercial battery charger manufacturer
http://www.statpower.com/prdlst3.htm
 
 A commercial battery charger manufacturer. Not sure whether any of these are suitable for SLA batteries though, even though they say they are suitable for all lead acid batteries.
http://www.gunson.co.uk/acatalog/index.html
 
 A commercial battery charger manufacturer. Ths company manufacture a device which they purport will bring dead SLA batteries back to life.
http://www.4unique.com/battery/pulsetech/pulsetech.htm
 
 Ibex make battery chargers and gave lots of useful information on their site.
http://www.ibexmfg.com/index.htm
 
 US supplier of many types of batteries. Limited technical information.
http://batterymart.com

5. Radio control

5.1. General interest sites

 A comprehensive introduction to using radio control on fighting robots.
http://www.narc.org.uk/bld_elect/rc_index.php

 Loads of helpful articles, mainly about CB, which are still relevant to us.
http://www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs.htm

 The Model Electronics Company site has some great stuff, presenting projects as well as commercial products.
http://www.omegaco.demon.co.uk/mechome.htm
 
 This radio ham has loads of useful information on his site
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/3569/
 
 Everything You NEVER Wanted To Know About Radios! Some technical inaccuracies to do with AM & FM bandwidth, but a reasonable introduction.
http://www.torreypinesgulls.org/Radio%20Article.htm
 
 The theory of superheterodyne (dual conversion) radio receivers
http://www.ezlink.com/~crash/parks/hetbasic.html
 
 The Panorama Electronics Link Site - Radio section. Loads of links to technical sites to do with radio communications, antennas, etc.
http://www.epanorama.net/radio.html
 
 The British Model Flying Association has some information on radio control.
http://www.bmfa.org/links_commercial.html
 
 Low Power Radio Solutions sell telemetry modules. The CDP-02 from Circuit Design operates at 459MHz which is an allowable frequency for Robot Wars in teh UK.
http://www.lprs.co.uk/site01dec99/main.html

http:www.cdt21.com
 
 Some links to hobby radio control sites.
http://www.welwyn.demon.co.uk/sites.htm
 
 A good RC information site
http://rcvehicles.miningco.com/hobbies/rcvehicles/library/glossary/bldef_dualcon version.htm
 
 The Radiocommunications Agency in the UK govern the frequency spectrum. This is the band of the spectrum that we are using.
http://www.radio.gov.uk/document/ra_info/ra365.htm
http://199.104.132.208/ProdCat/tax/0,1252,M942369080308,00.html
 
 This document from the Model Electronics Company describes all the model frequency bands
http://www.omegaco.demon.co.uk/mechtml/fmectech.htm#anchor80638
 
 If you are thinking about designing a 40MHz radio link yourself, like I was at one point, then Motorola produce this excellent IC (MC13310) which was designed for CT1 cordless phones that will operate at the 40MHz channel frequencies. Software for driving this chip is shown in the Embedded chapter in "Radio.c".
http://www.mot.com/SPS/WIRELESS/cordless/46_49mhz.html

Motorola ICs
 Unfortunately Motorola no longer supply the above chip. However, a very similar IC, the UAA2062, is produced by Phillips
http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/pip/uaa2062ts/c1
 
 A large site containing information on RC electronics
http://www.eagleairaust.com.au/

5.2. RC Receivers and Servos.

HVW Tech. Lots of technical information included.
http://www.hvwtech.com/servos.htm
 Information about the encoding of radio control radio sets
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/3220/servotx.html
 Another page like that above
http://home.iprimus.com.au/nooyen/multi.htm
 A basic introduction to radio control servos
http://www.seattlerobotics.org/guide/servos.html
 Another Servo tutorial (in two parts)
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/hobby/servo1.htm
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/hobby/servo2.htm
 More in-depth information on RC servos
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/3220/servobasics.html
Some circuits for generating and receiving PPM RC signals
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/3569/use/rc-prop.htm
 Servo pinouts and connectors
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/hobby/servopin.htm
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/hobby/leads.htm
 A three part tutorial in PPM radio control
http://www.omegaco.demon.co.uk/mechtml/fmectech.htm#anchor160947

5.3. Radio control hobby stores.

 Quick UK
http://www.quickuk.co.uk/raccs.htm
 Sussex Model Centre
http://www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/
Tower Hobbies
http://www.towerhobbies.com/rcweb.html

5.4. Radio control equipment manufacturers

 Links to many RC electronics manufacturers
http://rcvehicles.miningco.com/cs/mfgselectronics/index.htm
 Hitec. Manufacturer of RC sets.
http://rcvehicles.miningco.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site= http://www.hitecrcd.com
 QuickUK supply 40MHz base loaded antennas:
http://www.quickuk.co.uk/raccs.htm
 Novak. Manufacturer of ESCs and receivers
http://www.teamnovak.com
Airtronics. Manufacturer of RC sets.
=http://www.airtronics.net
 Futaba. Manufacturer of RC sets.
http://www.futaba%2Drc.com

5.5. Radio interference.

Note that this section is specifically about interference problems in radio control modelling. All the comments in the EMC and radio sections also applies.
 An article about interference for RC plane flyers.
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/hobby/rip.htm
This model club has a page on radio interference and tips on how to reduce the problem.
http://tenthoffroad.co.uk/interference.html
Technobots supply products to robot builders, and have this excellent help page for EMC.
http://www.technobots.co.uk/technical/guidance/EMI%20and%20how%20to%20deal%20with%20it.pdf

5.6. Antenna.

 Capacity hat antenna used by a competitor
http://www.longrange.net/BattleBot/Antenna.html
 Quick UK supply 40MHz antennas which are rather hard to get hold of. Part no H5330
http://www.quickuk.co.uk/raccs.htm
 Flair products also sell 40MHz antennas. Part no MX75119.
http://www.flairproducts.co.uk

 Radio tech manufacture antennas for the 459MHz band. Part nos Hel-458 and 1/4-458
http://www.radio-tech.co.uk/antenna.html

Very soon i will post some of the books related to robotics