Project: Make a Souped-Up Solar BEAM Wobblebot

What Is a BEAM Robot?

A BEAM robot is a primitive solar-powered bot that behaves in lifelike ways.

A finished wobblebot
Figure 3-5. A finished wobblebot

What It Does

A BEAM robot is controlled by a primitive “nervous system” that uses components like switches and transistors instead of a computer “brain.”

Where It Came From

For hobbyists, the bare-bones robot craze really came into its own with the advent of BEAM Robotics. BEAM—which stands for Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics, and Mechanics—was formulated in 1991 by robotics physicist Mark W. Tilden. Tilden, who worked on both NASA rovers and the ...

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