Parallax Boe-Bot Robot Kit - Serial (with USB adapter and cable) #28132

The Boe-Bot Robot Kit comes with everything you need to make your very own Boe-Bot, including sensors and other electronic components, a BASIC Stamp 2 for a brain, and the Robotics with the Boe-Bot (4MB pdf) text to show you how to build and program your Boe-Bot. No previous robotics, electronics, or programming experience is necessary.

The Robotics with the Boe-Bot (4MB pdf) text includes 41 activities for the Boe-Bot Robot with step-by-step instructions, schematics and wiring diagrams, example programs, and bonus challenges with solutions in each chapter. Starting with basic movement and proceeding to sensor-based projects, you will learn about the mechanics, wiring, components, and programming of your Boe-Bot. As you complete the projects you will see how the Boe-Bot is expandable for many different robotic projects and how the skills and concepts you learn are applicable to other embedded systems projects.

The Boe-Bot Robot is built on a high-quality brushed aluminium chassis that provides a sturdy platform for the motors (continous rotation RC servos) and the carrier board for the BASIC Stamp (the Board of Education). Many mounting holes and slots may be used to add custom robotic equipment. The rear wheel is a slider ball held in place with a cotter pin. Drive wheels are molded to fit precisely on the servo spline and held in place with a small screw.

The Boe-Bot takes about 1 – 2 hours to put together. Once you assemble your Boe-Bot, each project in the Robotics text provides a unique new experience of wiring and program tuning. Completing the entire set of projects will take about 50 hours. This kit is suitable for anybody over 12 years of age.

Note: The Boe-Bot requires four AA alkaline batteries, which are not included. When using this kit with the included USB adaptor, install the USB driver before connecting the adaptor to your computer.

Features

Here are some of the things your Boe-Bot can do (if you build it and program it correctly!):

• Seek and follow light
• Avoid and follow objects
• Navigate autonomously

You can expand your Boe-Bot’s capabilities by adding other sensors and electronics. For example, you can make it follow a line course (such as a black electrical tape on white poster board) by adding some line-following reflectance sensors.

Kit Contents

• Robotics with the Boe-Bot (4MB pdf) — A printed textbook that guides you through 41 activities that teach you how to assemble, wire circuits for, and program the Boe-Bot.
• BASIC Stamp 2 microcontroller module  — The main controller or “brains” for the Boe-Bot. You will learn to program the BASIC Stamp with the PBASIC programming language and write programs that do things such as read the Boe-Bot’s sensors and drive the Boe-Bot’s motors.
• Board of Education development board (serial) — A carrier board for the BASIC Stamp that makes it easy to connect the Stamp to your computer for programming and provides prototyping space for building the Boe-Bot’s circuits connected to the Stamp.
• Serial cable — A standard, straight-through serial cable for connecting the Board of Education to your computer’s serial port so you can program the BASIC Stamp.
• Parallax USB to Serial Adaptor and USB A to mini-B cable  —  For connecting the Board of Education to your computer’s USB port (if you do not have a serial port or if you prefer using a USB port instead of a serial port). Install the USB driver before connecting the adaptor to your computer.
• Passive components — A set of wires, resistors, and capacitors.
• Sensors — Photoresistors, bumpers, and infrared sensors.
• Hardware — Chassis, motors, wheels, etc. to assemble the Boe-Bot’s body.
• (See the Other Included Components for a list of all the included passive components, sensors, and hardware.)

Note: You will need to install the Basic Stamp editor software from Parallax’s website to write PBASIC programs for downloading to the BASIC Stamp.

Programming the Boe-Bot with Text

You can write programs for your Boe-Bot with the BASIC Stamp Editor, which is free and available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. You will learn how to program in the PBASIC programming language in the Robotics with the Boe-Bot (4MB pdf) textbook included with this kit, and you can also refer to the BASIC Stamp Manual (5MB pdf) and What’s a Microcontroller Text (6MB pdf). The straightforward PBASIC programming language gives you direct access to your Boe-Bot’s sensors and motors.

Programming the Boe-Bot with Graphics

There is an option to program the Boe-Bot with a graphical interface called GUI Bot. This software lets you click and drag icons for driving straight, turning, and spinning, and lets you specify sensor actions. This program serves as a bridge to begin programming in PBASIC and is a great option for younger users.

Advanced mode screen for GUI Bot, the beginner-friendly, drag-and-drop programming option for the Parallax Boe-Bot.

Other Included Components

• Two 1 kΩ resistors, 1/4 watt
• Four 10 kΩ resistors 1/4 watt
• Two 2 kΩ resistors, 1/4 watt
• Eight 220 Ω resistors, 1/4 watt
• Four 470 Ω resistors, 1/4 watt
• Two 4.7 kΩ resistors, 1/4 watt
• Two 0.01 μF 50v poly capacitors
• Two 0.1 μF mono radial capacitors
• Two infrared LEDs
• Two red LEDs
• Two photo resistors
• Two infrared receivers (detectors)
• Two LED standoffs for infrared LEDs
• Two LED light shields for infrared LEDs
• Two tact switches
• One piezo speaker
• Two whisker wires
• Two 3-pin male/male headers
• Two bags of ten 3" jumper wires
• Two continuous rotation servos
• Eight pan head screws, 4-40, 3/8"
• Ten 4-40, 3/8" nuts
• One tail wheel ball
• Two #4 nylon washers
• Two flat head screws, 4-40, 3/8"
• One Boe-Bot aluminium chassis
• One cotter pin-1/16" diameter
• One rubber grommet-13/32" hole diameter
• Eight pan head screws, 4-40, 1/4"
• One battery holder, 4-cell AA with cable and barrel plug
• Four standoffs, threaded aluminium, round 4-40
• Two pan-head screws, 4-40, 7/8"
• Two spacers, 1/2" round #4
• Two wheels, plastic, 2.58" diameter, 0.3" width
• Four rubber band tires