Learn Robotics Programming: Build and control AI-enabled autonomous robots using the Raspberry Pi and Python

My background is in business systems software. I've always wanted to get involved in writing embedded code and robotics, but things never came together, until now. In past attempts I would try to get started only to discover that the author required skills or hardware I didn't have, or have access to.This book is different.What makes it special:1. The writing is as clear as possible without being over simplified.2. Sophisticated ideas are explained and demonstrated using inexepensive off the shelf hardware.3. All of the Python source code is available for free download.While technically you could build the robot without knowing Python, I strongly suggest you learn python so that you can leverage what you have learned and do more amazing things. Also, the author does explain the Python code as he goes. So don't panic if you have doubts about your Python skills.Will you build the Ultimate Robot with this book? No, of course not. But what you will have is an understanding good enough that you can leverage what you've learned and build something more complex and custom.

About This BookI have had an interest in robotics since I was a teenager. My fiction-addled mind saw it as something easy to learn but difficult to master. With the lack of resources 20+ years ago, I then assumed that it was both hard to learn and near impossible to master. Looking at this book, I now know that my initial assessment was correct. This book is about giving you a foundation in creating a robot using Python and a Raspberry Pi.Who Is This For?This is a good book for someone with a Python background that wants to learn about robotics. It's a great way to learn the basics of robotics programming, as it covers the topic from the very beginning and looks at all areas that affect any robot.Why Was This Written?Yes, there are other books on robotics, but I like this one as it focuses on Python and the Raspberry Pi. Both are great and easy to acquire resources and in the end, you use them to build a working robot. Personally, I would find ways to expand your robot so that it's not just another Hello World project.OrganizationI LOVE the macro organization of this book. There are four sections: basics, building a basic robot, making the robot smarter, and how to take it even further. This is exactly what I would want for a project-based book. The only thing missing from this book, and this is a huge peeve for me, is that there is no section that talks about all of the hardware needed for the project. Bits and bobs are located in most chapters but don't stand out. I would want to order all of my hardware at once and save time and money. As it stands, you have to order for each chapter.Did This Book Succeed?Yes. This is a great beginner book that will give anyone the confidence to create their own robot from scratch afterward. This book is also complete in keeping up with current topics, such as voice commands, pathfinding, and computer vision. It is the one book you need to get started in robotics.Rating and Final ThoughtsThis book is complete and useful, but not perfect. I mentioned before an important feature that was left out. However, that is the only negative that I can really bring up. If you're interested in learning about robotics, get this book.I give this book a 4.8 out of 5. Read it.

Brief Review:This book is primarily geared towards the audience who wants to get a hands on robotics, but don't how or where to start. There reason being that the contents of the book are organized in such a way that a beginner can work through each chapter gradually building up the skill and understanding the different components of a simple robot. The author has also provided a troubleshooting section as part of the chapters to address the common issues which arise while installing or programming a software system. This is a well thought addition to the book as it saves time for the reader while working through the book.Technical content Review:The author has really put an effort to make the readers go through the design phase(block diagrams) to converting them to software modules. This is much appreciated as it helps the readers to develop the habit of thinking about the bigger picture before getting into the actual development. The chapters which were my favorite are the ones where the author explains the working of different sensors especially chapter 16 where working of IMU is explained in depth along with hands on examples. Furthermore, each chapter has exercises and additional reading section to help the readers to get in depth understanding of the concepts.Final thoughts:I would give this book a rating of 4.0. Overall the book is solid and gives an overview of the robotic concepts. Few places where I felt the contents could have been improved are the section where the web servers were introduced which was little confusing and may not be beginner friendly.

The book uses Raspberry Pi with the Python programming language so it would really benefit anyone starting their journey in robotics, embedded and/or software systems be it young hobbyists or engineering students. The author does a great job at explaining many of the fundamental concepts in robotics through nicely laid out chapters. Each chapter further provides links to additional interesting topics even research papers sometimes to broaden the knowledge. There are lots of examples that walk you through the concepts in a series of steps with code snippets. This way of teaching conveys the concepts with the practical implementation aspect at the same time.I really enjoyed reading the chapters on PID, IMU, etc. and being a robotics engineer myself I found the book to be a good refresher for many subtle aspects that one might often ignore in the long run. Kudos to the author for being able to elucidate the concepts for the wider audience. The book is well-written, concise and definitely worth a read!