make55

Make: Volume 55 is all about DIY robots. Those who take this on will find that bot building is more accessible than ever. Motors, sensors, and hardware controllers are easy and cheap to acquire, and offer incredible power. Programming software can be as simple as dragging blocks of code in a graphical interface — and even the advanced, custom options like Robot Operating System use protocols that are easy to use. If you’re simply looking to get a kit that contains everything you need for a certain type of robot, the options are now nearly boundless. We scratch the surface with our overview of kit products that are great for makers ­— check them out to figure out what will suit your needs best. If you’re looking for a challenge beyond kits, check out the Chip-E project, and the companion balance bot EddiePlus. Looking to use Lego? Take a look at the TrotBot and the Color-Sensing Sound Sequencer for ways to get started using this platform.

Which Robotics Kit Is Right for You?

Which Robotics Kit Is Right for You?

By Andrew Terranova

Andrew Terranova

Andrew Terranova is an electrical engineer, writer and author of How Things Are Made: From Automobiles to Zippers. Andrew is also an electronics and robotics enthusiast and has created and curated robotics exhibits for the Children's Museum of Somerset County, NJ and taught robotics classes for the Kaleidoscope Enrichment in Blairstown, NJ and for a public primary school. Andrew is always looking for ways to engage makers and educators.

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There is no such thing as the best kit, just the one most suitable for your purposes. Check out our recommendations for humanoid kits, tracked kits, and more.

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Learn the Double-Stitch Technique to Handsew Leather

Learn the Double-Stitch Technique to Handsew Leather

Tim Deagan

By Tim Deagan

Tim Deagan

Tim Deagan (@TimDeagan) likes to make things. He casts, prints, screens, welds, brazes, bends, screws, glues, nails, and dreams in his Austin, Texas, shop. He's spent decades gathering tools based on the idea that one day he will come up with a project that has a special use for each and every one of them.

Tim likes to learn and try new things. A career troubleshooter, he designs, writes, and debugs code to pay the bills. He has worked as a stagehand, meat cutter, speechwriter, programmer, sales associate at Radio Shack, VJ, sandwich maker, computer tech support specialist, car washer, desk clerk, DBA, virtual CIO, and technical writer. He's run archeology field labs, darkrooms, produce teams, video stores, ice cream shops, consulting teams, developers, and QA teams. He's written for Make: magazine, Nuts & Volts, Lotus Notes Advisor and Databased Advisor.

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This basic technique will propel you toward custom leather tool coverings, bags, apparel, and more.

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