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Average Customer Rating: 
PIC Robotics: A Beginners Guide to Robotics Projects Using the PIC Micro >
Customer Review #1:
 Garbage!!!
I picked this book up and started reading the CMU camera chapter. The chapter lack depth and completeness. The author says nothing about how the image could be transmitted wirelessly to the PC or how the CMU camera communicates with the PIC. It seems that he is more concerned with selling the camera from his company Images SI than he is with writing a good book. The only useful thing that he mentioned is that you need to activate a software flourescent filter in a room that uses such lighting. But the price definately reflects the quality in this case!
PIC Robotics: A Beginners Guide to Robotics Projects Using the PIC Micro >
Customer Review #2:
 An excellent way to get started in PIC robotics.
Ive been programming PIC Microcontrollers (with PIC Basic Pro) for a while now. Theyre really an invaluable tool for the modern electronics hobbyist, and the PIC Basic language couldnt be easier to write with. That being said, this book does assume you have at least some minimal knowledge of Basic, but really you could get by without it (the very point of Basic is that its supposed to read like plain English -- which it does!), as the function of nearly every line of code is explained. The first few chapters are even dedicated to showing a complete beginner how to compile and program everything and build a basic test circuit. Very helpful if youve never worked with PICs before.
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lt;br />But on to the real substance of the book -- the projects! Theres six complete robotics projects here; ranging from primitive light-seeking robots (that recreate some of the first robots ever to be built, back when AI was a new idea) to a bipedal walker (meaning, it actually has legs and a gait like that of a human -- it doesnt just tilt and waddle to simulate "walking" as virtually every other one of these purported "bipedal" robots do), robotic arms (made from ordinary servomotors), a six-legged walker, speech recognition and a full-color vision system. Impressive!
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lt;br />Another nice thing is that every one of them can be built with basic, inexpensive tools (though pre-made circuit boards and kits are available, to make it even easier). The diagrams and illustrations are clear and concise; every detail of every step is shown -- you cant go wrong.
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lt;br />As I mentioned, the real walking action of the bipedal walker is quite impressive, but Id like to say more about the vision system, or the CMU Camera. This is a small camera which outputs data serially, to either your PC or a PIC Micro. In this instance, the camera is mounted on top of a three-wheel robot which can, utilizing edge detection in the PIC, actually follow a given target! This may sound complex (and, I suppose, it is), but its explained in a very easy-to-follow manner. And its more than just "put this part here" -- the theory is explained in terms that make it easy to understand, too. This gives you the know-how to put these concepts to use in your own projects.
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lt;br />Finally, to address the criticisms of other reviewers -- no, the book doesnt teach you assembly (it says right on the cover "No Assembly Language Programming Required"); but thats just it -- you dont need it! PIC Basic does the same thing, faster and easier. Do you really want to write out hundreds of lines of cryptic assembly code for what you could accomplish with just a few lines of Basic? The nominal cost is well worth it when you consider the *very* significant time savings.
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lt;br />If youre interested in building your own robots, this book is an excellent way to get started.
PIC Robotics: A Beginners Guide to Robotics Projects Using the PIC Micro >
Customer Review #3:
No Assembly Language Required
It wasnt mentioned in the reviews I read but I was hoping for some good Assembly language examples. Unfortunately They did not use Assembly but instead a $250 Pic-Basic program. There is a cheaper version for $100 and the Author did provide examples for both. You will also need a programmer to actually program the PIC. So if you main goal is building a Robot with Pic micro controllers without learning the Assembly language then this book is for you.
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