Getting Started

So - you want to build your own Robot that you can program! Great idea!

Before you begin lets talk about a few key things to keep you on track and keep you from getting frustrated.

This book uses the CoderDojo philosophy. The word "Dojo" is Japanese term for "a training place" - a safe place you can go to learn. This means that you should spend about two to three hours every other week with someone that can mentor you and help you solve problems. Building robots and writing programs can be frustrating for you and your parents if you run into problems. The best way to overcome these problems is to ask for help. An experienced mentor will not just solve a problem for you, but teach you ways you can figure out the problems on your own. Knowing how to debug is part of building great robots!

Finding your Dojo is sometimes not an easy task. You can use a search engine like Google to search for a local CoderDojo chapter or you can ask your teachers if there are science clubs or volunteers that might help you. Whatever you do, don't give up when you hit a problem. Take a break and realize that all great engineers need to be good at overcoming problems. And never be afraid to ask for help.

Our kit requires a bit of soldering. There are six connections (for motor connections and two switch connections). If you don't know how to solder try to find someone who can help you solder the wires or can solder the wires for you. If you want to learn to solder that is great! Just be careful that you don't burn yourself or set your house on fire! Always have an adult present when you fist learn to solder.

The motor driver board we recommend has some small screws for tightening down the wires in the header. A 3/32" flat head screwdriver will be needed. A flat blade eyeglass screwdriver will also work.

To program the $2 Arduino Nano we get from China you will require a working CH340D driver on your computer. Despite the popularity of the low cost CH340D serial USB interface chip, the Arduino IDE does not include the driver since it is not a "genuine" Arduino device. Some older computers many not work with the CH340D driver. For details search for "Arduino Nano CH340D driver" and your operating system name. If you are unsure your computer supports this driver you may have to purchase an alternate version of the Arduino Nano that has a genuine branded chip. These versions include the FTDI serial interface chip that has drivers included in the Arduino IDE. The price on the Arduino site is $22+shipping. You can see why the ones from China are preferred!