The Parallax “Board of Education” series of products are very well thought-out and documented. You new to microcontrollers and robotics? You could do much worse than starting with the “BoE” projects. What makes the Board of Education Shield noteworthy, is that Parallax is opening up their venerable Basic-Stamp platform to use your own Arduino (not included) so you can mount it to the popular BoE-Bot robot chassis.

With this kit and your own Arduino module, you can follow the Robotics with the Board of Education Shield for Arduino lessons with over 40 hands-on activities.

• Learning to program your robot’s Arduino Brain
• Calibrating the robot’s continuous rotation servo motors
• Using lights and speakers for status indicators
• Assembling the robot
• Preprogrammed navigation
• Using touch-switches to navigate by contact with objects
• Using phototransistors to navigate by light
• Using non-contact infrared sensors to measure distance and avoid or follow objects

The original Robotics with the BoE-Bot text for the BASIC Stamp® microcontroller has enjoyed worldwide popularity with teachers and hobbyists, and has been translated into seven languages. Author Andy Lindsay revised his work for the Arduino community, and Parallax Inc. is making it available as a free, online tutorial at http://learn.parallax.com/ShieldRobot. The book will also be available in print (sold separately).

Kit Contents

• Board of Education Shield PCB
• High-quality aluminum robot chassis, continuous rotation servos, and wheels
• BoE-Boost Module
• All the electronic components and sensors needed for the Robotics activities
• All the assembly hardware needed (nuts, screws standoffs)
• Parallax Screwdriver

Note: Your own Arduino Uno, Mega, or Duemilanove module and programming cable is required; not included.

Links:

Robotics with the Board of Education Shield for Arduino web tutorials (Off Site)