[ A B C D E F G H I J K L M More Page 2 ]

A:

Actuator: something that moves. i.e. Robotic hand, motor

Android: Humanlike robot.

AI: Artificial intelligence. Attempting to emulate intelligence in living beings.

A/D: Analog to digital. Coverts voltage to discrete value.

Ampere: Measurement of current.

Anode: The "+" end of a diode/LED, etc. See cathode.

B:

Base: Middle pin (usually) of a transistor. Controls emitter to collector current. See emitter and collector

Battery: Converts chemical energy to electrical energy on demand.

Binary: A number system using 0 and 1s.

Breadboard: Board used for prototyping. Allows for quick plugging in of components.

Bot Board: Popular HC11 microcontroller board developed my Marvin Green.

Basic Stamp: Popular easy to use microcontroller. Made by Parallax Inc.

Basic X: Another microcontroller. Made by Net Media.

C:

C: De facto programming standard for many microcontrollers.

Capacitor: Component which stores electrical energy. Measured in farads.

Cathode: The "-" end of a diode/LED, etc. See anode.

CMOS: Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor.

Collector: Pin of transistor that doesn't have an arrow on the schematic. See base and emitter.

Compiler: Program that coverts a computer program into bytecode, or code that the computer can understand.

Conductor: Anything that allows the passage of electrons.

D:

DC: Direct current. Non fluctuating voltage.

Diode: Allows current to flow in one direction.

DIRRS: Digital Infrared Rangefinding System. Measures distance with IR light. See sensors.

E:

EEPROM: Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory.

EPROM: Electronic Programmable Read Only Memory.

Emitter: Transistor pin that has an arrow on circuit diagrams.

F:

Freeform: Technique used in building circuits. All components are soldered to each other, without the use of a board.

G:

Gear: Wheel with teeth. Used to drive other gears, and create a geardown.

Geardown: Converting high speed, low torque into high torque, low speed.

Gyroscope: Device used to determine how rapidly the robot is rotating or how fast it has rotated, relative to a fixed coordinated system. (Mobile Robots)

H:

H-Bridge: Controls motors using low current signal, like a I/O pin.

Hexadecimal: Number system with a base of 8 instead of the base of 10 used in standard decimal number system.

HC11/12: Popular microcontroller.

Handy Board: Microcontroller board based on HC11 developed by Fred Martin. Small, hence the name handy board.

I:

IC: Integrated Circuit

Inclinometer: Measures angle of attack.

I/O: Input Out. Can either receive or send information.

Interrupt: Subroutine or action, that interrupts program flow, and executes when outside action triggers it.

IR: Infrared. See article.

J:

K:

L:

Locomotion: movement.

Logarithmic amplifier: Amplifier in which the output is logarithmic to the input. i.e. 1 in 1 out. 10 in 1000 out.

M:

Memory: Stores value. See EEPROM, ROM, RAM

Mercury switch: Switch that closes and opens when tilted.

Microcontroller: Subclass of a microprocessor. Basically just a small computer without a monitor or keyboard, that is specially designed to control circuits, robot, etc.

Microphone: Converts sound waves to electrical signal.

Mini Board: Older microcontroller board based on the HC11.