YOU'VE CHOSEN A STIMULATING and rewarding hobby. It's more expensive than bug collecting, but less expensive than stock-car racing.

Think of it: One day your hands will be giving birth to new life forms. Initially, they'll be rudimentary, but like all handcrafted art, each piece will be unique. And like a great artist's works, your pieces will gradually become more complex and more wonderful.

Despite decades of public fascination with the concept of robots, helpful personal robots remain an unfulfilled dream. Other than industrial robots, most advancements in the field of robotics are actually due to somewhat unrelated consumer products, such as personal computers, CD players, toys, remote controls, and household appliances.

Disheartening? No. It's exciting to be involved in a field that's rife with worldchanging potential. You can make a difference because there is still so much room for new inventions. So, welcome to robotics and let's get started!

Four Disciplines

Robotics comprises at least four major branches of learning:

• Electrical Engineering (circuits and sensors)
• Mechanical Engineering and Machining (gears, motors, and body)
• Computer Science (pseudo-intelligent behavior)
• Arts (expression, style, and fun)

You don't need to be an expert in each field in order to build a decent robot. However, if you happen to have a background in one field, your creations will naturally revolve around that strength. Along the way, robotics provides an exciting opportunity to learn new skills and find hidden talents.

Think of the Renaissance artist and scientist, Leonardo da Vinci. If he were around today, he'd be making robots.