Features
 Double Your USB Pleasure With Cerebot
by Gerard Fonte
What do you get when you throw a little USB, some SPI, and a PmodRF2 into a MiWi stew? If you cook up all of those ingredients in a Cerebot 32MX7 pot, you will end up with a mechanically inclined 32-bit RF-capable robotic controller. This month, Fred shows you how to use various Digilent Pmods and the Microchip MiWi stack to establish an RF data link between a pair of Digilent Cerebot 32MX7s. Page 48
 
 Designing A Low Cost Laser Range Finder — Part 1
by Joe Grand
Joe takes us on his journey in developing a laser range finder, from beginning concepts to finished product. Page 56
 
Projects
 Upgrading the Boe-Bot — Part 2
by William Henning
This last installment will show you how to add infrared remote control, line following sensors, a compass, and an infrared range sensor. Page 42
 
 Getting Started With FPGAs — Part 2
by David A. Ward
For this last part, a more complex and useful digital design using the Basys2 FPGA trainer will be demonstrated. Page 62
 
 Adding a Microcontroller to the Beginner Bot — Part 3
by Gordon McComb
By moving up to a miniature computer to operate your Beginner Bot, you’ll be able to modify its action and behavior just by rewriting a few lines of code. Page 70
 
Columns
 Robytes
by Jeff Eckert
Robytes
Stimulating Robot Tidbits Page 08
 
 GeerHead
by David Geer
GeerHead
Kilobot Swarm Robots Page 10
 
 Ask Mr. Roboto
by Dennis Clark
Ask Mr. Roboto
Your Problems Solved Here Page 14
 
 Then and Now
by Tom Carroll
Then and Now
How Robotics Has Changed Over the Years Page 76

Combat Zone
 BUILD REPORT: Trilobite — a Tough Beetleweight Brick/Wedge
in Combat Zone: Features
Ihave long held the opinion that a good wedge/brick is the best type of bot for most beginners in the sport. Page 26
 
 BUILD REPORT: A Team Building Exercise
in Combat Zone: Features
My Kitbots bot hockey team “Team Scotch Pies” had competed in one event and taken part in a couple of demonstrations, but the bots were retasked for a summer camp and were less than ideal. Page 29
 
 EVENT REPORT: Clash of the Bots 2 by Pete Smith
in Combat Zone: Events
The Schiele Museum () in Gastonia, NC held their second “Clash of the Bots” open day on Saturday, July 23rd. Page 32
 
 EVENT REPORT: BOTBLAST Rocks Columbia Mall
in Combat Zone: Events
The Columbia Mall in Bloomsburg, PA, hosted the fourth annual BotBlast competition on July 16th. Page 33
 
 PARTS IS PARTS: Fingertech ‘Silver Spark’ Gearmotor Review
in Combat Zone: Features
Fingertech Robotics’ first line of Insect-sized gearmotors — the Gold Sparks — were originally released in 2009 as a drop-in replacement for the commonly used Banebots 16 mm models. Page 36

 PARTS IS PARTS: Susie’s Saga Continues – The Beginner’s Guide to Motors
in Combat Zone: Features
In the last issue of SERVO, we introduced you to Susie — a young girl trying to begin a career in combat robotics. Page 38
 
 End Of The Alkalines
in Combat Zone: Features
Iwrote an article about programming cheap 2.4 GHz HK-T6A transmitters that appeared in the January’11 issue of SERVO. In that, I commented on how it’s probably a good idea to convert from the standard AA alkaline batteries to rechargeable batteries. Page 41