ExtremeTech’ s Hacking Roomba teaches readers to make the Roomba more than just a cute vacuum cleaner. With this book, the reader can give the Roomba new and more complex behaviors, connect it to the Internet, control it from a computer, and literally make it dance and sing. 

Hacking Roomba is a great way to learn the basics of robotics and have fun programming a robot without needing to build one from scratch – the hard and expensive way.  All the projects in Hacking Roomba can be done without breaking your Roomba, and without breaking the bank. And, of course, like all good hacking books, it shows how to install Linux on this great robotics platform. 

Topics covered include: Interfacing Roomba with the SCI and RoombaComm API Building a Roomba serial interface tether Building a Roomba Bluetooth interface Driving the Roomba Reading all the Roomba’ s sensors Making Roomba sing and dance Turning your Roomba into a Spirograph Connecting Roomba to the Internet Adding Wi-Fi to Roomba Adding a camera to Roomba

and more.

Make room for Roomba– this robotic vacuum cleaner, made and sold by iRobot, is the first example of a useful household robot, with more than 1.5 million sold since their debut in 2002

Get ready to rumba with Roomba! Readers learn to give Roombas new and more complex behaviors, connect them to the Internet, control them from a computer, and literally make them dance and sing

First things first: author Tod Kurt begins by showing readers how to install Linux on this great robotics platform

Hacks include how to build a Roomba serial interface tether, interfacing Roomba with the SCI and RoombaComm API, reading all the Roomba’ s sensors, turning a Roomba into a Spirograph, and adding a camera to Roomba

Get the official iRobot Roomba Open Interface (ROI) specification and all code presented in the book in ready-to-run form at wiley.com/go/extremetech.

The jetsons would be proud A gizmo as cool as Roomba just begs to be hacked. Now, with this book and the official ROI specification furnished by iRobot(r), you can become the robotic engineer you dreamed of being when you were 10. Build a Bluetooth interface for your Roomba. Turn it into an artist. Install Linux on it and give it a new brain. Some hacks are functional, others are purely fun. All of them let you play with robotics, and not one will void your warranty. You could say it's a clean sweep. Fun ways to work the Roomba All this — and it will still clean your floor! * Build a serial interface tether * Set up a Bluetooth(r) interface * Drive Roomba * Play with sensors * Make it sing * Create a Roomba artist * Use your Roomba as a mouse * Connect Roomba to the Net * Wi-Fi your Roomba * Replace Roomba's brain * Install Roomba-cam * Put Linux(r) on Roomba Companion Web site Get the official iRobot Roomba Open Interface (ROI) specification and all code presented in the book in ready-to-run form at www.wiley.com/go/extremetech