One big influence on our Modular Robotics concept is the book, Vehicles, by Valentino Braitenberg. If you don’t already know this book, you’re in for a treat! In short and simple chapters, Braitenberg leads the reader through a series of thought-experiments in synthetic psychology. The ‘vehicles’ are creatures made of motors, sensors, and simple neuron-like logic gates. The first vehicles, for example, move toward or away from light. Gradually, as you connect the sensors, motors, and logic in more complex ways, the vehicles begin to seem to exhibit lifelike behaviors.

How many Vehicles will we be able to make with our robotics construction kits?