Embedded Systems: Introduction to Robotics
This book is one of four books that teach the fundamentals of embedded systems as applied to the Texas Instruments MSP432 microcontroller. An embedded system is a system that performs a specific task and has a computer embedded inside. A system is comprised of components and interfaces connected together for a common purpose. This book teaches the fundamentals of microcontroller interfacing and real-time programming in the context of robotics. There is a chapter on assembly language to expose important concepts of the microcontroller architecture. However, most of the software development occurs in C. This book can be used with Texas Instruments Robot Systems Learning Kit (TI-RSLK). This book provides an introduction to robots that could be used at the college level with little or no prerequisites. Specific topics include microcontrollers, fixed-point numbers, the design of software in C, elementary data structures, programming input/output including interrupts, analog to digital conversion, digital to analog conversion, power, sensor interfacing, motor interfacing, an introduction to digital signal processing, control systems, and communication systems. The book shows how you deploy both Bluetooth Low Energy, and wifi onto the robot, creating an internet of things. This book employs a bottom-up approach to learning. It will not include an exhaustive recapitulation of the information in data sheets. First, it begins with basic fundamentals, which allows the reader to solve new problems with new technology. Second, the book presents many detailed design examples. These examples illustrate the process of design. There are multiple structural components that assist learning. Checkpoints, with answers in the back, are short easy to answer questions providing immediate feedback while reading. The book includes an index and a glossary so that information can be searched. The most important learning experiences in a class like this are of course the laboratories. Specifically for this volume, look at the lab assignments for TI-RSLK curriculum. There is a web site accompanying this book: http://users.ece.utexas.edu/~valvano/arm/robotics.htm
Why Read This Book
You should read this book if you want a hands-on, classroom-proven path from microcontroller fundamentals to building functioning robots: you will learn how to program the Texas Instruments MSP432 in C, interface sensors and motors, and apply real‑time programming techniques through guided labs using the TI-RSLK. The text balances practical lab work, clear explanations of hardware–software interfaces, and just enough assembly to make you comfortable with the processor architecture.
Who Will Benefit
Undergraduate students, hobbyists, and early-career embedded engineers who want a lab-centered introduction to microcontroller-based robotics using the MSP432 and TI-RSLK.
Level: Beginner — Prerequisites: Basic algebra and high-school physics; some familiarity with C programming and basic circuits is helpful but not strictly required.
Key Takeaways
- Program the MSP432 microcontroller in C and read key ARM Cortex-M concepts via targeted assembly examples
- Interface sensors and actuators (encoders, IR/ultrasonic sensors, DC motors) and implement PWM-based motor control
- Use timers, interrupts, ADCs, and GPIO to build real-time embedded routines and reliable hardware–software interfaces
- Design and debug robotics projects using the TI-RSLK platform and common tools such as a debugger, oscilloscope, and logic analyzer
- Implement basic control algorithms (e.g., PID) and apply them to mobile robot behaviors and closed-loop tasks
Topics Covered
- Introduction to Embedded Systems and Robotics
- Overview of the MSP432 and Development Hardware (TI-RSLK, LaunchPad)
- Essential C Programming Techniques for Embedded Systems
- Assembly Language Primer and Cortex-M Architecture Concepts
- GPIO, Digital I/O, and Signal Conditioning
- Timers, Interrupts, and Real-Time Programming
- Analog Input: ADCs and Signal Sampling
- PWM, Motor Drivers, and Motor Control
- Sensors for Robotics: Encoders, IR, Ultrasonic, and IMUs
- Control Basics: Feedback, Filtering, and PID
- Integrating Peripherals and Building Robot Behaviors
- Lab Projects and Step-by-Step TI-RSLK Exercises
- Debugging, Testing, and Hardware Troubleshooting
- Appendices: Schematics, Parts Lists, and Software Setup
Languages, Platforms & Tools
How It Compares
Compared with Elecia White's Making Embedded Systems, Valvano's book is far more lab- and MSP432-specific with guided robotics projects (TI-RSLK); compared with Valvano's other texts, this volume emphasizes robotics applications over general-purpose RTOS concepts.
Related Books
