Robotics Books

This is a good book to have for ur robot, has a lot of neat ideas and ways to modify your robosapien and make it that much more fun to play with

I was very upset when I received this book. This book does not help in the least with your robot. It is more the maker of the robot just cursing and telling about how you can add things to the robot. I wanted to know more about the robot and how I could use him not create a new robot.
If you do not mind cursing and you would like to ADD things to the robots than you may like the book.
You must be interested in building robots.

Having read a number of robotics books, what struck me first was how well structured Robosapien Companion is. This is not simply a collection of hacks and technical tidbits. Rather, it is a companion in the truest sense. Samans deftly follows the full curve of Robosapien's life, starting with Mark Tildens early BEAM endeavors and Robosapien's development, moving to cracking into the box and getting the most from a virgin 'sapien, and rounding it out with basic and advanced hacking techniques.

Two different but alike audiences will enjoy this book. The first are those looking to get more play from the Robosapien toy. The text offers plenty to do. Though I bought my Robosapien to hack, I found myself keeping it in one piece and trying out the programming lessons and "secret" functions. The second audience are those who admire Mark Tilden's work and want to know how he applied it to Robosapien.

Being a member of this last, I found two chapters of particular interest. First, I appreciated the chapter on the development of Robosapien. Samans discusses some of Mark Tilden's design principles and shows how they culminated in a biped at the Telluride workshop. This was, of course, the first Robosapien. Samans goes on to capture the excitement of Robosapien's early days. Next, I enjoyed Chapter 6 on controlling and walking. This showed where Robosapien falls in the spectrum of passive-dynamic machines. Passive-dynamics is a hot topic in robotics circles and Robosapien Companion hints at the potential of using a 'sapien for exploring these ideas

In fact, finishing Robosapien Companion leaves me with an urge to explore all sorts of things with a Robosapien. Samans provides a good framework for such explorations, weaving in commentary from Mark Tilden, expanding upon the ideas, and rounding out with links to the online community. Companion is a good book and I recommend it.

J Wolfgang Goerlich

Honestly I have not finished reading this book, but I have enjoyed every page of it that I decided to give it a well deserved review. Very well written, simple, and enjoyable. This book goes from the very beginning, history and development of the Robosapien, interviews with Mark Tilden (Robosapien creator),from packaging of the robot, tips, tricks, and ways to Hacking it, with lot of black & white pictures of the robot and its internal parts. The book also give a preview of the Robosapien online community with info and resources, and insights for the new Robosapien v2. If you own a Robosapien or going to buy one, you owe this book to yourself.

I bought a RoboSapien about 8 months ago. I tell people that I got it for my kids, but I just couldn't resist it - it looked so cute. Anyway, I played with it for a few hours and then got bored with it. It has spent the last 8 months collecting dust on a shelf.

Yesterday, I happened across this book at B&N and have been reading it ever since. Way to go Jamie! The shell of this thing totally threw me off and I never thought to crack it open. I like the mods you made - very practical and I am strongly considering adding the camera so I can check on my home when I am on vacation - or maybe spy on my kids.

Very good book - easy to read - really cool subject - I highly recommend it.

I am just investigating BEAM for some physical computing course work and was pleased by the straighforward nature of the examples and explanations of what it takes to make your own "bugbots".
Tilden is the father of this movement and Dave Hrynkiw injects a friendly warm tone to the writing that makes this easy to peruse.
I built the first bot yesterday and had a really great time with the process. I agree with previous posters that some of this is on the internet, but this book is moderately priced and worth having around.

This book is very well done. The photos are phenomenal, the mechanical diagrams are very consice and exact and the subject matter is explained very well. The only reason I give it a 3-star rating is because all of the material is available on the internet for free - although I do like having the book on my shelf. I don't agree that the simple beam technolgy will stand the test of time because what they call a "nervous network" is actual just a simple analog sequence generator and cannot be programmed to allow the robot to do practical work. If you want to have some control over what your robot is going to do, then you need to get a book that explains the use of microcontrollers. Try a book by Myke Predko. Definitely buy this book though!!

Great book for beginners in robotics OR electronics. This book focuses on the minimalist BEAM approach to robotics, as opposed to the full blown combat robots you see on TV. Starts with the real basics, everything from reading resistor color bands (BBROYGBVGW - Bad Boys etc...) to proper soldering techniques. Then it moves on to a series of step-by-step micro-bot builds, generously illustrated with photos and diagrams. If you can't find the parts around the house to build your bots, you can always take the author's dumpster diving tips to heart. I'd recommend this book for anybody who's not afraid of soldering and glue fumes.

This is, by far, the best robotics how-to book I've ever read. I've been following the BEAM "movement" from its inception, and Dave Hrynkiw's work for years. This book makes the BEAM approach toward robotics accessible to everyone, from the complete newbie to the more experienced hobbyist.

I was amazed at how well the book was written (it's genuinely funny in spots), and how much attention to detail was evident in clear photos and well-done illustrations. This is a model for how such a book should be done.

There are seven projects in the book, from a simple solar-powered top to a rather sophisticated four-legged insect-like walker. Set-by-step instructions are given for each project, along with process photos and circuit diagrams.

One of the coolest things about BEAMbots is that they're often built from analog electronics scavenged from techno-junk (old solar calculators, Walkman, pagers, modems, etc.). Dave provides info on how to round up this junk and where to go for the parts you can't scrounge.

I think that making some of these little autonomous robo-critters and letting them scuttle and flail around in your office (seeking light, avoiding light, dodging obstacles) would be a great way of flexing your superior geek muscles. Make some of these babies and you'll be the envy of propellerheads everywhere!

As a graphic designer by trade, I dabble in building robots. The BEAM philosophy for building robots is really quite amazing because the focus is on reuse of discarded electronics while striving to make your robots look as asthetically pleasing as possible. The strength of this work is that now everybody may build a robot easily and quickly.

Animals have taken over my house. Every time I turn around something is hopping, walking or skittering across the floor. I blame No Starch Press and the LEGO company; a NXT MindStorms kit and a copy of "The LEGO NXT Mindstorms Zoo" ("Zoo") by Fay Rhodes has my 15 year old daughter (with previously no real interest in robots or programming) building all sorts of infernal machines.

The release of the MindStorms NXT has brought forward a plethora of new possibilities and books to inform us of them. No Starch has published several. "Zoo", subtitled "A Kid-Friendly Guide to Building Animals with the NXT Robotics System" seems well pitched at the beginner; all the models are easily built and programming the models for the basic behaviours in the book is easy and well explained.

At first impression a retail NXT buyer may suffer some disappointment, the book is designed for those who have the Educational version of the NXT with a the extra Educational Resource Kit so you will be missing some pieces required for the models. Most NXT owners, though, will have some LEGO already and may have the pieces. Rhodes does go to the trouble of telling you which pieces and where to get them. Just keep this in mind if you are intending to give the book as a gift, you may wish to track down and purchase the extra pieces and include them to avoid disappointment.

The building instructions are a good size, more easily read and understood than those from LEGO themselves which I find a little too small. I also appreciated the parts guide at the start of each model; when you might have to go hunting through other sets for a piece or an alternate the guide meant you could get this over and done with at the beginning rather than just as you are about to complete the model.

The first few models are easily built and programmed, getting progressively harder as you go through the book. None are beyond the capabilities of an even moderately experienced LEGO builder. Rhodes also includes a few sidebars showing alternative parts that can be used for some of the harder to source pieces, a nice touch and one that encouraged my daughter to work around a couple of unavailable parts when building Strutter.

All the model programming uses LEGO's visual programming environment rather than any of the third party languages and tools. A good choice given the book's likely readers. The model programming is a little harder to do from the instructions, though this is more due to the black and white printing and a click together programming environment than any fault by author or publisher. While I had a little difficulty my daughter's eyes were able to cope and so I don't see this as a significant flaw in the book. Rhodes encourages the reader/builder to use the programming environment's ability to chunk code as a block and to develop using a bottom up approach.

For the target market the book is almost perfect, with a good tenor and an excellent choice of models to build. It would be an ideal book to buy for someone who has just gone through building the models included by LEGO in the kit. While the book is aimed at the younger end of LEGO's suggested age range for Mindstorms don't let that put you off purchasing a copy - it's the perfect second book for almost any NXT builder and the "Kid-" could be easily dropped from the subtitle.

I'm really impressed with this book. The models are solid and easy to construct. The programming is also easy to understand. My daughter and I really enjoyed this book. She gives it a big thumbs up, which is five stars in my book.

My son has been doing Lego robotics through a school program all year, and he finally saved enough money to buy his own Lego NXT Mindstorms kit. In the past week, he has spent hours tweaking ideas he learned in the program as well as the ones included in the instructions that came with the kit. I thought this book would be a natural fit, since it is one of the few that are made more for children than adults.

He was very excited to get it, too, and immediately started constucting the spider bot... and then he realized he didn't have half the needed parts. So he tried to make the frog bot...and again, same thing. He was very frustrated by this point and asked that we return the book.

I told him I would try to find the parts he was missing online, and, thanks to the companion Web site, starting making a list of what he would need... which ended up being over 200 pieces of dozens of different types!

My son would've rated this book a 1, but I'll give it a couple of extra stars for content, the Web site and the fact it is written for children. But after shelling out $250 for the kit and another $20 for the book, be warned: The spending won't stop there. (Not to mention the hours you'll spend tracking everything down.)

Hi everyone,

I received this book last week Monday. When I bought this book, I was very sceptical about this book because a peacock on wheels on the cover was a little strange. But I also build a Giraffe with a fifth middle leg based on the book from Benjamin Erwin "Creative Projects with Lego Mindstorms (RIS kit)" which seems also unusual at that time. Also the book of Benjamin Erwin is also an excellent book. So this is of no surprise that I bought this book also.

My skepticism melted as snow for the sun when I saw the creatures and the building instructions inside the book. This book is clearly written with its audience in mind, ie Children. The building instructions are very clear and detailled. The explanations are also easy to follow.

What could be improved, is the explanation of the NXT-G programming language. In my opinion they go not deep enough. An in depth coverage of the NXT motors, touch, ultrasonic, light sensors is missing. Expecially the "Why" and "What for" questions are not answered. But that is already written in Jim Kelly's book "Lego Mindstorms NXT-G Programming Guide". Both books are complementary to each other. So if you buy the NXT Zoo, I think it is a good idea to by the NXT-G programming language also.

I build "Spiderbot" without any problem (I am an adult, I love robotics and bought my first RIS set in august 2005). I found it easy to build, despite the fact those images are not in color. Using color should have added an extra "touch" to this fine book but it would make it also much more expensive. Nevertheless all those images give a very clear and detailled view how to construct the animals.

Also the detailled inventory at the beginning of each design and the part substitution prevent of becoming frustrating when you need a piece of which you just ran out or do no have. You can clearly see what pieces you need and how much before you start building. When you have already bought other Lego Technic sets, you probably will have all the pieces you need. Only the canon seems to be a big problem because this piece seems very hard to find (I am living in Belgium and probably therefore I cannot find a place where I can buy the particular set). But when you live in the USA, there should be no problem at all. Also there are other types of Lego cannons (in the Excoforce sets) which can be substitution for this canon but I did not try it yet.

What I really regret about this book is that it is written in English only. So when your native language is English, your child can start building without problems. But when you like me living in a world with a different language (mine is Dutch), it makes it almost impossible for your child to follow the instructions on its own. I decided to translate the book into my Dutch language for my nephew and when it is allowed by the publisher of this book, I am more than willing to share the Dutch translation with others inside the Lego community. But I think because of copyright matters that this is not allowed. Nevertheless I can understand the reason why it is impossible to produce such books for other languages; English is a main language used in almost every part of the world. When this book should be written in Dutch for example, theya are only selling less than thousand copies because our language and many others are rarely used and only in very small parts of the world.

As my final conclusion. This book is a must have for children with in interest in animals and robotics. In a playfull way, they obtain technic insights and improve their skills. Also this book stimulates creativity because while building you get your own ideas on what could be added. On Spiderbot I would add a second "Ultrasonic" sensor pointed to the ground. So when Spiderbot is on a table, it should detect the end of the table and backup and start walking on another angle. Nevertheless when you add a second Ultrasonic sensor, you have to make sure you are using those Ultrasonic sensor in an intermitting frequency (the front off when your program is using the floor sensor and so fort) otherwise you do not get excact results. If an ultrasonic sensor is too difficult, you can use a light or Hi-Technic color sensor to scan the surface Spiderbot is walking. When the surface changes color, spiderbot backoff. For this kind of approach, your spiderbot can walk only on egally colored surfaces. And when you add a Compass sensor ... You see a lot of extra creativity can add a personal touch to these designs.

So lets start building and experimenting. This book is worth the price which is very reasonable in my opinion.

And about the author Fay Rhodes, very good work indeed! If we had an "intergalactic" Lego Hall of Fame you would have definatelly "First place". Hopefully we will see much more of your work in the future. Also a big "thank you" for your work inside the Lego Community.

Friendly greetings,

Bad_Wolf

In a nutshell: What a great book.

As the author states in the Preface, there are plenty of books for adults that are geared towards NXT, but this book is 100% focused on its primary audience: kids.

First, the subject matter - animals. You can't go wrong with giving kids building and programming plans to build their own skunk, alligator, and dinosaur (only 3 of 9 great little robots). And the designs don't just LOOK like their counterparts - the author has provided programming that makes them mimic the real-life animal. (And the book's website has instructions for adding realistic sounds.)

Second, the building instructions - easy to follow. The author not only provides some of the clearest NXT building instructions to date, but she also provides a complete checklist of the parts required (and the website has a useful chart for locating the needed parts). Also nice is the fact that the list of parts NOT included with the Education Base Kit is very small and the author tells you where the parts can be ordered.

Finally, some random musings:

1. Nice mini-tutorial on using Peeron to locate parts
2. Complete walkthroughs of the programs (with accurate screenshots) for each robot
3. The appendices are a nice addition, with materials for teachers and troubleshooting tips
4. Companion website has additional material for teachers and kids

All in all, the book is a worthy addition to the NXT bookshelf. Even adult fans will enjoy the designs and some of the very smart little design tricks that are shared. And kids are going to love it.

In this nearly twenty year old book, the author contends that advancing technology and the force of economic competition will lead inevitably (and in a span of mere decades) to a world in which machine intelligence vastly exceeds human intelligence. In chapters 3 through 6 the author gives a fascinating look at some of the possible features of that transhuman, post-biological world. Those chapters are as interesting and thought-provoking as any that have appeared in more contemporary treatments. Where the book does show it age, however, is in the first three chapters. There the author reviews the history of computer technology, and then succumbs to the shop-worn refrain of many classical AI researchers - "If only we had a computer that is 100 (or 1000 or 10000) times as powerful as today's machine, then we could program a human-equivalent intelligence". He even predicts on page 23 that "a general-purpose robot usable in the home" will be available within ten years. Well, today we have the computer power he was hoping for and still no general-purpose robot. Bottom line: if you want a fascinating look at what a world with superintelligent machines might be like, then buy this book and start reading at chapter 4. If you are interested in how we might actually achieve such a world then consider buying a copy of "On Intelligence" by Jeff Hawkins.

I picked up this book, expecting to learn a little bit about where we're headed with our computers, and the consequences therein. I learned all that--but I got even more than I bargained for. I have to say, the prologue in and of itself blew me away. I had never quite thought of humans as the first step in a bigger evolution. I read this book six months ago, and I haven't been able to get the implications of it out of my head since. If you're looking for the big answers--like "Why are we here?" and "What's the point?"--you may be like me and find more in here than in more traditional spiritual texts.

This book does a great job of exploring the future of robots, artificial intelligence, the human mind, and human identity. A few parts of it seem dated, but most of what the book describes seems likely to happen this century and to surprise the large fraction of the population which still hasn't given any thought to the possibilities this book describes.

This is a hard Hitting Strong AI book. It's the the land mark book the drew the line in the sand. If you wont to know what the strong AI position is this is the only book you have to read.

You wont feel special after reading this book... So much for being on the top of the evolutionary ladder

Moravec writes a good book but I think his ideas are a tad to far out there. He doesn't take into account the possiblility of people not wanting to have their minds transfered to machines. He appears to assume that it is inevitable. I personally agree with his goals but I suspect that the majority of the population would be strongly opposed.

You can tell when someone has lived that which they write.

There is much more to this book than 'just sensors'. It treats complex situations with simplicity and depth. The author describes how you might decide upon a certain technique and then how to use the appropriate sensor or from the other angle, which sensor would work best and the unexpected accompanying pieces to ensure it, for example, his novel use of a guitar string.

Some may call this book a 'bible' of sorts. As a reader of technical books, to me, this book is a very satisfying read. An elegant coverage, well thought out, complete and orderly while not bloated and padantic. I cannot say that about too many books, technical or non.

This book could gets the three bears award!

This book includes descriptions of an amazing variety of sensors. I had never even imagined some of these sensing devices. I used two of the sensing techniques for a class project and they got quite a bit of attention from others in the class because the sensors I chose were so unorthodox. You may think you have seen it all but you haven't unless you own this book!

Book covers alot of topics related to robotics, but fails to do so at more detailed levels.
Good book for general information, but would not recommend it to anyone looking to get any "real" information for implementation.

The author is one of the most renown in the field and reading this book you can see why in this one-of-a-kind book. This work documents many systems and techniques used in mobile robotics. It gives enough detail to provide a technical picture (without delving unnecessarily deep) for the sake of covering the broad range of topics. Although a bit dated as of this review I still would highly recommend this for educational and reference purposes in addition to leisure reading. Much of the technologies and techniques covered are still used in today's world and definitely will likely be applied, in many ways, to future technologies (robotic or otherwise). For persons with some science and engineering background, this is an excellent book that can help you take a step into the world of robotics.

This is simply a great book. I use it all the time for reference. If you are into robotics, this is a must.

This book was a very good resource for my car. The details, descriptions, and also real world advice made it possible for me to take on a job that would have normally cost me around $800.00 in labor alone. Even if I didn't plan on working on my car, this book, and most likely all the other Haynes manuals, makes it a lot easier to understand the car, gives you the confidence to perform some of the maintenance yourself, and when it comes to bringing the car in for service you won't need to just plainly trust the mechanic and hope that they are not overcharging you.

Overall great experience!

This manual is not just for the grease monkey, but for the average car owner. Even if you don't do the work yourself, this guide will give you an idea of the work involved and educate you as a consumer if you ever need to take your car in for repairs. It is also a nice reference if you buy a used car and the original manual is missing. It has a maintence schedule as well as a troubleshooting guide.

Since the manual covers multiple makes and models, I found some of the photos and directions inaccurate when it came to my 98 Camry 4 Cylinder 2.2L. Although this did not give me great confidence at first in doing my work, in the end it didn't matter.

The manual is well written with adequate pictures and drawings for both the Camry and the Avalon. This is a good buy for the do-it-yourself'er for minor maintenance and adjustments.

I remember growing up with these books but have not seen them in a while. When I needed to work on my Camry again I was pleased to find it. The descriptions and the pictures are good. Sometimes you have to read it several times before tackling the job. You also need to jump around in the book at times which is fine.

This manual is good for general information, but don't expect it to substitute a good service manual. Some of the topics covered in the manual are in better detail than others. If you want thorough steps and procedures in performing maintenance and repair, I suggest you spend a little more money on a better manual.

This is a book on robots of all kinds; from films to toys to the latest robots in use today. It includes a timeline on robots in technology and pop culture throughout the ages. As the name suggests, it's the ultimate book for robot lovers everywhere.

The book includes detailed pictures and information on each robot it talks about. It mentions robot toys and kits such as AIBO and Robosapien; it mentions robots from movies and books; and it mentions robots unveiled at robot fairs and conventions such as ASIMO and Kawada's HRP-2. It also mentions industrial robots, NASA's robots, and where we're headed in the future of robotics.

I thought it was an okay book and I would recommend it for people who like robots.

This is a great book. I especially like "The new generation" chapter and "art and entertainment". My favorite robots are PaPeRo, soccer robots and BattleBots. this book tells me a lot about all different kinds of robots, a subject that I am really interested in. This is really the ultimate robot book.

This is a great book. I especially like "The new generation" chapter and "art and entertainment". My favorite robots are PaPeRo, soccer robots and BattleBots. this book tells me a lot about all different kinds of robots, a subject that I am really interested in. This is really the ultimate robot book.

Britain's DK Books are known for their lavish, full color coffee table creations, and this volume is no exception. At just under 200 pages it surveys nearly every avenue of things robotic. As such, it's a great overview, interest jogger or introduction to the subject whether your interest lies in toy collecting, robot building or sci-fi films. The flip side is that such a brief treatment can't hope to be exhaustive. My four stars is not due to any lack in the book, but merely because this book is easily used up. But not before it's achieved its purpose in directing the interested reader toward further study and reading.

My take on this book is that it's overwhelming and covers so much ground as to be a jack of all trades and expert in none. Again, that's not a bad thing for an introductory book. The reading level is also curious. It's in the "adult" DK series but the writing is easily graspable by a smart teen. What it all comes down to is that robots are their own thing; like them or you don't. If you do, this is very much your book.

This book does what other robot books fail to do in presenting humanoid robots and their toy-like offshoots. Since it's British, it covers The Hitchhiker's Guide (the original BBC mini-series, not the Disney movie), Dr. Who's K-9 and the Daleks and UK shows like "Little Robots" which will hopefully make it stateside soon. Malone sweeps briefly over robot toys but those covered get full page or even two page color spreads. He gives a brief, thoughtful summary of robotic history and touches on their aesthetic and imaginative appeal. Since the book is from 2004, it covers the first Robosapien and not the new model, but that's more than made up for by the bits on Japan's lesser-known PaPeRo and Sony's QRIO along with the AIBO robot dog. Casting such a wide net, this book cannot hope to be exhaustive of any one area, but it's lavish presentation will enchant any robot afficianado.

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I am trying to determine which audience this title is intended for. It seems too esoteric for someone with merely a casual interest in robots, yet far too superficial for the serious robot enthusiast. I cannot imagine there being very many people in the intermediary group, so I suppose the book will have a fairly limited audience.
Yet DK must be given credit for publishing it in the first place. It is not often one sees books delving into this particular subject matter.

How well does it do it, then?

The book is divided into a number of chapters dealing with a variety of robot types - toys, artistic representations, movie/TV robots, robot pets, robot kits, etc. The category boundaries, as well as the selection in each, seem at times somewhat haphazard.
In each category is represented a number of "main" entries, giving a fairly comprehensive amount of information on each entry, and "gallery" entries, merely showing what else is out there in that particular category.

Any assessment of the content must reasonably take into account two factors: First, how comprehensive and/or representative the selection of entries is, and second, how relevant and/or accurate the information given in the entries is.

For the first part, the book does cover most of the basics, although there are a number of glaring omissions. I would have to say that the selection is fairly comprehensive, but fails on the representativeness criterion.

As for the second part, I must say I am fairly disappointed. Most entries have some minor factual error, and some have grave, major errors. As for the relevance of the technical information presented, it is for the most part too limited to be truly useful.

In the end, the book still gets four stars from me, partly because of the beautiful, picture-laden physical presentation, and partly because it represents a stellar starting effort. Whereas the information contained within the binders has serious gaps, omissions, misrepresentations, and outright errors, it is still a handy - as well as beautiful - compilation of robots in popular culture. But that is where I see its main value: as a compilation for those who already know enough of the subject not to depend on the information given for its veracity. As a source of information, it is seriously flawed.

If Robert Malone gets around to writing a second, revised edition ... the work might live up to its potential.

Good to know that there is a book out there that offers treatment of a more modern microcontroller (as opposed to PIC or 8051 controllers).

This book is full of great examples and psuedocode, from very basic circuits (get your feet wet!!) to the more complex fuzzy logic circuits.

I would have liked to have seen more time devoted to the fuzzy logic algorithms and explanations and less to blinking LEDs, but oh well. The author presents his own language "Fuzbol" which may or may not be useful to hobbyists...it has an interesting syntax that's vaguely C-like.

Overall, this is a well thought out book and far more useful than some of the other "classics" out there. A recommended purchase for hobbyists or students (more advanced might find this too simple).

I used this book in conjunction with Gordon McComb's Robot Builder's Bonanza. The book provides step by step instructions for building a mobile robot and in doing so eliminates most of the apprehensions of a beginning robot builder. The book is somewhat specific and is not very detailed. The author however, is extermely helpful and responsive to questions and problems encountered. I e-mailed him numerous times and received immediate responses- the deciding factor in making this a five star book.

This book is wonderful for the small time robot enthusiast. It starts from scratch, with the basics so anyone can follow along, and moves into more advanced and interesting robot behaviors. I built a small mobile robot and bought his kit, and now have a fully programmed robot that I can tinker with. It also includes a great programming language fuzBol that uses fuzzy logic, and some great ideas for future experiments.

A great book! Sure to warm the hearts of hardware hackers everywhere. If you want to get into robotics and you would prefer to build a small robot of your own design rather than buying an off-the-shelf robot or kit then this book is for you. Well organized, engaging and clearly written this book will give you the information you need to engineer your own robot. The book includes a CD that contains a fuzzy logic programming language as well as other software developement tools for the reccomended Atmel MCU. This seems like a real bargain in a meaty book that costs under 25 dollars. Edwin Wise also sells inexpensive kits containing electronic and mechanical parts from his company website. If you love the smell of a hot soldering iron, buy this book!

Those familiar with Gordon McComb's 'Robot Builder's Bonanza' know that he interacts with and leverages off of developments in the hobby robotics community, soliciting ideas from readers and referring them to a plethora of resources outside of himself. Edwin Wise's 'Applied Robotics' is more of a one-man show. Whereas 'Bonanza' provides individual chapters devoted to describing three different MCUs, and allows the reader to use his / her own judgment in selecting one, Wise relies exclusively on the Atmel AT8515. Though very good, Atmel is not the most common choice among amateur roboticists, and this will limit the reader's ability to find kindred spirits in clubs or cyberspace when the inevitable questions arise. Nor is the AT8515 a beginner's MCU. All of the book's code samples are written in a single, proprietary programming language developed by the author himself, called Fuzbol. This language incorporates fuzzy logic capabilities as its primary feature, and for those interested in fuzzy logic, Wise provides a more complete introduction than I have seen elsewhere. However, "[m]ath in Fuzbol is very slow," Wise says on p. 165. "[D]ivision is the worst, then multiplication. The slowest of all is real-valued math and it is best to avoid it unless necessary." In the preface, Wise refers to Applied Robotics as a beginner's guide, and as a book that may provide new ideas and techniques for the advanced builder. I would actually call this an intermediate-level hobbyist's guide. The advanced builder is familiar with almost all of the concepts addressed, while the bona fide beginner is likely to have difficulty with much of what lies beyond Chapter 6. Wise assumes his readers are familiar with computers and electronic circuits. If you do not know what 'edge-triggered' means, what a quad NOR gate is, or what a pullup is, you will need to do some remedial work with outside materials before you will understand this book. Wise's readers really should have ready access to a PC; Mac users are discouraged on p. 118. The program listings at the end of the book are designed to generate robotic behaviors such as 'aggression' (charging a light source), 'fear' (avoiding a light source), 'love', 'insecurity' and others. I really enjoyed Chapter 13, which treats pneumatics. Unlike other authors, Wise describes pneumatics in terms of circuits, providing interesting schematic conventions for air instead of electrons that I have not seen in other books. I also enjoyed Chapter 11, which deals mainly with sensors. Overall, I am pleased that I read the book. I would not personally rely upon it as a primary source, as I rely on 'Bonanza'. I am wary of its reliance on a single MCU, of its reliance on a proprietary language, and of the fact that readers who follow the book's guidelines ultimately produce only a system more or less identical to Wise's rather than one of their own design, but I value Applied Robotics as an addition to my library and as a reference source.

Shapiro's "Computer Vision" is an excellent book for someone looking for an introductory text in the field. The book is well structured and introduces fundamental concepts first, then uses these concepts to build on advanced approaches. The book assumes some knowledge of mathematics in linear algebra, calculus, and set theory, but does a good job of introducing the concepts before jumping into the math. Compared to other vision books this book is less focused on the math and more focused on conveying the concepts. Math intensive sections are noted up front in the table of contents.

The reason I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars is that the paperback is entirely in black and white. The original hardcover contained both color images and color plates. When these images are converted to B&W it defeats the purpose of having them as the reader cannot distinguish some of the effects occurring in the image which Shapiro is discussing (especially in sections discussing color image processing!). It is very disappointing that the publisher opted to go this route. If possible I recommend obtaining a hardcover which I give 5 out of 5 stars.

Pro:
This book is really good. In simple, the book is written in English. It seems to be aimed at an entry-level CV student. Having some prior Image Processing or Computer Vision background will help you run through the book faster, although it doesn't seem to be required.

Shapiro makes sure you understand the concept behind the algorithm and then provides you the pseudo code rather than typing up some complicated C/C++ code.

Con:
There are alot of exercises in the chapter and they really help in testing your understanding. I only wish the author provided solutions to the exercises.

Of the several computer vision textbooks that I haved owned and read, this book provides the best combination of introductory techniques with more advanced material in a very readable style.
The first two chapters are a very conversational overview of computer vision and image representation, but don't let this fool you. Starting in chapter three, the book becomes concise in presentation and in numerical examples. The authors starts out with the basics of binary image analysis which includes a very good discussion of image morphology. However, this is not an image processing book, so you should already be familiar with image processing on the same level as what is presented in Gonzales & Wood's "Digital Image Processing", which is my personal favorite among the various image processing texts. Next pattern recognition basics are discussed, including a section on neural networks that was clearer than anything I gleaned from Haykin's classic text on the subject. Next, the author moves into the realm of gray scale images by discussing the filtering and enhancing of images, which is similar to material in many image processing books. The basics of computer vision conclude with chapters on color, shading, and texture. Next, the book jumps into more advanced material that builds on the introductory material. For example, there are chapters on content-based image retrieval, a subject on which the author Linda Shapiro is conducting research at the University of Washington, and also on computing motion from 2D image sequences. Finally, the book tackles some 3D computer vision issues such as perceiving 3D from 2D images, object pose computation, and 3D models and matching using image "snakes". There are algorithms presented in pseudocode throughout this book, along with supporting mathematics, so the reader should have a good understanding of matrix algebra as well as calculus to really get the most from this book. The algorithms are concisely represented, and I had no trouble coding up a content-based image retrieval program based solely on the contents of this book. The pattern recognition chapter lacks a few details, and it might be helpful if the reader had a copy of Tom Mitchell's "Machine Learning", which parallels nicely with the pattern recognition chapter of Shapiro's book and is both complete and concise.

The book presents a nice complement to Image Processing, Analysis and Machine Vision (Image Processing, Analysis, and Machine Vision, 2nd ed., M. Sonka, V. Hlavac, and R. Boyle, 1998, IPAMV). As the difference in names implies, Computer Vision is not appropriate as an image processing textbook. It contains sufficient information on image processing to implement computer vision algorithms, but the focus of the book is on image analysis and high-level vision. The result is that the combination of IPAMV and Computer Vision cover the spectrum from intensive image processing and manipulation to high level analysis, object recognition and content-based image retrieval.

Computer Vision contains sixteen chapters that fall into roughly four categories: overview, 2-D CV topics, 3D CV topics, and special CV topics. Since it was written with the intent of reaching a broader audience than IPAMV, this book is appropriate as a primary text or reference for a wider variety of courses. For example, it would be appropriate for courses ranging from an introduction to imaging for non-scientists to a sophomore-junior elective to a first-year graduate seminar.

The overview chapters (chapters 1-4) include a summary of problems in CV, imaging and image representations, simple binary image analysis and a survey of pattern recognition concepts. The 2-D processing topics (chapters 3, 5-7, and 11) include thresholding and binary image analysis, filtering and enhancement, edge detection, Fourier Transforms, color, texture, segmentation, and 2-D matching and pose calculation. The 3-D computer vision topics (chapters 9-10, and 12-14) include motion detection and analysis, range image analysis, stereo, calibration, intrinsic image analysis and line labeling, shape from X, and camera models. The special topics (chapters 6-8, 15-16) include color and shading, texture, content-based retrieval, virtual reality, and a set of case studies of CV systems. Different combinations of these are appropriate for different types of courses.

In comparison with other texts, the coverage of color and shading in Computer Vision is the best available without consulting a color reference such as Fairchild's Color Appearance Models (described below). However, it still does not contain adequate coverage of physical models of reflection or color appearance. The texture chapter is comparable to Sonka et. al., and the CBIR and VR chapters are unique. It is these latter two areas that give Computer Vision a nice high-level flavor and provides a reference for these growing areas of CV.

Like IPAMV, Computer Vision contains a large number of example images, diagrams, and algorithms. The writing is clear and the mathematics--when it is necessary to present it--is complete and accessible. Since the book is designed with multiple audiences in mind, the heavy mathematical sections are flagged and the book can be used effectively with or without them.

Of particular interest to CV practitioners and students dealing with issues of calibration, chapter 13 contains a nice description of Roger Tsai's camera calibration algorithm, complete with an example. Note that Trucco and Verri (see below) also cover Tsai's calibration algorithm.

Overall, the choice between Computer Vision and IPAMV should be based on personal preference, the focus of your course, and the background of your students. IPAMV will be more accessible to engineers and contains more in-depth coverage of image processing techniques. Computer Vision is more accessible to computer scientists and covers a number of higher-level aspects of CV that are either not covered or briefly covered in IPAMV. In a number of areas--texture, stereo, motion, calibration, and segmentation--the two books are quite similar and the differences are mainly in style and emphasis.

This text is excellent as the basis for an introduction to CV, it treats a wide variety of topics in a clear and accessible manner. I particularly appreciated the books coverage of topics which aren't traditionally considered to be CV topics (like classification and some material on probabilistic inference). Highly recommended.

A collection of less well known Robot stories, even the satirical Galley Slave.

Asimov starts of talking about the Shelleys, of all things, to start with in his intro, to lead into talking about Capek and R.U.R. and hence to his robots.

Another solid collection of stories, here.

Rest of the Robots : Robot AL-76 Goes Astray - Isaac Asimov
Rest of the Robots : Victory Unintentional - Isaac Asimov
Rest of the Robots : First Law - Isaac Asimov
Rest of the Robots : Let's Get Together - Isaac Asimov
Rest of the Robots : Satisfaction Guaranteed - Isaac Asimov
Rest of the Robots : Risk - Isaac Asimov
Rest of the Robots : Lenny - Isaac Asimov
Rest of the Robots : Galley Slave - Isaac Asimov

Disintegration confusion.

3.5 out of 5


Understanding Jovian psychology.

3.5 out of 5


Rulebreaker story.

3 out of 5


Robot detente.

3 out of 5


No robots in my house, even if cute.

3.5 out of 5


Robot hypertravel test experiment proves limited.

3.5 out of 5


Robot teaching mummy.

3.5 out of 5


Proofreading plus.

3.5 out of 5

I grew up reading the work of Isaac Asimov. This is the book that launched my life-long love of robots. I, too, fell for Robot Tony. These many years after my paperback edition finally deteriorated, I vividly recall how every story in this book made me feel, and want to believe, that robots were "real." Asimov may have foretold the future, as today's technology creates close-to-humanoid robots. This book should be mandatory reading for anyone who is a fan of robots or of science fiction. At the very least, it will make you never forget those "Three Laws of Robotics."

I remember reading this volume late into the evening, in the dark, in a car sometime long ago when I was a teenager. I couldn't put it down. I think the stories in "The Rest of the Robots" are superior to "I, Robot." We get more of iron Susan Calvin, the robotics scientist whose metallic mannerisms hide a surprisingly vulnerable person inside, and the story "Lenny" is one of my favorites. If you like Asimov, this is not to be missed.

I had this book in hard cover on my shelf for a decade or more, handed down to me from my avid sci-fi reading Mom...all I can say is what was I waiting for? The collection of short stories in this book are wonderful. Each tale has its own charm and many include the familiar caharcters of Dr. Lanning and "cold as sttel" Dr. Calvin. The earliest story was written in 1942, and although it might be considered "dated", it certainly isn't. It's quite difficult to put down as the stories are fast paced and intersting the whole way through. If you are a robot fan, or an Asimov lover, or reader of classic sci-fi, this title is not to be missed!

The companion volume to the seminal "I, Robot". This is a further collection of short stories, much in the same style. Vintage Asimov, not the latter day diluted stuff!