Estimation with Applications to Tracking and Navigation

Book Description

Expert coverage of the design and implementation of state estimation algorithms for tracking and navigation

Estimation with Applications to Tracking and Navigation treats the estimation of various quantities from inherently inaccurate remote observations. It explains state estimator design using a balanced combination of linear systems, probability, and statistics.

The authors provide a review of the necessary background mathematical techniques and offer an overview of the basic concepts in estimation. They then provide detailed treatments of all the major issues in estimation with a focus on applying these techniques to real systems. Other features include:

Problems that apply theoretical material to real-world applications
In-depth coverage of the Interacting Multiple Model (IMM) estimator
Companion DynaEst(TM) software for MATLAB(TM) implementation of Kalman filters and IMM estimators
Design guidelines for tracking filters

Suitable for graduate engineering students and engineers working in remote sensors and tracking, Estimation with Applications to Tracking and Navigation provides expert coverage of this important area.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book on estimation/Kalman filter.......2004-09-29

I don't usually write online reviews but this book is so clear and useful that I really want to recommend it to others. It is well written with a good outline and summary for every chapter. It also has a pretty diverse range of topics on estimation, including an introductory chapter on basic estimation approaches (e.g., ML, MAP, least squares), and very practical extensions (e.g., state augmentation, square-root filters). Even though I am not in EE and some of the examples are thus not particularly helpful to me, I still find this book one of the best of all the estimation/Kalman filter books out there.

best standard book for target tracking system.......2001-05-09

I think any person who major in target tracking system related to the Kalman filter must see this book. This book present the fundamentals of state estimation theory and the tools for the design of state-of-the-art algorithms for target tracking.

The book covers the basic concepts and estimation techniques for static and dynamic systems, linear and nonlinear, as well as adaptive estiomation. This constitutes a one semester graduate course in estimation theory in an electrical/systems engineering program.

The discussion deals mainly with discrete time estimation algorithms, which are natural for digital computer implementation. The basic state estimation algorithm-the Kalman filter-is presented in discrete as well as in continuous time. The use of the estimation algorithms is illustrated on kinematic motion models because they reveal all the major issues and in particular the subtleties encountered in estimation, and this serves as an introdution to tracking.

Guidelines for tracking filter design-selection of the filter design parameters-are given and illustrated in several examples.

At the end of each chapter, a number of problems that enhance the understanding of the theory and the connection of the theoretical material to the real world are given.

Book Description

Loads of pictures and very frank discussion make this book a pleasure to read, and a real learning tool.

— Craig Maloney, Slashdot Contributor

The author gives lots of practical advice, some of which would be useful even to experienced tinkerers. It is very thorough.

— Edward Chin, The Canadian Linux Users' Exchange

Learning robotics by yourself isn't easy, but it helps when the encouragement comes from an expert who's spent years in the field. Not only does Author David Cook assist you in understanding the component parts of robot development, but he also presents valuable techniques that prepare you to achieve new discoveries on your own.

Cook begins with the anatomy of a homemade robot and gives you the best advice on how to proceed successfully. General sources for tools and parts are provided in a consolidated list, and specific parts are recommended throughout the book. Also, basic safety precautions and essential measuring and numbering systems are promoted throughout.

Specific tools and parts covered include digital multimeters, motors, wheels, resistors, LEDs, photoresistors, transistors, chips, gears, nut drivers, batteries, and more. Robot Building for Beginners is an inspiring book that provides an essential base of practical knowledge for anyone getting started in amateur robotics.

Download Description

Learning robotics by yourself isn't easy. It helps when the encouragement comes from someone who's been there. Not only does Robot Building for Beginners assist you in understanding component parts of robot development, but also it prepares you with techniques to learn new discoveries on your own.

Author David Cook begins with the anatomy of a homemade robot and gives you the best advice on how to proceed successfully. General sources for tools and parts are provided in a consolidated list, and specific parts are recommended throughout the book. Also, learn basic safety precautions and essential numbering and measuring systems.

An in-depth analysis of digital multimeters gives you all the information you need to select and obtain this valuable tool for yourself. Other tools and parts covered include: motors, wheels, resistors, wire strippers, needle nose pliers, tap and die, alligator clips, LEDs, solderless breadboards, soldering irons, heat-shrink tubing, photoresistors, transistors, chips, gears, nut drivers, screws, cut-off wheels, connectors, and batteries.

Robot Building for Beginners is an inspiring book that provides basic, practical knowledge on getting started in amateur robotics.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2007-08-01

This is an excellent book for a beginner. I'm a software engineer, didn't have any knowledge about robotics prior to this book, and yesterday I finished building my first robot - Kobi (Jacob, which is a rather biblical name but in hebrew also literally means 'will follow'... as it follows lines of course). Took me about 1-1.5 months to read, gather parts and build.

I live in Israel and didn't want to order all the parts from the web (wanted to get it fast), so I bought what I found in the stores, improvised a little bit (just a bit) and built Kobi.

The book takes you through the electronics, including all the parts and tools to use, and the body building (quite a simple body - adjusting a container). Well written, amusing, very readable, lots of pictures to show the reader how things are supposed to be.

This is my first robotics book. I chose it after reading the excellent reviews on it in Amazon, now I'm adding mine. This book greatly enhanced my knowledge (and practice) in robotics, and I already ordered some more robotics books to learn more.

Beginning Electronics.......2007-06-29

This is an excellent book. It shows you with detailed pictures and explanations exactly how to use electonic components. Very easy to read and understand. I use it as much my son.

Excellent Book, Highly Recommended.......2007-06-17

This is an author who has the beginner in mind. Everything is well explained, no guess work. Pictures and diagrams everywhere. Extremely useful especially if you have low experience in hand work like if you're just out of college. I learns alot about tools, materials, and construction tips that I did not even hear about before. It's not only useful for getting started in robotics but also in electronics. I have an engineering education so I don't know if the author's claim of the information being self contained and no background necessary is right, but in any case, you will get a hell lots of information.

Just what I was looking for!.......2007-06-15

I'm just starting into robotics and have no knowlwdge of electronics. I was thus looking for a beginners book needed to get started. I found that this book "Robot Building for Beginners" to be the best book to start with, even better than the "Robot Building for Dummies". Having got a good start with "Robot Building for Beginners" I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series for more advanced topics.

Fantastic book for jumpstarting a new hobby!.......2007-03-27

My 8-year-old son and I worked our way through this book cover to cover, and found real value on every page. It's intent is clearly on guiding the uninitiated through the design and construction of their very first robot. Along the way, it offers tons of really practical advice on how to pick out the right equipment, where to get the components you'll need, what various components do, and how to work with them. When we were done we had a pretty cool little line following robot, but more importantly we understood how it worked, why it worked, and we had the tools and know-how to take the next step toward designing and building our own creations.

Average customer rating:

Robot Modeling and Control
Mark W. Spong , Seth Hutchinson , and M. Vidyasagar
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0471649902

Book Description

"The coverage is unparalleled in both depth and breadth. No other text that I have seen offers a better complete overview of modern robotic manipulation and robot control."
-- Bradley Bishop, United States Naval Academy

Based on the highly successful classic, Robot Dynamics and Control, by Spong and Vidyasagar (Wiley, 1989), Robot Modeling and Control offers a thoroughly up-to-date, self-contained introduction to the field. The text presents basic and advanced material in a style that is at once readable and mathematically rigorous.

Key Features
* A step-by-step computational approach helps you derive and compute the forward kinematics, inverse kinematics, and Jacobians for the most common robot designs.
* Detailed coverage of vision and visual servo control enables you to program robots to manipulate objects sensed by cameras.
* An entire chapter on dynamics prepares you to compute the dynamics of the most common manipulator designs.
* The most common motion planning and trajectory generation algorithms are presented in an elementary style.
* The comprehensive treatment of motion and force control includes both basic and advanced methods.
* The text's treatment of geometric nonlinear control is more readable than in more advanced texts.
* Many worked examples and an extensive list of problems illustrate all aspects of the theory.
About the authors

Mark W. Spong is Donald Biggar Willett Professor of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Spong is the 2005 President of the IEEE Control Systems Society and past Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology.

Seth Hutchinson is currently a Professor at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, and a senior editor of the IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation. He has published extensively on the topics of robotics and computer vision.

Mathukumalli Vidyasagar is currently Executive Vice President in charge of Advanced Technology at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India's largest IT firm. Dr. Vidyasagar was formerly the director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), under Government of India's Ministry of Defense.

FIRST Robots: Aim High: Behind the Design

Average customer rating:

Great resource for new mentors
A Great Technical Source
Awesome Look into the Next Generation of Education
The first 6 weeks of a FIRST Robotics Competition.

FIRST Robots: Aim High: Behind the Design
Vince Wilczynski , and Stephanie Slezycki
Manufacturer: Rockport Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1592533663

Book Description

Personal robots are about as advanced today as personal computers were on the eve of the first IBM PC in the early 1980s. They are still the domain of hobbyists who cobble them together from scratch or from kits, join local clubs to swap code and stage contests, and whose labor of love is setting the stage for a technological revolution. This book will deconstruct the 30 regional winning robot designs from the FIRST Robotics Competition in 2006. The FIRST Robotics Competition (held annually and co-founded by Dean Kamen and Woodie Flowers) is a multinational competition that teams professionals and young people to solve an engineering design problem in an intense and competitive way. In 2005 the competition reached close to 25,000 people on close to 1,000 teams in 30 competitions. Teams came from Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, Israel, Mexico, the U.K., and almost every U.S. state. The competitions are high-tech spectator sporting events that have gained a loyal following because of the high caliber work featured. Each team is paired with a mentor from such companies as Apple, Motorola, or NASA (NASA has sponsored 200 teams in 8 years).

This book looks at 30 different robot designs all based on the same chassis, and provides in-depth information on the inspiration and the technology that went into building each of them. Each robot is featured in 6-8 pages providing readers with a solid understanding of how the robot was conceived and built. There are sketches, interim drawings, and process shots for each robot.

Customer Reviews:

Great resource for new mentors.......2007-09-19

2007 was the first year I got involved in mentoring a FIRST robotics team (Team 1781, 2nd year team). Since I am now hooked on FRC I have been trying to collect as much information possible to further help the team grow. This book has provided plenty of inspiration on design ideas, build philosophies, and prototyping techniques. I would highly recommend new teams and/or mentors read this book as well as anyone else already involved with FIRST or interested in becoming involved.

A Great Technical Source.......2007-05-13

This book has features on prize-winning robots created for the FIRST competition. Along with sharing the details needed to win the awards in 2006, the information is invaluable for those competing in years to come. In fact, just being able to see the intricate details of so many robots is well worth the money and will knock days off of build times for future FIRST competitors. I highly recommend this book if you plan to compete or already are competing in the FIRST robotics challenges.

Tom
Team 1987 LSNHS Broncobots Mentor

Awesome Look into the Next Generation of Education.......2007-04-12

My name is Ellery Wong I'm a team leader/mentor from (Team 191) The Xerox/Wilson X-CATS. The authors of this book did an excellent job translating our detailed write up to clearly convey our teams' goal for design and the strategy of the 2006 competition in our contribution as a Motorola Quality Award Recipient in this book.

Our team is one of the remaining founding teams that have been involved in FIRST since its inception in 1992. My how it has evolved but yet maintained the original focus of using technology and industry professionals as a vehicle to inspire young minds toward the rewards found in being an engineer or scientist. I sure wish I had this when I was in high school.

I highly recommend this since I've competed in other robotics competitions as well and this is more high tech and has been the most rewarding experience I've ever had in my life. I've been as inspired along with all my students.

Our team is honored to be in the first FIRST Robot Book.

You won't regret checking this book out!

The first 6 weeks of a FIRST Robotics Competition........2007-04-11

As a Metor for a FIRST Robotics Competion team (Team 1629) I was eager to see this book hit the streets. There are lots of great robots built for each FIRST competiton, but after they get their three days of fame they are packed away and never seen again.

This book picks 30 such robots and opens them up to show what's inside and how it got there. Creativity abounds, and the range of design solutions for the same game challenge is amazing. The photos are excellent and the supporting design diagrams that the teams provided are wonderfull. It's great to see the transition for hand sketches to 3D CAD renderings.

I'll be spending many hours inspecting the design process that each team used and how their robots went together. What makes it especially great is that out team competed against some of these robots. Now we can see what we were really up against.

All the budding Engineers, Programmers or Industrial Designers out there should take a good look at this book, and then join a FIRST team in your area.

Maximum Lego NXT: Building Robots with Java Brains

Average customer rating:

Poor Start
Half baked
Great book with excellent ideas.
book does not match software
Experienced Programmers Only!

Maximum Lego NXT: Building Robots with Java Brains
Brian Bagnall
Manufacturer: Variant Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0973864915

Book Description

Over two dozen fun and challenging projects using the next generation of LEGO® MINDSTORMS™ and the Java™ programming language

LEGO® MINDSTORMS™ NXT is an incredible new kit for building and programming your own robotic inventions. Maximum Lego NXT introduces a diverse set of projects, building tips, programming code, complete 3D rendered building instructions and hundreds of illustrations to help you realize your robotic dreams.

Using Java™, the most popular and easy to use programming language available, this book will give you endless entertainment and exploration. It introduces the new LEGO® NXT kit, including the NXT intelligent brick and Bluetooth™.

Maximum NXT includes:

• Easy to follow instructions by the author of Core LEGO® MINDSTORMS™ Programming

• Explanations for all available sensors and expansion products available for the NXT kit, including unique projects interfacing a video camera, cell phone, GPS, data gloves, and many more

• An exciting collection of 14 robots, including a chess playing robot, an exoskeleton for your hand, a Mars Rover, a robotic arm you can control through the Internet, a 3D object scanner, soccer robots, and many more

• Introduces over two dozen in-depth programming projects including navigation, mapping, precise robotic arm control, voice control and global localization

• Artificial Intelligence concepts including Vision analysis, Rodney Brooks' Subsumption Architecture, and Reinforcement Learning

• Exciting projects that use third-party sensors like compass, tilt sensor, and port expanders

• A full chapter on building with the new LEGO stud-less brick paradigm.

• A complete tutorial on programming Java™

• How to install a free development environment for leJOS NXJ, the Java™ Virtual Machine for the NXT

• Foreword by Søren Lund, Director of LEGO MINDSTORMS

Maximum LEGO NXT is the ultimate LEGO MINDSTORMS guide:
• Meet NXT • leJOS NXJ • Java for Primates • The leJOS NXJ API • LEGO Parts • Building 101 • Bite into Bluetooth • Grabby Robots • Sound • Robots with Vision • Standing Tall • Localization • Mapping • Path-finding • Hands & Exoskeletons • Network Robotics • Scanning • Behavior-Based Robots • Expanding the NXT • GPS & Harsh Terrain • Speech • Appendices • Index

Customer Reviews:

Poor Start.......2007-09-04

Like others I spent a couple of long days finding the errors that are contained in the early chapters of this book. Maybe it's a reflection of a project delivered by a niche publisher without the oversight of a good editor, but it really does detract from the rest of the contents. In any case be warned that even the errata published on the web site, as well as other internet sources do not completely address the fundamental issues of installing and running LeJOS. It's too bad that what otherwise appears as an interesting work is so flawed.

Half baked.......2007-08-26

I bought this book as a Christmas present for my 14 year old son, expecting it to be shipped in early January. The book's publish date slipped several times, and it didn't arrive until early June.

I can understand things slipping, but the book is still INCOMPLETE. The libraries they are writing too are still being developed and not available! The installation instructions are incomplete and I'm talking about the ones from the errata sheet from their website!

Don't bother.

It just looks like the author, one of the developers for the leJOS JVM, through this together without concern for quality or completeness trying to cash in on his hobby.

Great book with excellent ideas........2007-07-29

I'm a Computer Engineer with interests in many fields of Computer Science. I really enjoyed this book: It gives you a really quick start in building your NXT Robots with algorithms in Java language. Really clear instructions for new Robot building, excellent ideas for expanding your possible Mindstorms uses.

book does not match software.......2007-07-21

This book does not match its software it is supposedly based on. Buying the book was a HUGE MISTAKE!!!

Experienced Programmers Only!.......2007-07-21

This book is not for the novice computer user. The instructions on how to install lejos_nxj on either PC or Mac involve serious tweaking of the operating system. To be fair, the author has published errata with updated insturctions, but they are still very hard to use. There is help available on-line through users forums, but the guidance may or may not work ( if anyone takes pity and answers your question). So do not buy this book if you expect to be able to simply install the software and program robots. If you are comfortable with tweaking system files, and risking crashing your system, then proceed at your own risk. It is a shame that the publishers did not include an installation disc that would take care of the installation for less experienced users. The result, I fear, is that many people will be turned off from experimenting with java and the nxt brick. It's doubly a shame since the book otherwise is well thought out and offers numerous interesting projects.

Robot Motion Planning (The Springer International Series in Engineering and Computer Science)

Average customer rating:

Very good book
Wonderful

Robot Motion Planning (The Springer International Series in Engineering and Computer Science)
Jean-Claude Latombe
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0792391292

Customer Reviews:

Very good book.......2000-06-21

Comprehensive coverage of motion planning techniques.

Wonderful.......2000-06-01

If you're interested in robot motion planning, this book is it! It provides incomparable detailed coverage of the major methods for motion planning and their theory, and could serve as a great geometrical perspective to planning in general. It's not a casual read, however and is meant for a specialist audience with a liking for theory. No professional roboticist should be without it.

Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (2nd Edition)

Average customer rating:

High quantity, but average quality
From a student point of view
comprehensive and informative
One of the best IE books
Great book! Gives a global vision of automation.

Automation, Production Systems, and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing (2nd Edition)
Mikell P. Groover
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0130889784

Customer Reviews:

High quantity, but average quality.......2006-03-29

This book covers a huge amount of topics related to the automation, organisation and control of production systems.
I studied this book for a class, and I think that the quality of especially the quantative methods presented is only fair.

Besides that: the content on the automation- and controltopics, is way out of date.

Nice book (if you can buy it second hand), but money can buy better books new.

From a student point of view.......2000-10-09

Lacking important concepts from 1st edition that should have been in the chapters on production mathematical models. (Scrap, Time In Plant, etc.) Good descriptions of general machine automation processes. Good overview of NC, CNC machining, covering more in these chapters than some texts associated with only this topic. Good overview chapters of industrial robotics, PLC control and programming, in-plant material handling, manufacturing system schemes, assembly systems, quality control, Statisics, inspection and planning. Overall a very capable text. When coupled with a well developed laboratory, would be a text for a very complete college level Industrial Automation course.

comprehensive and informative.......2000-08-08

This books explains the fundamental principles as well as practical applications of computer-based manufacturing in a clear and effective manner. The illustrations complement the text well, and are worth the price of the book alone.

One of the best IE books.......1999-01-06

I sincerely believe that this book has been one of the best in its field. I just hope that Prof. Groover will publish another edition of this book reflecting the current changes in the manufacturing world.

Great book! Gives a global vision of automation........1998-03-14

This is a good book. It covers all the automation process of a factory. It gives to the reader a good idea on "how-to-do" and mainly the possibilities of what to do in your company. It is good to students and to the companies that want to get bigger and efficient. Unfortunatelly the programming examples are just little old(languages).

Average customer rating:

What a turkey!
DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK
Disappointing
Not as expected
Best in its class and a good buy

LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Hacker's Guide
Dave Prochnow
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0071481478

Book Description

Build and Program Over 20 Challenging Design Projects in Just 30 Minutes Each with the New Generation of LEGO® MINDSTORMS®

More powerful and intuitive than ever, LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT is a new robotics toolset that enables robot enthusiasts and hobbyists to build and program all kinds of projects. The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT Hacker's Guide explores this new generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS, providing a collection of projects, how-to expertise, insider tips, and over 500 illustrations to help readers become expert NXT hackers.

This cutting-edge guide describes new advances that make LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT such a great robotics resource. The book explains the all-new NXT intelligent brick…the interactive servo motors with rotation sensors that align speed for precise control…the ultrasonic sensor that allows robots to “see” by responding to movement…the improved light and touch sensors that let robots detect color and feel…and much more. The LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT Hacker's Guide features:

Expert, insightful commentary by a member of the LEGO MINDSTORMS Developer Program
A hands-on account of the new technologies and expanded sensor capabilities of LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT
A collection of 10 hacking projects with step-by-step instructions for creating things ranging from solar power to ZigBee® technology to tank tread feet [“projects” appears twice.]
A portfolio of 12 exciting design projects featuring R. Buckminster Fuller's Geodesic Dome, Rem Koolhaas' Seattle Central Library, and the world's first NXT wristwatch
Complete disclosure about a “secret” game that is hidden inside every LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT kit
An in-depth guide to the NXT programming language
A special LEGO factory kit offer available only for readers of this book

Inside This Groundbreaking NXT Reference

• Your First Robot • Stupid RCX Tricks • Save Your RIS • As Smart as a Brick • MOVE IT! With Servo Motors • Hmm, I Sense Something • Yes, But I Don't Know How to Program • Testing, Testing; Oh, Trouble Shoot • Katherine's Best Hacking Projects • Katherine's Design Fun House • NXT Programming Language Guide • NXT Elements • NXT Resources

Customer Reviews:

What a turkey!.......2007-09-25

I bought this book (in person) not having heard about the infamous "all 1's" ratings on Amazon. A highly gifted Mindstorms building friend told me I'd managed to pick up the worst of all the books available for LEGO building.

I thought, "there must be SOME redeeming quality to this book," and indeed, the first few chapters seemed like a good read about the history and context of LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT building.

Only then I did I realize what a "hack" this book is. What a "hack" the author is. And what a waste of time and money the entire experience has been. The first few chapters that I read with such interest contain no new insight into the history of the Mindstorms concept or line, and in fact read like a half-hearted attempt at a high school term paper on the history of a toy the author may have experienced at a friend's house.

The hacks included are hardly worthy of the name, and the entire product feels like an attempt to continue the "rep" of a poser trying to maintain his "cool" as hacker extraordinaire. It doesn't read like the author knows much of anything about the subject-at-hand. It in fact opens with an insult thrown at a much better (and better received) book on programming the NXT.

If you're in the market for an NXT book, buy the one he attempts to insult. Buy ANY other book on NXT than this one, in fact.

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK.......2007-08-23

This book is the worst NXT book you could buy. It does not tell a thinkabout the NXT, inserts stupid jokes,completely off subject(what time is it when an elephant sits on your fence), and it just gives info on stuff we already know: it gives a piece list, tells you only how to use the basic blocks, tells you how to make an LDD model(?), and basicly was a waste of my time to read. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK.

Disappointing.......2007-05-15

Unfortunately, I purchased this book before the reviews came out. Very disappointing and actually suprising that somebody would publish a book like this. Perhaps the author got in over his head or just lost interest, although I dont think the NXT community should suffer from such an appalling book.

Not as expected.......2007-02-15

I wanted a book that would help me to build better machines with my set and this was not it. I sent mine back the next day. Items made from basic lego sets unrelated to the NXT are in the book as well as hacking into items not related to the NXT. Book is was disapointing.

Best in its class and a good buy.......2007-01-15

We are very pleased with this book.
We have seen and or read almost every other Lego book we have been able to get our hands/eyes on and this is by far our best pick and it was very reasonable in price compared to all of the others.

We have and use the NXT in our home school in combination with Python and Kturtle.
We also hack frequently and with relish.

The hacks in this book are straight forward and really pretty easy but also practical. The power supply hack pays for the book in agro alone.

The lead up to the hacks is excellent. The history of the brick and the history of Logo (not LEGO) are instructive and to an end useful. The author gives no credit to Jim Henson nor the countless FSS/OSS nor the likes of Collins (Pearl) and the virtual Lego software hackers. Perhaps a case of the hand that feeds but the author says nothing of problems with the software or the bluetooth interface and makes no mention of the "Non Microsoft/Apple" universe. On the other hand he states right up front he is working for LEGO and I must agree that getting "Surprise" packs from Lego in the mail with NXTs in them would tend to mute my critical remarks.

The hacks are clear enough and cool enough and have just enough exotica to make them tempting. They do inspire and without too much intimidation. The addition of BIONICAL bits instead of "true" hacking of say usb cameras and sharp bits from the kitchen is perhaps wisdom not product group loyalty but your little hackers, scientists and robot enthusiasts will soon depart from the text won't they.

To sum up...

This is NOT a good book for the casual Lego build nor those thinking to pass on their kid's NXT to another generation. This in a book for the truly immersed and those who delight in hacking. It is informative and inspires and at a very good price.

We gave it 4 stars because it could have easily and naturally included the above mentioned omissions and that is a shame because there is such a rich and diverse universe there for the true hacker, Lego or otherwise.

Robot Builder's Bonanza, Third Edition (Robot Builder's Bonanza)

Average customer rating:

Robot Builder Reference
Interesting and informative
Forget roboreptile, buy this book and build your own robot!
too advanced for me
Just About Everything You Need to Know

Robot Builder's Bonanza, Third Edition (Robot Builder's Bonanza)
Gordon McComb , and Myke Predko
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0071468935

Book Description

#1 ROBOTICS BOOK OF ALL TIME SUPER-CHARGED BY A FAMOUS NEW CO-AUTHOR AND UPDATED TO REFLECT STATE-OF-THE-ART ADVANCES

Everybody's favorite amateur robotics book is bolder and better than ever -- and now features the field's "grand master" Myke Predko as the new author! Author duo McComb and Predko bring their expertise to this fully-illustrated robotics "bible" to enhance the already incomparable content on how to build -- and have a universe of fun -- with robots. Projects vary in complexity so everyone from novices to advanced hobbyists will find something of interest.

NEW TO THIS EDITION:

30 completely new projects
All projects have been revamped to be more customizable
More visual -- illustrations of the final product are right at the beginning of the chapter

Everything you need to build from plans provided or create your own designs:
* Robot Basics * Construction Techniques * Computer and Electronic Control * Power, Motors, and Locomotion * Practical Robotics Projects * Sensors and Navigation * Robot Programming * Tips, Tricks, and Tidbits

Customer Reviews:

Robot Builder Reference.......2007-04-05

This is a good reference book for beginning robot builders. However, if you are really interested in getting started then invest the money into a cheap kit like Parallax's Basic Stamp2. Then move up to one of their robotics kits to get a hands on feel.

Interesting and informative.......2007-03-08

A good way to describe this book is a cross between a textbook, a trade journal, and a catalog. Being definately a large volume, it attempts to cover a lot of information in bite sized chapters. I would think the best use for this book is as a reference. You can build some of the projects listed in it as stand alone applications, but they work best when combining them with your own ideas, or supplementing info from other book projects.

All in all, this book is a good addition to a robot reference library.

Forget roboreptile, buy this book and build your own robot!.......2006-12-10

Why spend a lot of money on this year's big thing in robots - Roboreptile - and wind up with something that can only do a few basic commands and then falls over? Instead, buy this book, and you and your child can bond while building your own robots.

This is a very healthy update to the 2nd edition, and makes it well worth your while to purchase, read, and use as a reference book. The third edition has been updated to show most of the latest technologies that robot builders have been using. Gordon has done a very good job at organizing a wide variety of current information into his book, and Myke Predko is a welcome addition to the authoring team, bringing with him is vast knowledge of microcontrollers.

This book covers much of the basics of building robots, such as electronics, motors and motor control. There are plenty of diagrams, schematics, and details on the basics of building robots. There is even quite a bit of source code, and instructions on where to find and buy supplies for the projects outlined in the book. There are experiments with range finding, sound, ultrasonics, infrared, and a host of other popular technologies.

The first four parts of the book are on the technologies and skills needed to build robots, but part five gives you some sample robots to build where you can apply your knowledge. This includes a roverbot, a walking robot, and robots with arms that have gripping capabilities. The final sections of the book cover more advanced topics such as navigation, sensor integration, object detection, speech synthesis, and even computer vision. It's a great source for complete instructions unlike many other hastily constructed books on the subject that omit individual robot construction steps or get them wrong entirely. I highly recommend it for the budding robot building enthusiast.

too advanced for me.......2006-11-28

I read the first 80 pages of this book at B&N, and I was overwhelmed by the amount of information. This book is not for beginners who are only somewhat interested in robotics. You have to make an effort with this book. But if you're looking to make science-fair quality projects or impress MIT, this book can't be beat.

Just About Everything You Need to Know.......2006-03-31

This is the big book on robots. In its third edition, it is more than seven hundred pages of information. This information basically includes virtually everything there is to know about modern robotics from converting a toy into a working robot to fairly fancy electronics that handle functions like speech (systhesis and recognition) eyes, collision detection and avoidance through the computer programming that will be required to tie everything together and make it work.

The book is aimed at the robot experimenter. This could be at any level from the individual working in his basement to the student wanting a neat project for the science fair, and even up to the more advanced experimenter who may have great knowledge in one area but needs to know about other areas to be more complete in his knowledge.

If you're going to buy one Robot book, this is the one.

Average customer rating:

Intermediate Robot Building
Great book
Practical advice for a novice
Truly excellent!
A course in analog electronics

Intermediate Robot Building
David Cook
Manufacturer: Apress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1590593731

Book Description

This book is about general robotics. It covers mechanics, electronics and software needed to build robots at an intermediate level.

It is not tied to a particular operating system, and thus has a very long shelf life.

Customer Reviews:

Intermediate Robot Building.......2007-01-13

If you read the first book this is an excellent followup to help you increase you understanding of how to build a robot of your own. If you did not a good place is start with the first book Robert Building for Begginers. These books help get you in the thought process needed to build decent robots wather small or big.

Great book.......2006-10-30

This review is by my ten year old Robot fanatic:

This book introduces the most common parts (in a beginner type robot) step by step by defining them properly. So far I have made a line following robot almost from scratch. This book sets you up with many different options. It starts with safety and where to obtain parts then moving on to introducing parts. After that you are shown how to setup a solder-less breadboard.

Practical advice for a novice.......2006-08-27

I am a novice robot builder. I appreciate the thoroughness and practical approach of this book. I have understood and implemented several circuit ideas from this excellent book.

Books like this are refreshingly down-to-earth after reading the usual college text books.

Truly excellent!.......2005-03-21

This book (and it's prequel, Robot Building for Beginners by the same author) is extraordinarily good. It picks up where the previous book (which is the best book in existence for the beginning roboticist, in my opinion) leaves off, getting into details of milling parts, microcontroller circuits, and such. A truly wonderful book. If you read the previous book, and then read this book, you will have an excellent grounding in robotics, and have a very entertaining time doing it. Highly recommended!

A course in analog electronics.......2004-07-11

Very cool narrative aimed straight at the hardcore tinkerer. For the restless kid inside you, that really digged hands on experience, and who perhaps is left neglected by all this software/web browsing.

There are sections of the book that could have been written in the 1970s and 1980s. Like chapters 9 and 10, Driving Miss Motor and Driving Mister Motor. The descriptions of the discrete components and putting them together on a breadboard in something like an npn or pnp motor driver circuit seem so much from that period. Nothing wrong about this, I might add. Much of the progress in electronics has been at ever decreasing dimensions of logic circuitry. But at the macroscopic level, where you might have to supply enough power to move a robot, for instance, much of the lessons of then are still state of the art.

Cook provides here a grand tour of many tasks you might need to perform to make a nifty robot. Quite aside from whic, it also gives you a good exposure to analog electronics and electromechanical design.

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