Book Description
A hands-on introduction to the field of robotics, this book will guide the hobbyist through the issues and challenges of building a working robot.Each chapter builds upon the previous one, extending a core robot project throughout the book.Examples of chapters include:Mechanical Platforms, Power Supplies, Adding Sense, Microcontrollers, Insect Robots, Pneumatics, More Behavior and Intelligence, Programming Projects, Robot Behaviors, and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Finally, an ATMEL based book!!
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).

Very good introduction to robotics
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.

A Useful Supplementary Resource
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.

A great book for any hobbyist
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 andbought his kit, and now have a fully programmed robot that I can tinkerwith. It also includes a great programming language fuzBol that uses fuzzylogic, and some great ideas for future experiments.

Applied Robotics
A great book!Sure to warm the hearts of hardwarehackers 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 thisbook will give you the information you need to engineer your own robot. Thebook includes a CD that contains a fuzzy logicprogramming language aswell 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 mechanicalparts from his company website.If you love the smell of a hot solderingiron, buy this book! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Great toy
I bought this as a holiday gift for my 10-year-old cousin.He loved it.Put the scorpion together right on the spot, in the middle of the party, and then he and my 4-year-old son played with it for an hour.Not sure how much of the book he'll end up reading (besides the instructions), although I hope he does -- but either way this was a fun toy for him. ... Read more

Book Description
Here's everything the robotics hobbyist needs to harness the power of the PICMicro MCU!

In this heavily-illustrated resource, author John Iovine provides plans and complete parts listsfor 11 easy-to-build robots each with a PICMicro"brain.”The expertly written coverage of the PIC Basic Computer makes programming a snap -- and lots of fun. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Another work from Iovine that's worth skipping...
Like many of John Iovine's works with McGraw Hill- this one's definitely a no-go. I don't know when I'll finally learn my lesson buying his books-but I'll say it now-never again.Incomplete schematics, errors, and general garden variety stuff which we've al seen before, and not even that much of it.But that's only my humble opinion...-Paul

Excellent through & through
Highly recommended for those somewhat new to PIC, Basic, and robotics.Keep it center-shelf eye-level.

Garbage!!!
I picked this book up and started reading the CMU camera chapter.The chapter lack depth and completeness.The author says nothing about how the image could be transmitted wirelessly to the PC or how the CMU camera communicates with the PIC.It seems that he is more concerned with selling the camera from his company Images SI than he is with writing a good book.The only useful thing that he mentioned is that you need to activate a software flourescent filter in a room that uses such lighting.But the price definately reflects the quality in this case!

An excellent way to get started in PIC robotics.
I've been programming PIC Microcontrollers (with PIC Basic Pro) for a while now.They're really an invaluable tool for the modern electronics hobbyist, and the PIC Basic language couldn't be easier to write with.That being said, this book does assume you have at least some minimal knowledge of Basic, but really you could get by without it (the very point of Basic is that it's supposed to read like plain English -- which it does!), as the function of nearly every line of code is explained.The first few chapters are even dedicated to showing a complete beginner how to compile and program everything and build a basic test circuit.Very helpful if you've never worked with PICs before.

But on to the real substance of the book -- the projects!There's six complete robotics projects here; ranging from primitive light-seeking robots (that recreate some of the first robots ever to be built, back when AI was a new idea) to a bipedal walker (meaning, it actually has legs and a gait like that of a human -- it doesn't just tilt and waddle to simulate "walking" as virtually every other one of these purported "bipedal" robots do), robotic arms (made from ordinary servomotors), a six-legged walker, speech recognition and a full-color vision system.Impressive!

Another nice thing is that every one of them can be built with basic, inexpensive tools (though pre-made circuit boards and kits are available, to make it even easier).The diagrams and illustrations are clear and concise; every detail of every step is shown -- you can't go wrong.

As I mentioned, the real walking action of the bipedal walker is quite impressive, but I'd like to say more about the vision system, or the CMU Camera.This is a small camera which outputs data serially, to either your PC or a PIC Micro.In this instance, the camera is mounted on top of a three-wheel robot which can, utilizing edge detection in the PIC, actually follow a given target!This may sound complex (and, I suppose, it is), but it's explained in a very easy-to-follow manner.And it's more than just "put this part here" -- the theory is explained in terms that make it easy to understand, too.This gives you the know-how to put these concepts to use in your own projects.

Finally, to address the criticisms of other reviewers -- no, the book doesn't teach you assembly (it says right on the cover "No Assembly Language Programming Required"); but that's just it -- you don't need it!PIC Basic does the same thing, faster and easier.Do you really want to write out hundreds of lines of cryptic assembly code for what you could accomplish with just a few lines of Basic?The nominal cost is well worth it when you consider the *very* significant time savings.

If you're interested in building your own robots, this book is an excellent way to get started.

No Assembly Language Required
It wasn't mentioned in the reviews I read but I was hoping for some good Assembly language examples. Unfortunately They did not use Assembly but instead a $250 Pic-Basic program. There is a cheaper version for $100 and the Author did provide examples for both. You will also need a programmer to actually program the PIC. So if you main goal is building a Robot with Pic micro controllers without learning the Assembly language then this book is for you. ... Read more

Book Description
Create larger and more useful mobile robots! Ideal for serious hobbyists, Applied Robotics II begins by discussing PMDC motor operation and criteria for selecting drive, arm, hand and neck motors. Subsequent chapters delve into complex topics, from rolling platform design considerations to neural networks and more. Detailed instructions for building specific systems plus in-depth exploration of artificial intelligence (AI), vision and other advanced concepts are included. Instructive illustrations, schematics, part numbers and sources are also provided, making this book a "must" for advanced builders with a keen interest in moving from simple reflexes to autonomous, AI-based robots. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Response from the Author
I hope responding to a review isn't in poor taste, but heck, here's my comment.I put the same "star" count as the comment I am commenting on.

Mr. Newman is correct, the arm project is difficult, I can't deny it.It could *probably* be done with a hacksaw, a file, and a drillpress, but I would hate to try that.I made this arm using a $500 manual mill from Grizzley.

As for code for AI, yes, that would have been great in this book!Alas, time and space impose practical limitations.Keep your eyes peeled for a book that makes up for this deficiency next year.

A book at odds with itself.
The first part of the book involves building a robot and a robot arm. Unlike most robotics books, there are many exact dimensions which would be nice if I had an automated metal cutter. I don't, so I won't be building that anytime soon. I think it would have been nice if the author was to offer a kit of parts for the arm.

One interesting thing is that the author chooses both new components and repurposed components (screwdriver motors) for his projects. I like it because sometimes spending the money for new stuff is money well spent, and sometimes searching for inexpensive substitutes is worth it.

However, when the author talks about robotic vision he stops being practical and goes all theoretical. Now, don't get me wrong: his explanation of certain types of neural networks is one of the most clear I've seen, but there is no code. I expected to see at least enough code to manuever a robot around a room. On the other hand, there are *many* good ideas.

All in all, the book was worth both paying for and reading.

Long-anticipated follow-up to Applied Robotics
This book contains tons of useful, practical information on robot controllers, platforms, drive systems, programming , and even includes some step-by-step instructions for building a robotic arm. Edwin is the creator of FUZBOL, a programming language specifically designed for robotics controllers.

I own the original, and this book appears to be 99% new content, not a re-hash of the original. Well worth the price.

A must-have for any serious robotics enthusiast! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Both technical and nontechnical
This book is a great introduction to robotics. The first 20 or so pages delve into the socio-economic issues of robotics, which I think is extremely important in the changing world of manufacturing. Then follow thedetails of robotics, with emphasis on good design procedures. Good diagramsare included. ... Read more

Book Description

A complete overview of the fundamentals of robotics. Case study examplesof educational, industrial and generic robots are discussed. Classdemonstration software is provided with the laboratory manual. (vs.Craig, Fu, and Asada).

Customer Reviews (1)

excellent for robotics
this is an excellent books for serious researchers on robot dynamics and control. has a serious treatment of all robot terminology, with an emphasis on vector representation of the robotic system. ... Read more

Book Description
This unique monograph focuses on the systematic type synthesis of parallel mechanisms (PMs), which is a key issue in the creative design of a wide variety of innovative devices based on PMs such as parallel manipulators, parallel kinematic machines (machine tools), motion simulators, haptic devices, micro-manipulators, and nano-manipulators. Type synthesis of PMs refers to finding all the types of PMs realizing a specified motion requirement. This book covers the classification of PMs and an efficient method for the type synthesis of PMs and also provides a large number of PMs ready to be used in practical applications. The synthesis approach is based on the concept of virtual chain and the elementary notions of screw theory. Using the proposed approach, families of PMs are constructed from a set of compositional units. The approach is conceptually simple and easy to use. A general procedure for the mobility analysis of PMs is also presented in order to facilitate the understanding of any architecture of PMs. The prerequisite for this book is basic knowledge on linear algebra and kinematics. This book is appropriate for researchers, developers, engineers and graduate students with interests in robotics, creative mechanism design and screw theory. ... Read more

Book Description

Manned space programs attract the most media attention, and it is not hard to understand why -- the danger, the heroism, the sheer adventure we as earthbound observers can imagine when humans are involved. But robotic missions deserve a respectful and detailed history and analysis of their own, and this book provides it.

Customer Reviews (1)

The long arms of Man
In the beginning half a century ago there was a real dichotomy between the perception of "manned" and "unmanned" missions. These days the difference stands between "planned", i.e. mostly imagined, manned multibillion missions with men on, say Mars, and the multihundred million real missions where you have spacecraft and instruments out among the planets, moons, comets, asteroids and whatnot, with their hardworking crews in the Mission Controls here on Earth. We invade the Solar Systems with programmable senses aboard the spacecrafts, tied to our perception with unseen electronic nerve connections. The Solar System enfolded, since the beginnings half a century ago, as a collection of much more hostile places than could be imaginedduring those decades when space technology was born and developed. Fortunately the technology of guidance and control, needed by process industry as well as by ballistic missiles could be adapted tospacecrafts.
Crafts in space - crew on the gound. Thus man is not put at risk, and through the years there has been a plethora of mishaps fatal to the craft, mostly only embarrassing for their crews and patrons. Most of the places visited by our spacecraft would be wery difficult environments for man, and some of them would be positively lethal. To this day almost all - with a few exceptions - of the invaders were sent out on one-way missions. Michel van Pelt has done us all a great service in describing in layman's language how all this came to be. He also describes how the "old" Solar System gradually is superseded by a new, more complete understanding of how the diversity of worlds still underline the commonality of the physical laws governing their evolution. Thus we gain a clearer understanding also of our own place in the scheme of things.
There has been a lot going on between the first Lunas and Pioneers of the nineteen fifties and the Cassini-Huygens, Deep Space, SMART-1 and Messenger of today, it takes an exposition as "Space Invaders" to give the full scope of our "robotic" exploration, which, of course, will be going on for the foreseeable future.If anything, there should be lots of excitement still ahead.
To explain the "how" and the "when" of all this, in a volume of some 300 pages, including glossary and index, is a tall order for anyone. van Pelt has accepted the challenge and comes through with flying colours. All the salient points get covered, in a lucid prose. During the reading the "why's" of it all unfold, bit by bit. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. ... Read more

Book Description
Science fiction becomes science fact in this intriguing series that explores the extraordinary scientific advances modern man is making - and their impact on society, economics and our future. ... Read more

Book Description

Paolo Ulivi and David Harland provide in Robotic Exploration of the Solar System a detailed history of unmanned missions of exploration of our Solar System. As in their previous book Lunar Exploration, the subject will be treated wherever possible from an engineering and scientific standpoint. Technical descriptions of the spacecraft, of their mission designs and of instrumentations will be provided. Scientific results will be discussed in considerable depth, together with details of mission management.

Book Description
Written from a manufacturing perspective, this book takes readers step-by-step through the theory and application techniques of designing and building a robot-driven automated work cell—from selection of hardware through programming of the devices to economic justification of the project. All-inclusive in approach, it covers not only robot automation, but all the other technology needed in the automated work cell to integrate the robot with the work environment and with the enterprise data base. Robot and other required automation hardware and software are introduced in the order in which they would be selected in an actual industrial automation design. Includes system troubleshooting guides, case studies problems, and worked example problems.Robot Classification. Automated Work Cells and CIM Systems. End-of-Arm Tooling. Automation Sensors. Work-Cell Support Systems. Robot and System Integration. Work-Cell Programming. Justification and Applications of Work Cells. Safety. Human Interface: Operator Training, Acceptance, and Problems.For those interested in Robotics and Manufacturing Automation or Production Design. ... Read more

Book Description
This text covers all the material needed to understand the principles behind the AI approach to robotics and to program an artificially intelligent robot for applications involving sensing, navigation, planning, and uncertainty. Robin Murphy is extremely effective at combining theoretical and practical rigor with a light narrative touch. In the overview, for example, she touches upon anthropomorphic robots from classic films and science fiction stories before delving into the nuts and bolts of organizing intelligence in robots.

Following the overview, Murphy contrasts AI and engineering approaches and discusses what she calls the three paradigms of AI robotics: hierarchical, reactive, and hybrid deliberative/reactive. Later chapters explore multiagent scenarios, navigation and path-planning for mobile robots, and the basics of computer vision and range sensing. Each chapter includes objectives, review questions, and exercises. Many chapters contain one or more case studies showing how the concepts were implemented on real robots. Murphy, who is well known for her classroom teaching, conveys the intellectual adventure of mastering complex theoretical and technical material.

An Instructor's Manual including slides, solutions, sample tests, and programming assignments is available to qualified professors who are considering using the book or who are using the book for class use. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Great introduction to robotics control
I'm not sure what chip "A reader" had on his/her shoulder with the earlier review.I felt this book was exactly what I needed as I slowly work my way into robotics from more mainstream programming.With 10 years of web app development experience, I'm an experienced programmer but know little about architecting software for autonomous robots.This book takes you through different architectural approaches that have been used throughout the past 50 years including relatively current recommendations for hybrid deliberative/reactive solutions along with multi-agent design considerations.This book provides almost the same depth with respect to robotics as Russell/Novig's "Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach" does for AI in general.Furthermore, Murphy's writing style is easy to follow and enjoyable to read.Although this is only my first robotics-specific book, I believe I chose the perfect place to start; it provides a great spring board for seeking out more in-depth, implementation-focused works.

An excellent book
I wonder how the first reviewers gave so bad comments on the book. I think it is not the author but the first reviewers who mislead the readers. If I took their comments, I would miss a really excellent book.

The contents in this book are rich, entensive, systematic and well-organized. One of my colleagues borrowed it from me several times, and finally he ordered another copy himself!

We really appreciate the book and the author.

Where's the editor?
This book is an unedited nightmare.

Dr. Choset's glowing review(s) might be taken with a grain of salt, given that he serves as "Director of Research Outreach" beneath the author at CRASAR.

While the language is suitable for a novice, it is plagued by errors both grammatical and technical.While the former (at roughly one per page) are merely distracting, the latter often incorrectly change the sense entirely.

Code snippets masquerade as "C or C++", but aren't suitable even as pseudo code.Luckily, most are trivial enough that mistakes become obvious, but missing cases and lack of any error handling whatsoever mean that you're not going to be typing examples into an editor.In addition, many assume a machine state but don't show this initialization.This might be excusable had the code been lifted directly from source, but half the time backslashes are used to begin comments!

A few examples from a chapter on vision:

"Consumer digital cameras post an analog signal, but the update rate is too slow at this time for real-time reactive robot control."

"Most commercial devices in the U.S. use a NTSC (television) standard.Color is expressed as the sum of three measurements: red, green, and blue."

"red = image_red[row][col];
red = image_green[row][col];
red = image_blue[row][col];
display_color(red, green, blue);"

"His Cybermotion robot was one of the first to navigate in hallways using vision; in this case, a technique known as a Hough (pronounced "huff") transform.In the early 1990's, with slow hardware, the robot could go 8 to 9 meters per second."

Hint: The robot platform isn't capable of going 1/10 that speed.Such mistakes are so common that one wonders whether she just couldn't be bothered to do the research and resorted to making it up.

This book may be okay for a casual read and it does have the endnotes going for it, but don't use it as a textbook unless you enjoy confusing students.If you're serious about behavior-based robotics, get Arkin.

Horror of mistakes
I bought this book in hopes to learn something about AI Robotics (as the title misleads you to believe). I found only mistakes. One after another. It is clear that this woman does not know much about robotics, and was just in a hurry to get a book published. STAY AWAY from this one.

good book, fun to read
good book. Informative for someone getting started in robotics. Explains different basic programming techniques for robot behavior. I had it as a textbook in my robotics class ... Read more

Book Description

Electroactive polymers (EAPs) respond to electrical stimulation with large deformations. They are dynamic actuators which have attracted attention from an interdisciplinary audience of engineers and scientists. An enabling EAP technology is emerging which attempts to imitate the properties of natural muscle and which, as a result, can perform a unique function in a variety of biologically-inspired robotics applications.

Book Description
There's no easier, faster, or more practical way to learn the really tough subjects

McGraw-Hill's Demystified titles are the most efficient, interestingly written, brush-ups you can find.Organized as self-teaching guides, they come complete with key points, background information, questions at the end of each chapter, and even final exams.You'll be able to learn more in less time, evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, and reinforce your knowledge and confidence.

This complete self-teaching guide takes an introductory approach to robotics, guiding readers through the essential electronics, mechanics, and programming skills necessary to build their own robot. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

doesn't actually show you how to build a robot
The folks at McGraw Hill graciously sent me a copy of Edwin Wise's new book, Robotics Demystified, for me to review. Unfortunately, I got it right around the time that I left for Hong Kong (study abroad) and I'm just now getting around to actually reviewing it.

The title calls it a "self-teaching guide" and the back cover reads; "Now anyone with an interest in robotics can gain a deeper understanding - without formal training, unlimited time, or genius IQ." So, I cracked open the book to find out if this is true or not.

Demystified is a relatively short 295 pages and contains 18 chapters. Example chapter names include, "Simple Machines", "Starting with Electronics", and "Intelligent Behavior." It is clear from the beginning that Wise is targeting this book to the complete novice. He says in the Preface, "There is no one 'robot technology,' so this book breaks the study of robots down into technology categories: the mechanics and framework of the robot, the electronics that make up its brain and nerves, and the control systems and programming that gives the robot life." Each chapter concludes with quiz questions to test your knowledge of each chapter.

The book starts off at a pretty low level (mechanical forces) and slowly (very slowly) builds on the knowledge. The forces chapter, and the following, "Simple Machines" discuss basic mechanical systems. All the mechanical systems described in the book deal only with LEGO pieces, so the reader never actually sees any other type of building materials. The mechanical systems are also presented as individual units and aren't ever assembled into a comprehensive "overall" system (aka, an actual robot).

After an introduction to mechanical systems (which is where Wise really shines) the book turns towards electronics and spends an entire chapter discussing the building blocks of electronics (electrons, electric fields, magnetic fields, etc.) in what seems a bit too low level for most robot hobbyist's needs. Another disappointment was the chapter on circuits, which was sadly lacking in basic tools for analyzing circuits and their behavior (it only contained a brief description of Ohm's law).

Another chapter dealt entirely with sequencing and programming, including Cam Control and Card Control - who seriously uses this anymore? The discussion on binary systems was also brief. The chapter on control systems didn't even mention block diagrams and discussed closed-loop feedback systems without any good examples in robotics (a good one would be a motor driver).

Another chapter was devoted to semiconductors, with discussion of BJT's and FET's, but this was sadly disconnected from real-world applications and circuits. Which, is the biggest problem I have with this book - there isn't any real world applications in robotics. The book lacked any discussion of sensors or microcontrollers, and only mentioned programming in a high-level way. There were no pictures of actual robots anywhere in the book.

I would say this book is definitely not for true beginners. It will only leave them more frustrated and confused. It builds a very nice foundation, but stops there, leaving the beginner to find yet another resource to link all the pieces together. Robotics Demystified only succeeds in clouding the really difficult part - putting everything together into a working robot.

If you're an "advanced beginner" this book might be for you, to enhance your knowledge, but if you're completely clueless, stay away.

an introductory text
A breezy little book that gives a general explanation of how to make your own robots. Very much a hobbyist's flavour, with a hands on approach emphasised. Wise tries to take a lot of the mystique out of the subject. He downplays any complexity in the design. This may ultimately limit what you can get out of the book. But if you have never had any prior exposure to robotics, it is stillnot a bad choice for a first text. ... Read more

Book Description
Mobile Robotics: A Practical Introduction (2nd edition) is an excellentintroduction to the foundations and methods used for designing completelyautonomous mobile robots.A fascinating, cutting-edge, research topic, autonomous mobile robotics isnow taught in more and more universities.In this book you are introducedto the fundamental concepts of this complex field via twelve detailed casestudies that show how to build and program real working robots.Topics covered in clued learning, autonomous navigation in unmodified,noisy and unpredictable environments, and high fidelity robot simulation.This new edition has been updated to include a new chapter on noveltydetection, and provides a very practical introduction to mobile roboticsfor a general scientific audience.It is essential reading for 2nd and3rd year undergraduate students and postgraduate students studyingrobotics, artificial intelligence, cognitive science and robotengineering.The update and overview of core concepts in mobile roboticswill assist and encourage practitioners of the field and set challenges toexplore new avenues of research in this exiting field.The author is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Computer Science at theUniversity of Essex."A very fine overview over the relevant problems to be solved in theattempt to bring intelligence to a moving vehicle."Professor Dr. Ewald von Puttkamer, University of Kaiserslautern"Case studies show ways of achieving an impressive repertoire of kinds oflearned behaviour, navigation and map-building.The book is an admirableintroduction to this modern approach to mobile robotics and certainlygives a great deal of food for thought.This is an important andthough-provoking book."Alex M. Andrew in Kybernetes Vol 29 No 4 and Robotica Vol 18 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The book provides a very good introduction to mobile robots.
This is a very good introductory book on mobile robots. It assumes no background of the readers in the subject. Chapter 3 provides a introduction to the hardwared aspects including sensors and actuators. Chapter 4 on machine learning by robots is also very very interesting. The case studiespresented in chapter 5 and 6 will be very much useful to the new-entrantsof this discipline. Chapter 7 on analysis of robot behaviour is importantfor the researchers working in the discipline.I like the book for itssimplicity in presentation and direct reference to the points to bediscussed, rather than providing a lengthy introduction to the topics. Thephrase "A practcical introduction" in the title is reallyworthwhile for the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good and not so good (bad?)
It starts off well.The sections on kinematics and motion are okay, and even the dynamic analysis is not bad, though a bit light for electrical engineers.Then it takes a turn for the worse and gives a generalized picture of sensors and actuators and vision systems, which is okay if it has never been seen before, but for electrical engineers it is not needed.The section on fuzzy logic is interesting but it is dissapointing that there is not a section on real control systems.I hope that fuzzy logic is not a substitute for convention control as this book seems to imply.Paul's book has much more substance dispite its age.Still, for a survey of the topic or for the computer scientist, maybe it is not that bad of a text. ... Read more