Product Description

This hands-on, introductory book is based on widely available, custom robotics materials (Handy Board, Interactive C, LEGO Technic). Covers sensors; motors, gears, and mechanism; control; handy board design; construction techniques; DC Motor; and more. Ideal as an introduction to electrical engineering or capstone design. Also appropriate for readers interested in electrical technology robotics.

Customer Reviews (6)

A very nice introduction
I purchased this book as a 'recommended' book for a class almost nine years ago and it's still interesting.

engineering manual
After 12 years of running an engineering club, I finally found a helpful book. I work with students from 6th to 12th grades. My 8th and 9th graders have no problem following this book. As a matter of fact I can't keep it on my desk. It is frequently either checked out or on the floor with the "builder". Yes, it is a freshman college book but my kids seem to have no problems reading it. My students participate in BEST, FIRST and Botball.

Taking the next step
This book presents an introduction to various aspects of robot building and planning.It is written as an undergraduate textbook, and contains numerous exercises throughout the text.The book assumes that students and other readers will have access to Handyboards and LEGO Technic equipment, as well as a desktop PC and hobbyist-level soldering equipment.The book walks the reader through analyzing a Handyboard, how to use it, how to build custom sensors and motors, and how to write programs in assembly language.All of this information would be very useful to first-year engineering students as it would help them put theory from many of their other classes into practice.Nevertheless, most of the tasks and programs described in the book could actually be built with a standard LEGO RCX brick.On the other hand, a person who masters the material in this book would be able to take advantage of the extra sensors and motors that the Handyboard supports and build far more sophisticated robots than would be possible with LEGO Mindstorms equipment.Anyone who builds robots using LEGO equipment, whether with a Handyboard or an RCX, will find information in this book about Braitenberg vehicles, LEGO design, control theory, and robotics contests quite useful.The introduction to Assembly language in Appendix A is also presented in an easily accessible style.

Thinking about learning how to build a robot?
I found this to be an excellent introduction to how to build a fully functional, autonomous robot.This book covers everything you need to build robots using LEGO Technics (think LEGO blocks plus gears, motors, etc.) and a Handyboard, a robot brain developed to get the hard digital electronics out of the way so you can concentrate on putting together a good design with motors and sensors and software intelligence.

As someone looking for how to break into robotics without first getting bachelors in Electrical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering, this book was for me.I got the basics of the two topics covered and was able to dive right into the interesting "what can I do with my robot" scenarios.

This book also goes into some detail on inexpensive sensor components out in the electronics market and how to use them in robots.I found this to be a great source of ideas and instructions even when not creating robots using the Handyboard brain.

For those looking to dabble, be aware that this is a book best used in conjunction with real, live robot parts. (...)

A good introduction to robotics
The basic content of this book is excellent. It provides a readily accessible introduction to the principles of engineering. This book could easily be used as the text for a first year course in a unified engineering curriculum including Computer Science. The one flaw with this book is that it appears tohave been rushed out by the publisher. Many of the page references are to the wrong pages and some of the pictures are rather blurry. Finally, the instructions for creating and downloading ICB files to incorporate assembly language modules for interrupt side programming and similar purposes needs to be reworked in a future edition. I hope that a future edition will also have a chapter on electrical design and construction techniques to compliment the chapter on mechanical techniques. I also look forward to a third chapter on sensing and possibly a second chapter on control theory. Regardless, this is overall an excellent book and should be acquired by anyone interested in small robots. ... Read more

Product Description

Reliability and Risk Issues in Large Scale Safety-critical Digital Control Systems provides some important coverage of reliability issues and their corresponding countermeasures in the field of large-scale digital control systems, from the hardware and software in digital systems to the human operators who supervise the overall process of large-scale systems. Unlike other books which examine theories and issues in individual fields, this book reviews important problems and countermeasures across the fields of hardware and system reliability, software reliability, verification and validation, digital systems, human factors engineering and human reliability analysis.

Product Description
Systems and Control presents modeling, analysis, and control of dynamical systems. Introducing students to the basics of dynamical system theory and supplying them with the tools necessary for control system design, it emphasizes design and demonstrates how dynamical system theory fits into practical applications. Classical methods and the techniques of postmodern control engineering are presented in a unified fashion, demonstrating how the current tools of a control engineer can supplement more classical tools. Broad in scope, Systems and Control shows the multidisciplinary role of dynamics and control; presents neural networks, fuzzy systems, and genetic algorithms; and provides a self-contained introduction to chaotic systems. The text employs Lyapunov's stability theory as a unifying medium for different types of dynamical systems, using it--with its variants--to analyze dynamical system models. Specifically, optimal, fuzzy, sliding mode, and chaotic controllers are all constructed with the aid of the Lyapunov method and its extensions. In addition, a class of neural networks is also analyzed using Lyapunov's method. Ideal for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses in systems and control, this text can also be used for introductory courses in nonlinear systems and modern automatic control. It requires working knowledge of basic differential equations and elements of linear algebra; a review of the necessary mathematical techniques and terminology is provided. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

An Excellent Modern Automatic Control text!
I highly recommend this text. Very clear, excellent examples and good coverage of the key topics of Modern Automatic (Optimal) Control.

A valuable addition to your library
The important link between modeling and control of dynamical systems is once more emphasized in "Systems & Control" by Stanislaw H. Zak. The book is an excellent addition to the control literature as it revisits the mathematical modeling and analysis problems of dynamical systems while addressing the controller design problem by means of a variety of modern techniques.

Chapter 1 introduces the notion of a system and includes numerous examples illustrating the mathematical modeling of dynamical systems by ordinary differential equations. Chapter 2 is devoted to the analysis and approximate solution techniques of the model equations using phase-portraits, numerical methods, linearization and describing functions. Chapter 3 discusses the linear systems and serves as a warm-up for the nonlinear control methods to be addressed in the subsequent
chapters. Chapter 4 presents a thorough stability analysis as well as the essentials of the Lyapunov theory for both linear and nonlinear systems. With a section on the stabilizing state-feedback controllers, the reader also gets acquainted with the controller design based on the Lyapunov theory. Chapter 5 is dedicated to the optimal control of the dynamical systems. Especially, the section titled "A Glimpse at the Calculus of Variations" is very helpful in the sense that it equips the reader with the necessary tools required for the rest of the chapter. Variable structure systems are discussed and the design of sliding mode controllers is illustrated in Chapter 6. In Chapter 7, a combined controller-estimator compensator is designed for a class of dynamical systems using Lie derivatives and the vector field methods. Chapter 8 provides a comprehensive discussion of fuzzy logic and illustrates novel control strategies by fuzzy models including stabilizing and adaptive controllers. Chapter 9 is devoted to the study of neural networks from a dynamical system point of view. Genetic and evolutionary algorithms are studied in Chapter 10. Tracking control of a vehicle is accomplished by using an evolutionary fuzzy logic controller. Chapter 11 discusses the chaotic systems and fractals. The control of chaotic systems is also illustrated by an example in this chapter. An appendix on the essentials of mathematical background complements the material presented in this book.

The book is written in a textbook format and makes use of an understandable notation. It is well structured and the presentation is easy to follow making it useful as an upper level undergraduate or graduate level text. It will also be beneficial to researchers and practicing engineers as it covers the state-of-the-art control techniques. Each chapter is accompanied by a variety of examples and exercises to illustrate the applicability of the methods discussed. The book uses MATLAB/SIMULINK as a tool to provide a unifying environment for simulation purposes. With its extensive coverage of the current literature, it also serves as a reference book. The most powerful aspect of this book is that it establishes a bridge between the classical control problems and the most recent trends in control engineering. In conclusion, "Systems & Control" will be a valuable addition to the libraries of those interested in control of dynamical systems.

A great introduction and reference book
This book covers a wide area of topics in systems and control theory and applications. In addition to the analysis of stability and optimal control in linear and nonlinear systems, the text provides a very good introduction to fuzzy systems, neural networks, genetic algorithms and chaotic systems. As the author states, the scope of the topics presented tries to emphasize the multidisciplinary role of nonlinear dynamics and control. By providing examples where the techniques of fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms and neural networks are used in real life control problems, it is shown how these new approaches complement the classical ones. To this end, Lyapunov's stability theory is employed as the common medium of analysis. This type of presentation facilitates a deeper understanding of the material by bringing the focus of different areas in the context of control and stability problem.
The book is well suited for senior or graduate course work and its comprehensive nature makes it also an excellent reference text for people who are interested in dynamical systems and control theory. A basic knowledge of linear algebra and calculus would be sufficient to understand most of the material covered and a brief mathematical background review is provided in the appendix. The fundamental concepts and how they relate to each other are clearly presented. The detailed worked out examples, taken mostly from literature or practical applications, form an integral part of the book andin some cases, used as a means to illustrate the theory itself. Many exercises, some involving software projects in MATLAB, are also provided at the end of each chapter.
This text offers a thorough and practical treatment of systems and control and provides a solid foundation for anyone in the field and is highly recommended.

A great introduction and reference book
This book covers a wide area of topics in systems and control theory and applications. In addition to the analysis of stability and optimal control in linear and nonlinear systems, the text provides a very good introduction to fuzzy systems, neural networks, genetic algorithms and chaotic systems. As the author states, the scope of the topics presented tries to emphasize the multidisciplinary role of nonlinear dynamics and control. By providing examples where the techniques of fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms and neural networks are used in real life control problems, it is shown how these new approaches complement the classical ones. To this end, Lyapunov's stability theory is employed as the common medium of analysis. This type of presentation facilitates a deeper understanding of the material by bringing the focus of different areas in the context of control and stability problem.
The book is well suited for senior or graduate course work and its comprehensive nature makes it also an excellent reference text for people who are interested in dynamical systems and control theory. A basic knowledge of linear algebra and calculus would be sufficient to understand most of the material covered and a brief mathematical background review is provided in the appendix. The fundamental concepts and how they relate to each other are clearly presented. The detailed worked out examples, taken mostly from literature or practical applications, form an integral part of the book andin some cases, used as a means to illustrate the theory itself. Many exercises, some involving software projects in MATLAB, are also provided at the end of each chapter.
This text offers a thorough and practical treatment of systems and control and provides a solid foundation for anyone in the field and is highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description

A revision of the widely respected, award winning, bestselling first edition, this book has been completely updated to reflect the numerous advances in the field. Divided into three volumes, the second edition emphasizes the progress made during the past 10 years and highlights topics that have increased in importance. While the fundamentals have remained largely unchanged, the advanced methods and applications sections have been extensively revised and expanded. The set contains new material on digital control, enhanced coverage of networked and embedded control systems, hybrid controls, biological controls, and network controls.

Product Description

* Teaches the concepts of behavior-based programming through text, programming examples, and a unique online simulator robot

* Explains how to design new behaviors by manipulating old ones and adjusting programming

* Does not assume reader familiarity with robotics or programming languages

* Includes a section on designing your own behavior-based system from scratch (20040601) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Good info, but outdated
The info was very easy to understand and was pretty much up to date. The only problem was that the websites where CORRUPT! If your ok with that; this is the book for you!

Extremely disapointing
I am very surprised at the other reviews of this book. I purchased it based on them and was extremely disappointed.
I was looking for something to help me design and architect software for my robotic project. This book is advertised to accomplish that, but after reading through it, I am left short of my goals.The information may be in the book, but it is presented in a boring put you to sleep fashion that is difficult to read or organize your thought process from. Most of the book pushes a robot simulation web site, that no longer exists at the specified address, which speaks to the lack of popularity. The website has been moved to another domain name, but you will find that it has not been updated in several years, again, a seemingly total lack of interest.
It's a shame, like I said, it seems like relevant information may be buried inside, waiting for someone to re-present it in a useful format.

Very Useful Robot Programming Book
Most of the robot books I've purchased rarely explained the detail of how you could create some kind of "intelligent" program and expand it as you need. This book give you an example using pseudo code so basically you could implement it in any programming language usually found in embedded programming such as C, Basic/Stamp or Assembler. I would highly recommend this book for robotics enthusiast who wants to make their robot behave like it has some kind of intelligent.

Essential Reading for Mobile Robot Builders
I have read dozens of robotics books over the years and most of them suck. They were either too academic or too basic. This book is excellent and was a refreshing change.

Written by one of the designers of iRobots Roomba, this book is indeed a practical guide to robotics. It is easy to read and full of practical advice that one would only get if they spent the last 20 something years working with robots. For example, the author repeatedly warns you to expect the unexpected.

Even though this book incudes access to a simulator tool, the author constantly reminds you of what could occur in the real world. This book is for anyone attempting to build a single-purpose mobile robot (whether as a commercial developer or a hobbyist). Rather than focusing on a specific language or platform, the author uses pseudocode to explain concepts. The pseudocode should save you hours of frustration. At the very least, the authors good sense of humor makes reading the book quite enjoyable.

where has the website gone?Oh there it is again.
This is a nice little book. It introduces some important concepts in an overall very readable text. Of course the book doesn't offer much technical detail or any real code but sometimes it comes close. If you already have any experience in programming you can easily get the point in the example pseudo codes and adapt them for your own use.
There is a major problem about this book though. The online robot simulation program was available from the link given inside the book but this website is not active anymore so you can not practice the ideas using the "bsim" program.
I have to make a revision about the Bsim applet and the website. The website is up and running but the URL is not [...] anymore. It may be found at [...]. (02.Jan.2010) ... Read more

Product Description

Theory of Applied Robotics: Kinematics, Dynamics, and Control 2E is appropriate for courses in robotics that emphasize kinematics, dynamics, and control.

The contents of this book are presented at a theoretical-practical level. It explains robotics concepts in detail, concentrating on their practical use. Related theorems and formal proofs are provided, as are real-life applications. Students, researchers, and practicing engineers alike will appreciate this user-friendly presentation of a wealth of robotics topics, most notably orientation, velocity, and forward kinematics.

The second edition includes updated and expanded exercise sets and problems, new coverage includes, Components and Mechanisms of a Robotic Systems with actuators, sensors and controllers and updated and expanded material on Kinematics including geometric kinematics, Derivative Kinematics, velocity kinematics, and new coverage on sensing and control including position sensors, speed sensors and acceleration sensors.

Customer Reviews (4)

Very Thorough
This book does a very good job of showing every step involved with many examples. It tends to show numerical examples and is a little light on theory, but this is an applied robotics book so no fault there. It makes a good text to have in conjunction with other robotics books.

Good purchase
I'm enjoying too much this book, I haven't readed it completely but I'm really satisfied with this purchase. I encourage you to buy this book.

I've bought this book because I'm a robotics enthusiast and until now I've found answers to almost any question I had about.

Really a good job.

Best Textbook on the Subject
I recently ordered this book for my Robotics class, and it is by far the most comprehensive text I have read on the subject. The topics are clearly defined and equations are effectively derived and arranged.

Writers of Computer Graphics Textbooks, please note.
I wanted a book that covered Inverse Kinematics for animation in computer graphics. What I found was a book that not only went further than my needs, but turned out to be the most comprehensive coverage of IK and associated topics that I have yet come across.

All of the material covered needs some preliminary study before reading this book, probably from several sources. However, if anyone should want a full treatment of Rotation,Orientation,Motion and Forward Kinematics, to bring it all together, then this is the book for it. The author gives the clearest diagrams and explanations of the Denavit-Hartenberg Notation I have yet seen. If the previous papers on this topic are anything to go by, this has not been an easy task.

Chapter 2. Rotation Kinematics. Excellent examples of Rotation and Successive Rotation about Global Cartesian Axes; Global Roll-Pitch-Yaw Angles; Successive Rotation about Local Cartesian Axes; Euler Angles.
Chapter 3, on Orientation Kinematics gives advanced treatment of this area.

Chapter 4, again the best single treatment I have seen on Rigid Body Motion, Inverse and Compound Homogeneous Transformations. Screw Coordinates are included for advanced study.

Chapter 5, on Forward Kinematics, gives numerous examples on applications of the Denavit-Hartenberg Notation to Transformations. Again, the best I have seen yet, with respect to the diagrams and accompanying examples.

Chapter 6, on Inverse Kinematics, is well explained.

The remaining chapters, from Angular Velocity to Numerical Methods, Acceleration, Robot and Motion Dynamics appear to be in the same vein, although I have only scanned the contents.

Of course, the reader will come across the odd typo. However, I would like to congratulate the author on writing what must be the leading textbook in this field.

... Read more

Product 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

Customer Reviews (1)

Robotics Text
very informative text, but i thought it could have included more pictures and color photographs of the various types of robots, etc. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Explains a difficult topic
I bought this book as an experiment because I really wanted to teach my students to use Java on their NXTs. I was surprised by how well the book explains C programming on the NXT and delighted by the many excellent examples. We were able to get a program running on the first day. We did not use but I was impressed by the many excellent, illustrated examples of construction.

C programming is hard for students to grasp and they eventually gave up but this was not the book's fault.

NXT Power Programming
This is an excellent book written by someone who was involved in-depth with NXT programming as the NXT product evolved.Lots of good examples of C code will speed your learning curve.

Real programming power for the NXT
If you are interested in programming your NXT beyond what NXT-G can do (the environment that comes with the retail kit) this is the book for you. You don't have to change out the firmware as you do for other text based programming languages, so you can continue to use NXT-G. In fact both types of programs can reside on the NXT at the same time.

There is a great chapter giving details on the Bricx integrated development environment and all the tools that come with it. It is very complete.

The versa bot that is detailed in the book is a great platform to add to and make your own modifications to. I have already made several of my own modules for it and wrote programs to take advantage of them with NXC.
There are several other bots to be built in the book that I have yet to get built, as I am still adding to the versa bot, but I definitely will though. The etch a sketch one looks really cool and I am sure programming it will teach me a lot.

Thanks should go out to John Hansen (the author) for all the contributions he has made, and continues to make to the Mindstorms Robotic community. The Mindstorms is a great platform to aid the young in learning and teaching the old to stay young.

Getting More from this Powerful Robot Kit
Summary: An excellent'next step' for getting the most from this powerful computer system

Mindstorms NXT is robot building tool from Lego. The centrepiece is a large "brick" containing a 32-bitARM7 computer - the kind of computer you might find in a PDA or a Smartphone. The kit includes a graphical programming environment capable of quite complex programs as well as being accessible to beginners and youngsters. The kit also includes motors and sensors, wheels, gears, and a whole lot of technic-style Lego to hold them together.

John Hansen's book takes all of these components and organises them in a coherent and easily understandable fashion. He describes how to use the various components and explains the sensors (that range from a simple contact switch to a sophisticated ultrasonic distance sensor). However, the real strength of the book is in its approach to programming of the system.

Power Programming describes how to maximise the capability of the kit by programming it using a conventional, textual programming language that is close to standard C. This is both more natural to anyone who already has a smattering of programming knowledge and, ultimately, capable of more complex and much faster programs for the NXT. Best of all, the system that Hansen describes is a free, open-source toolkit usable on Mac, PC and Linux; just download it from the WWW and you're ready to roll.

NXC (Not eXactly C) and the complementary assembler, NBC (NeXT Byte Code) are explained in a clear and authoritative way (Hansen is the author of the compilers too) before the book explores the rest of the system. Each item is introduced in the context of a real robot (you can build these from the step by step instructions) but in a style that explains how it actually works; so the reader is left understanding how to apply each item in their own programs. Later chapters dig deeply into advanced programming of the sensors and communication between several robots without ever becoming inaccessible. And, lest I have made it all sound too dry and worthy, there are detours to examine such things as playing Space Invaders on the NXT and producing a Bedroom security system and remote controlled car.

This is a well-written, clearly presented and very well produced book from an acknowledged expert. It's not for young children but anyone with a little programming knowledge and an interest in computers and robots will find it entirely indispensable. Just beware that, while the tools it describes are free, it could well convince non-owners that they need to buy a NXT!

Empowering resource for NXT fans
While the official NXT-G programming language included in the LEGO Mindstorms NXT set works well for many people, what if you want to increase your programming potential or simply prefer a text-based language rather than a graphical one? John C. Hansen's book provides the answer to both of these questions by teaching you how to program the NXT in NeXT Byte Codes (NBC) and Not eXactly C (NXC).

The book begins with an introduction to some basic programming concepts and then shows you how to set up NBC/NXC. Since these unofficial languages are based on the standard firmware, you don't have to download custom firmware to your microcomputer, making setup a breeze. Chapters 2 through 4 discuss the NXT hardware, NXT firmware, and basic construction concepts, respectively. If you're new to the NXT set, you'll find these chapters helpful.

Chapter 5 covers the BricxCC IDE, which supports NBC, NXC, and a number of other languages. This is definitely one of my favorite chapters. BricxCC is an incredibly powerful but user-friendly program, and this chapter shows how to effectively use and customize BricxCC. Perhaps the most interesting chapter in the book is Chapter 6, which discusses free NXT utilities that perform miscellaneous functions.

The real power programming begins in Chapters 7 and 8, which cover NXC and NBC. If, like me, you've programmed the RCX microcomputer in Not Quite C (NQC), you'll be glad to see that Hansen created NXC with a lot of the same features and same "feel." Naturally, these chapters are most easily understood if you have a background in C or programming in general, but such knowledge is not required. The book assumes you are a beginner and explains fundamental programming concepts. If you need more information about a basic concept that the book doesn't discuss in great detail (for example, using arrays), you could easily consult an online resource.

Chapters 9 through 16 teach you how to build a basic robot (Versa), program basic and advanced NXT outputs, program basic and advanced NXT inputs, create an intruder alert robot, explore "games that people play" on the NXT, and control an NXT robot remotely. It is through these chapters that you get practical experience in using NBC/NXC.

In conclusion, if you're looking for an effective and user-friendly text-based programming language for the NXT, then this book is for you. NBC, NXC, and the BricxCC IDE are outstanding resources, and this book teaches not only the basics but also quite advanced concepts (which will be of interest to expert users out there). Bear in mind, however, that this isn't primarily a book of building instructions. Its purpose is to teach you how to effectively program robots--and it accomplishes that purpose very well.
... Read more

Product Description
Robot motion planning has become a major focus of robotics. Research findings can be applied not only to robotics but to planning routes on circuit boards, directing digital actors in computer graphics, robot-assisted surgery and medicine, and in novel areas such as drug design and protein folding. This text reflects the great advances that have taken place in the last ten years, including sensor-based planning, probabalistic planning, localization and mapping, and motion planning for dynamic and nonholonomic systems. Its presentation makes the mathematical underpinnings of robot motion accessible to students of computer science and engineering, relating low-level implementation details to high-level algorithmic concepts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not perfect but better than anything else out there

The good news is that this book covers a range of topics in sufficient detail and accuracy
to give students a good understanding of the topic.

Here are some reasons I could not give it 5 stars.

First, the book is uneven. Some details don't seem to really go any place (such as some of the advanced
topics in configuration space). On the other hand, students what to know about SLAM, SLAM and well, more SLAM
(I do not know if I agree with student here... )
Also what about multi-robot systems? Flying robots (are they mobile robots? ).Legged robots?

Also, being an old-school trained robotics person, I thought the discussion kinematics and dynamics was inadequate
and could be beefed up. Perhaps the authors felt that it would take them too far off the main theme? I don't know,
but no D-H parameters? Really?


The text has about 2x as many words as it needs to cover the same material. It could benefit from tighter editing to make
the meaning clearer and the text less wordy.By way of analogy, in the software world K&R probably said everything
there was needed to be said, in a concise way, about C. But, there are many much more wordy books out there..

Oh, and lets see what else.. ahh the algorithms presented. My feeling is that some may obfuscate rather than elucidate.

However, given these defects, this bookhas a coverage which would be hard to match in several books, and I enjoyed reading it and learning from it...

Comprehensive coverage of the field
At the outset one might expect this book to be pure about motion planning or motion control. In reality the book is remarkably comprehensive in coverage of perception, planning and control with in-depth coverage of basic kinematics, basic planning mechanisms and applied estimation such as Kalman filters for robot perception. The book was written/edited by the first authors with in-depth coverage in particular chapters by the other authors. In the end it is a very coherent, up-to-date and comprehensive book. The book is written to have enough detail for a 1 term senior under-graduate or junior graduate course in robotics or as a reference for practitioners. Truly a great book

Great book on mobile robotics
This is a great book on mobile robotics, a lot of methods are explained in the book and its writing is clear and easy to understand. I have used it on several undergraduate and graduate courses that I have taken, I fully recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
This book features great droids, indeed! This unique guide to sophisticated robotics projects brings humanoid robot construction home to the hobbyist. Written by a well-known figure in the robotics community, "Build Your Own Humanoid Robots" provides step-by-step directions for 6 exciting projects, each costing less than $300. Together, they form the essential ingredients for making your own humanoid robot. If you are serious enough to interest robot professionals, the plans inside offer serious fun to hobbyists. They give you the power to breathe life into a mechanical being with amazingly human qualities, and feature all the instructions you need for programming the inexpensive chips that give your humanoid brains and sensitivity.It features 6 astounding projects: Robotic Arm, Wrist, and Hand - build a versatile robotic arm system to give your humanoid the ability to manipulate objects/ A PIC microcontroller provides motor control and feedback; Personal Computer Interface - learn how to interface the robot arm or any other robotics project to a personal computer for complete control and feedback; Visual Basic Control Software - develop flexible bidirectional communications software to control the robot arm or other projects from your personal computer; Voice Recognition Control - make your robotic arm and walking robot obey your spoken commands with this completely embedded control system that can also be used for many other applications; Expressive, Speaking Face - enable your robot to show happiness, surprise, excitement, anger, and more, as it speaks any words you transmit electronically; and, Bipedal Walking Robot - it's your own amazing small scale, fully autonomous robot!Learn about sensors, analog-to-digital converters, DC motor control, microcontrollers, feedback, and control systems. Also included is the background information regarding construction materials, test equipment, printed circuit board fabrication, microcontrollers, and programming and design considerations needed to create the humanoid robot projects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Another disappointment... :(
The way this book is put togther is what leaves me feeling a bit ripped off. I feel the author and/or publisher owe me some money! At least one third of the book was copied over from manufacturer's free publications. If you want to read a list of available programming instructions contained within the language written about in the book just vist the mfg web site and save your money. And, Hex listings in the book! Give me a break! You can read what this book has to offer in under an hour! This book stinks...

Detailed and inspirational - worth the read!
Karl does a good job of leading you through the basic concepts of humaniod robotics in this well written, well annotated and very descriptive text on the subject. His detailed plans are easy to follow and his programs are well written and well explained throughout. He provides specific recommendations for parts as well as vendors and spends time explaining his choices. If you're interested in learning not only how to write useful PIC applications for robotics but also how to build robotics that implement those applications, then this is the book for you. This is a must have for your library of robotics books!

An amazing book for robotic beginners.
The most interesting part of this book is on its pratical topics. A lots of briliant ideas can be learned from this book, especially for those who would like to build up their first robotic project from scratch.

Things that need to be improved are on the materials used for the projects in this book. Less heavy duty tools required would be nice. The discussions should be more focussing on robotic sensors and control parts.

Great Collection!!!

Laredo TX Samuel Diaz
I already did all the projects in the book it great its one of the best robot books I have ever readed it tells you everything you need to now about robotics.

Robot Start to Finish
First off I'd like to say that this is a great book if you want to learn how to build a robot from start to finish.I personally waited till I was done building the robotic arm to write this review.The book was easy to read, and understand, and took me through the process with ease.It lists everything you need, and even tells you where some parts can be ordered, although I wishit could of listed more specs, and suppliers.I'm not sure if I would recommend this book to the clueless begginer because there were a couple of technical erros I found, but worked through. One of the errors was in the PCB artwork which caused an LED not to light in the test program.The book also says you can build it for under $300.I think I spent about $500.That's not including the pic programmer, software, Visual Basic, and tools. Which even though most of that isn't needed, you wouldn't really be learning much if you didn't have it.If you at least have the tools,I would say that with the software, and everything else that you should have for the project, it would cost in the neighborhood of $1,300. On the plus side you'll be able to build your next project for under $300 once you have the proper materials.Nobody said it would be cheap, so make sure you're serious. I'm already designing my own project with the knowledge I gained from building the arm. ... Read more

Product Description
This entirely updated and expanded Second Edition of an incomparable text presents both traditional methods and up-to-the-minute techniques of incorporating the computer into closed-loop dynamic systems control;combining conventional transfer function design and state-variable concepts. ... Read more

Product Description

This book presents a unique combination of mobile robots and embedded systems, from introductory to intermediate level. It is structured in three parts, dealing with embedded systems (hardware and software design, actuators, sensors, PID control, multitasking), mobile robot design (driving, balancing, walking, and flying robots), and mobile robot applications (mapping, robot soccer, genetic algorithms, neural networks, behavior-based systems, and simulation). The book is written as a text for courses in computer science, computer engineering, IT, electronic engineering, and mechatronics, as well as a guide for robot hobbyists and researchers.

Customer Reviews (4)

It's good but not essential
A good general coverage.

This book is a good overview of robotics design and development.My main dissapointment with it was the focus on the controller which is a commercial unit you would need to purchase in order to use the code contained in the book.The unit is expensive to say the least for what it is and I found myself deciding that I would simply adapt what I could to my own controllers and treat the volume as a general overview.

I did like it's chapter on multi-directional wheels and some of the code showed some straight forward ways of going about robot routine programming.

Overall though the book is not going to be overly useful to the robotics designer unless your hell bent on purchasing the controller it promotes.

In conclusion it's a uni students book, where the Uni will have brought a few of the controllers for the students to interface too and program.For the rest of us, it's just bits and pieces of information, where without the controller it will only be about 45% value.

Sean A. Curtin

A treasure chest of ideas
This book is a real treasure chest of ideas for an amateur robot builder. It does not show solutions in enough detail to copy them, but it points you in the right direction.

For me some of the most interesting topics covered were:
- Motorola M68332 based general purpose robot controller board,
- Introduction to different robot competitions,
- Simplified image processing solutions,
- Walking robots and evolutionary programs to control the gait,
- Examples of real life robots.

Comments to Embedded Robotics
Hi, so far the book is a little dissapointeing, because is to much centered to a commercial hardware (EyeCon) that is somewhat hard to adquiere to a group that has a very low budget for that kind of projects... but is important to have a reference. That is why it deserve a 3. But also supply a very important source of information for sensors and actuators design. That is why i gave an average of 4 stars.

Best regards, and thanks for all the effort you made for me enjoying this book.

the best book for student
After I have read the book contents, I think it is a great book fo me. From this book, I can get many new knowledge, including many field. I want this book to guide my student to take part in
robot contest. ... Read more

Product Description
Mobile robots range from the teleoperated Sojourner on the Mars Pathfinder mission to cleaning robots in the Paris Metro. Introduction to Autonomous Mobile Robots offers students and other interested readers an overview of the technology of mobility--the mechanisms that allow a mobile robot to move through a real world environment to perform its tasks--including locomotion, sensing, localization, and motion planning. It discusses all facets of mobile robotics, including hardware design, wheel design, kinematics analysis, sensors and perception, localization, mapping, and robot control architectures. The design of any successful robot involves the integration of many different disciplines, among them kinematics, signal analysis, information theory, artificial intelligence, and probability theory. Reflecting this, the book presents the techniques and technology that enable mobility in a series of interacting modules. Each chapter covers a different aspect of mobility, as the book moves from low-level to high-level details. The first two chapters explore low-level locomotory ability, examining robots' wheels and legs and the principles of kinematics. This is followed by an in-depth view of perception, including descriptions of many "off-the-shelf" sensors and an analysis of the interpretation of sensed data. The final two chapters consider the higher-level challenges of localization and cognition, discussing successful localization strategies, autonomous mapping, and navigation competence. Bringing together all aspects of mobile robotics into one volume, Introduction to Autonomous Mobile Robots can serve as a textbook for coursework or a working tool for beginners in the field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very Interesting projects but autonomous robots is still too slow to action as atheletes!
I got this book 1 or 2 months ago. But I might read it only one page because I have collected at least 380 textbook in my library! But this book has some interesting issue for me at least the name of the book which is the latest research direction for robot which can be acted as human but it may be too slow to perform useful task for real human. From my recognition this book has no mathematics exercises but it may be hidden in text somewhere in the book.

I hopethat sometime I might interest to read at least 1 or 2 page per day!

Useful Instructor's Reference
I'm using this as my primary reference for a university course I'm teaching at the advanced senior / beginning graduate level.It is helpful in that the material is organized well, and many of the important algorithms, equations, and methods are described in adequate detail. It is by no means a textbook in the regular sense. There are no problems or student exercises.(I am generating those as I go.)Some of the sections are very well written, others seem a bit poorly edited. There are a number of typos and composition errors that are annoying. It seems that, as with so many technical works these days, no one is really "minding the store" when it comes to final publication. Nevertheless, the overall result is a good, solid reference which can serve as a starting point for generating a set of class notes. The bibliography and web links are very helpful as well. I would suggest very carefully reviewing this book before adopting it as a required textbook for a class.

Good guide to computational robotics
This book is one of only a few of its kind. That is, it is a book that focuses on the computational issues in robotics rather than the all-too familiar hobbyist approach.
Chapter one is somewhat expendable, since it is simply a prosaic overview of the entire text. Chapter two talks about the theory of robot motion at a high level, with few helpful technical details. Chapter three, "Mobile Robot Kinematics", is where the book takes a dramatic upturn in quality. The computations of robot kinematics are discussed in detail for several kinds of robotic wheels. To really understand this chapter, the reader should already be familiar with dynamics and statics as well as the concepts of three dimensional rotation and matrices. For a companion to the kinematic material, I suggest Craig's "Introduction to Robotics: Mechanics and Control (3rd Edition)". It is much better than the reviewers say. Chapter four covers the various sensors used in robotics, as well as the mathematics needed in the integration of those sensors. The chapter concludes with some basic image processing and computer vision techniques. The material here is broad but somewhat shallow. I suggest that you already be familiar with basic image processing techniques and computer vision, or possibly have a copy of Gonzales & Woods "Digital Image Processing" handy, as well as a copy of Trucco & Verri's "Introductory Techniques for 3D Computer Vision". This is especially true if you wish to grasp some of the statistical techniques at the end of chapter four. Chapters five and six, on localization and navigation, respectively, are mathematically deep. The material on the Kalman Filter is somewhat oversimplified, and to truly grasp the subject of Kalman Filtering one will need to go to an outside source for a full tutorial. In my case, my instructor's notes were sufficient.
In summary, this is a very good book for someone who is mathematically mature enough to handle the computational aspects of mobile robotics. The reader should already understand dynamics, statics, numerical linear algebra, image processing, artificial intelligence, and computer vision. This book collects and connects all of these concepts well, but you will have to go digging elsewhere for the complete amount of detail required to perform all of the calculations for the methods described in this book. In short, computational robotics is a type of "capstone course" for engineers/computer scientists with the correct background and reference library, and for those engineers, this is the best guide published to date.

Great emphasis and overview
Having spent years working in this field, this book
in my opinion places the emphasis on one of the most
basic yet most important robotics problems of today:
mobility. It also addresses other broad issues related
to mobile robots. Despite the book's breadth, it is filled
with numerous great examples of functioning robots.
The robotics problems tackled by each chapter are
well explained and the exposition is deep enough for
the reader to truly understand the main issues and
the main solutions associated with each research challenge.
It is a book that in my opinion can be enjoyed by
both an expert and a complete novice in robotics.It's
fun to browse, yet if you want to delve into more detail on
any given topic you can. ... Read more

Product 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 ômustö 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

Product Description
Probabilistic robotics is a new and growing area in robotics, concerned with perception and control in the face of uncertainty. Building on the field of mathematical statistics, probabilistic robotics endows robots with a new level of robustness in real-world situations.

This book introduces the reader to a wealth of techniques and algorithms in the field. All algorithms are based on a single overarching mathematical foundation. Each chapter provides example implementations in pseudo code, detailed mathematical derivations, discussions from a practitioner's perspective, and extensive lists of exercises and class projects. The book's Web site, http://www.probabilistic-robotics.org, has additional material.

The book is relevant for anyone involved in robotic software development and scientific research. It will also be of interest to applied statisticians and engineers dealing with real-world sensor data. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

The Robotics Reference
This textbook is the standard reference for probabilistic robotics in the areas of navigation and mapping. One of the authors is the director of the Stanford AI lab and headed the winning entry in the DARPA Grand Challenge in 2007, which needless to say means he understands and has developed many of the techniques in the book. The algorithms are laid out and explained at different depths of understanding, which sometimes allows them to be used without reading the rigorous mathematical derivations that are included. Within the first week of having this book, I found that my method of estimating odometry in the prediction step of a Kalman filter could be improved with a different estimation. In addition, since the book provided a mathematical derivation, I could compare the two techniques and explain under what assumptions my approximation fails to do well.

plenty of math and theory ....
This book has plenty of math and theory in regards to state estimation and SLAM.However, it is really lacking in details and examples of implementation.Many of the problems at the end of the chapters rely on material from the next chapters.Most of what I learned about Kalman and Extended Kalman filters in the past made more sense as I read this book.However, new material such as particle filters was difficult to understand from the text alone.I had to look elsewhere for examples of implementation/tutorials.

One of the best books that I have ever read.
This book is essential for anyone that works or make some research on Robotics, especially on Slam.

Delivers even more than it promises
This is really an amazing book - it more than fulfilled my expectations.
It starts from the very basics of probability theory and clearly derives
Kalman Filtering, Particle Filtering, Probabilistic Motion and Probabilistic
Perception in the first 6 chapters.From there it moves on to talk about
Localization and Mapping completely separately (which I appreciated, since
the two topics are far easier to comprehend independently) in chapters 7 and
8 and then finally introduces SLAM (the main topic of the book) in chapter
9.From there it goes on to discuss various SLAM algorithms and implementations,
and finally rounds out with planning and control (that is, the practical
application of SLAM algorithms).

I can't imagine a more well-researched academic work.Every point is backed
up with examples and illustrations, and every algorithm is derived rigorously.
Even better, the mathematical derivations are set apart from the main text
so that a more "casual" reader can skip over the derivations and still get
some benefit from the text (and believe me, the math parts of this book are
very involved!).The authors assume a working knowledge of trigonometry,
calculus and linear algebra (although you could likely make some sense of the
book even if you're rusty in any of these areas).However, since the book
is about probability, you'll probably need some background in probability
theory to get any value from this text.Chapter 2 contains a refresher on
probability theory, but I doubt it would be enough to decipher the later
chapters if you had no background in the subject.I found myself having to
go back and look up the details of Bayes Rule and multivariate conditional
probability more than once.

My only gripe with this book is that each chapter includes suggested exercises
(good) but no answers/cross-check (bad).Especially considering the open-ended
nature of the exercises, it's almost not worth attempting them (or even reading
them), since you'll never know if you got the right answer, or were even on the
right track.There's no "student supplement" (at least not as I write this),
so the exercises are fairly pointless.

However, that aside, this is one of the best academic books I've read in a very
long time.I had been struggling through academic papers from IEEE and ACM on
the topic of SLAM, and only comprehending about half of it before I picked up
"Probabilistic Robotics".After reading this book carefully (I actually had
to read it twice to get it all to sink in), I'm actually zipping through the
academic papers, and understanding everything I read.You couldn't ask for a
better introduction to probabilistic robotics and SLAM.

Great Book!
I consider this bookthe most valuable resource in the field!If you are really interested in implementing kalman filter localization, particle filter localization or SLAM algorithms, this book really will help you. This book was my reference during my Master Thesis and the algorithms are so comprenhensive that I hadn't any problem to put them running.
I think the autors made a really good effort to explain complexmathematical concepts as clearly as possible. Great Job!



... Read more

Product Description

Based on the successful Modelling and Control of Robot Manipulators by Sciavicco and Siciliano (Springer, 2000), Robotics provides the basic know-how on the foundations of robotics: modelling, planning and control. It has been expanded to include coverage of mobile robots, visual control and motion planning. A variety of problems is raised throughout, and the proper tools to find engineering-oriented solutions are introduced and explained.

The text includes coverage of fundamental topics like kinematics, and trajectory planning and related technological aspects including actuators and sensors.

To impart practical skill, examples and case studies are carefully worked out and interwoven through the text, with frequent resort to simulation. In addition, end-of-chapter exercises are proposed, and the book is accompanied by an electronic solutions manual containing the MATLAB^® code for computer problems; this is available free of charge to those adopting this volume as a textbook for courses.

Customer Reviews (1)

it's a great resource
This book has everything a new grad student or aspiring roboticist would want.It covers the mechanics, the controls and even some vision for robotic manipulators.Very nice resource. ... Read more

Product Description
This book treats analysis and design of manipulations, manipulators and grippers by discussing basic concepts and fundamental formulation. It is a novel book dealing with manipulations that can be performed by robotic manipulators. The content of the book has been kept at a fairly practical level with the aim to teach how to model, simulate, and operate robotic mechanical systems. The chapters have been written and organized in a way that they can be read even separately, so that they can be used separately for different courses and readers. An Introductory Chapter 1 illustrates motivations and historical developments of robotic mechanical systems. Chapter 2 describes the analysis and design of manipulations by automatic machinery and robots. Chapter 3 deals with the Mechanics of manipulators with the aim to propose algorithms for analysis, simulation and design purposes. Chapter 4 addresses the attention to mechanical two-finger grippers and related Mechanics of Grasping. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very good introduction to robotic construction
This was a very good book that introduced both simple and complexcalculations when designing a robotic vehicle. ... Read more

Product Description
Autonomous robots are intelligent machines capable of performing tasks in the world by themselves, without explicit human control. Examples range from autonomous helicopters to Roomba, the robot vacuum cleaner. In this book, George Bekey offers an introduction to the science and practice of autonomous robots that can be used both in the classroom and as a reference for industry professionals. He surveys the hardware implementations of more than 300 current systems, reviews some of their application areas, and examines the underlying technology, including control, architectures, learning, manipulation, grasping, navigation, and mapping. Living systems can be considered the prototypes of autonomous systems, and Bekey explores the biological inspiration that forms the basis of many recent developments in robotics. He also discusses robot control issues and the design of control architectures.

After an overview of the field that introduces some of its fundamental concepts, the book presents background material on hardware, control (from both biological and engineering perspectives), software architecture, and robot intelligence. It then examines a broad range of implementations and applications, including locomotion (wheeled, legged, flying, swimming, and crawling robots), manipulation (both arms and hands), localization, navigation, and mapping. The many case studies and specific applications include robots built for research, industry, and the military, among them underwater robotic vehicles, walking machines with four, six, and eight legs, and the famous humanoid robots Cog, Kismet, ASIMO,"and QRIO. The book concludes with reflections on the future of robotics—the potential benefits as well as the possible dangers that may arise from large numbers of increasingly intelligent and autonomous robots. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

great collection
This book is friendly reading, and excellent collection. Though the humanoid robot had skyrocket change, compared with 2005. Most of the book are up to day.

I also agreed that this book is a review, and lack of detail. Anyway, it is impossible for "one book" to packed too much math or engineering detail in. Thus I still recommended this book for under-graduated school, or others who is newbie.

Good Read!
This book provides good and comprehensive overview of a variety of mobile robots such as the wheeled, tracked, legged, snake, underwater and flying robots. Starting from the fundamental structural elements, it examines the software architectures for autonomous robots, locomotion, navigation, control, learning and applications. In particular, the review of humanoid robots and control of multiple robots are most interesting. There are around 200 photographs of robots which are very useful for illustration. Because of little technical details, the book is accessible to most readers.

Very nice overview, introduction, & survey, but not enough engineering details
Yes, this book provides a fine overview. I need to get the essential information to supervise development of autonomous mobile robots by a team of engineering seniors. This book does not provide me with enough technical information to know the essential abstractions, math models, etc. to guide the project.

My favorite book on the subject is still "Introduction to Autonomous Mobile Robots" by Sigward & Nourbahksh, because it meets my needs.

timely survey of moving robots
MIT is one of the key centres of robotics and it is no surprise that this text hails from it. Bekey provides a timely survey (circa 2005) of the state of autonomous robotics. He mentions some robots which have become commercially available recently, like Sony's Aibo, or the Roomba, Asimo or Cog. While simple and cheap, these robots involve key issues of mobility, sensors and decision making.

There are several types of land locomotion. Bekey gives a summary of various efforts since the 70s, to use 4, 6 or 8 legs in a robot.

Aside from locomotion, the book covers many other topics. Such as arm motion and manipulation. This even includes the "exotic" use of neural networks to do inverse kinematics mappings. Though Bekey cautions that the slow convergence of these networks is a serious drawback to realtime usage.

The book should be very readable to someone with a general background in science or engineering. It defers specialised technical details to the papers and texts given in its references.

Great overview
This is a broad brush overview of autonomous robotics.It covers a lot of ground and the depth is not great.But it is an outstanding introduction for just about anybody interested in autonomous robotics.To me it is interesting that the book takes such a biological approach.I have other books that actively try to cover up the biological inspiration.This book flounts it.Controls, structures, learning, software architectures, locomotion, it is all here.Although there is not a lot of depth in the volume, the chosen style and depth makes the book available to a very wide audience and the list of references is tremendous.That is after all where one learns this material. ... Read more

Product Description

Practical Optimization: Algorithms and Engineering Applications is a hands-on treatment of the subject of optimization. A comprehensive set of problems and exercises makes the book suitable for use in one or two semesters of a first-year graduate course or an advanced undergraduate course. Each half of the book contains a full semester’s worth of complementary yet stand-alone material. The practical orientation of the topics chosen and a wealth of useful examples also make the book suitable for practitioners in the field.

Customer Reviews (1)

Practical Optimization
Basically I liked the book.As a practicing "front-line" grunt aersospace engineer for a large Fortune 500 Company this book is a good and practical book for the control systems analysis I do.The big problem with optimization books like this one is that the examples are very contrived and trival.What a book like this is suppose to do is help one figure out if the the problem he/she is currently working can be "cast" into an optimization problem and then solved by any of the algorithms presented.This book is a little weak in that respect.But it is still useful and I am glad I have it in my collection. ... Read more