"Library Updates Its Section on Robotics"

Every now and then, while assisting a patron, we find an area in the Library’s book collection that is so out of date or where the books are so worn out that it’s an embarrassment. The section of books on “robotics” was such a case. The latest book was from the mid-1980’s! When that happens, and if there is money to do so, we immediately purchase new titles to replace the old.

In earlier years, robotics was a field that only educators and researchers investigated. Now that robots are helping to build cars and do many other production line-type of work, mechanical engineers as well as amateurs are interested in building and maintaining robots for both work and play. Children are even incorporating robotic functions into toys such as Legos.

Probably the most popular amateur use of robotics is making “combat robots”. We have all seen televised college competitions where one student operator of a robot tries to destroy another student’s robot. It’s like the gladiator competitions of the Roman period, only without the blood!

“Robot Building for Beginners” by David Cook provides basic and practical knowledge on getting started in amateur robotics. The short chapters and many illustrations provide step-by-step instructions on building an intelligent machine. “Robots: Bringing Intelligent Machines to Life” by Ruth Avlett tells the past, present, and future of robots and artificial intelligence. The author describes in detail the current state of computer and robot technology, and points out the challenges inherent in teaching machines to “think” and make decisions. “Robo Sapiens: Evolution of a New Species” by Peter Menzel is about a new generation of machines that act like living creatures. This lavishly illustrated book presents a hypothesis rather than offers instruction in building these thinking machines.
“Teach Yourself Electricity and Electronics” by Stan Gibilisco is not a robotic book per se, but it is an essential one for the amateur to study as it provides the basic information from which robotics originate.

“Combat Robots Complete: Everything You Need to Build, Compete, and Win” by Chris Hannold is ideal for beginners who want to build their own battling machines and don’t know how to start. With over 100 illustrations this book covers topics such as wiring, modeling, design, and weapon systems. “Fighting Robots: A Guide to Radio-Controlled Combatants” by Michael Benson includes a history of combatant robots, contests locations, tips for novices, and the rules by which the fighting robot games are played.

For the Lego master who wants more action out of his plastic blocks, Kevin Claque’s book, “10 Cool Lego Mindstorms” offers ten Star Wars-themed projects readers can build in under an hour including an Imperial Devastator, a Bounty Hunter Droid, and A Dark-Side Battle-Trainer. Guilio Ferrari has two books on Lego robotics: “Building Robots with Lego Mindstorms” introduces the basics of building robots with Leo bricks and components, including the controlling motors and programming the RCX. In his second book, “Programming Lego Mindstorms with Java” the author explains how to use Java to program the lego Mindstorms.
Websites on robotics include www.machinebrain.com for the latest news and information about robots; www.robotcafe.com is a directory of more than 600 robotic sites and www.robotbooks.com lists and sells books, toys, motors and kits for the amateur roboteur.