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It goes without saying that robots kill. They hunt, swarm, and fire lasers from their eyes. They even beat humans at chess. So who better to stand with us when the real villains arrive? Movies instruct us that, whether we like it or not, we will one day be under siege by pirates, ninjas, zombies, aliens, and Godzilla. Also great white sharks. And - let's face it - we're not prepared. But with the advice contained in this brilliantly illustrated, ingenious book, you can build your own robot army to fend off hordes of bloodthirsty foes. From common-sense injunctions ('never approach an unfamiliar robot in a militarized zone') to tactical pointers ('low-power radar beats cameras for detecting mummies in a fog-shrouded crypt') to engineering advice ('passive-dynamic exoskeleton suits will increase sprint speeds but not leg strength'), this book contains all the wisdom you'll need to fend off the coming apocalypse. Witty, informative, and utterly original, How to Build a Robot Army is the ideal book for readers of any age.… (more)
Robots are doing wonderful things in the world right now. They can replace limbs of amputees, perform surgery, and even vacuum your floor...kind of. This is all fine and good, but at some point we have to start addressing the serious problems. Like aliens, zombies, and pirates!
How to Build a Robot Army is a guide that teaches you how to do just that, and just like How to Survive a Robot Uprising it falls a little short of my expectations. The issue with both books is that Daniel Wilson is that they want to be humorous, but the author is actually very knowledgeable about the subject and offers lots of technical information about modern robotics. I actually appreciate this greatly, and would be happy to read a serious nonfiction book on the subject, but in this case it drags down an otherwise lighthearted read. The result is something that is too dry to stand up to other books in the humor section and too casual to be taken seriously as a robotics nonfiction.
The best section was towards the end, the Robots Vs. The Universe section, in which the author actually imagines how different kinds of robots could combat different types of invaders. The feeling evoked by this section is what I was expecting the whole time, but unfortunately it's contained to only a couple dozen pages. ( )
Wacky and fun. This little faux manual, complete with shiny cover and page edges, contains "tips on defending planet Earth against alien invaders, ninjas, and zombies." And yes, Daniel Wilson really does hold a PhD from the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University. There's a surprisingly large amount of actual scientific/technical information hidden in these ridiculous scenarios, and overall I had a blast reading through it. Pick anywhere to start! Read it aloud to your friends! 5 out of 5, where 5 equals, "now I know how to harden anything against EMP attacks, and I had a really good laugh!" ( )
It goes without saying that robots kill. They hunt, swarm, and fire lasers from their eyes. They even beat humans at chess. So who better to stand with us when the real villains arrive? Movies instruct us that, whether we like it or not, we will one day be under siege by pirates, ninjas, zombies, aliens, and Godzilla. Also great white sharks. And - let's face it - we're not prepared. But with the advice contained in this brilliantly illustrated, ingenious book, you can build your own robot army to fend off hordes of bloodthirsty foes. From common-sense injunctions ('never approach an unfamiliar robot in a militarized zone') to tactical pointers ('low-power radar beats cameras for detecting mummies in a fog-shrouded crypt') to engineering advice ('passive-dynamic exoskeleton suits will increase sprint speeds but not leg strength'), this book contains all the wisdom you'll need to fend off the coming apocalypse. Witty, informative, and utterly original, How to Build a Robot Army is the ideal book for readers of any age.
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(from the back of the book) Now what are you going to do when the aliens attack? Can you turn your car into an unmanned ground vehicle? Can you weaponize your robotic vacuum? Can you mount an auto-gun? In the world of tomorrow, you will have to be prepared to face a myriad of dangers: descending aliens, prancing ninjas, groaning hordes of zombies, and more. And no one in their right mind will stand with you against this onslaught. That's why you'll need...robots.
Daniel H. Wilson, a Ph. D. in robotics and the author of How to Survive a Robot Uprising, provides you with everything you need to know to repel the untold invasions of the future in this essential guide. All you'll need are your common household robots, your wits, and this book. Full of advice based on Wilson's years of experience with state-of-the-art technology, How to Build a Robot Army in an invaluable resource for anyone curious about the way robots work - and an essential tool for surviving the coming apocalypse.
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How to Build a Robot Army is a guide that teaches you how to do just that, and just like How to Survive a Robot Uprising it falls a little short of my expectations. The issue with both books is that Daniel Wilson is that they want to be humorous, but the author is actually very knowledgeable about the subject and offers lots of technical information about modern robotics. I actually appreciate this greatly, and would be happy to read a serious nonfiction book on the subject, but in this case it drags down an otherwise lighthearted read. The result is something that is too dry to stand up to other books in the humor section and too casual to be taken seriously as a robotics nonfiction.
The best section was towards the end, the Robots Vs. The Universe section, in which the author actually imagines how different kinds of robots could combat different types of invaders. The feeling evoked by this section is what I was expecting the whole time, but unfortunately it's contained to only a couple dozen pages. (