How To Survive a Robot Uprising: Tips on Defending Yourself Against the Coming Rebellion (Paperback)

by Daniel H. Wilson (Author)
Key Phrases: robot uprising, modular robots, humanoid robots, Carnegie Mellon University, The Terminator, The Matrix (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In this uncomfortably humorous survival guide, Wilson, a Ph.D. candidate at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University, reminds readers that "any machine could rebel, from a toaster to a Terminator," and though the forms our future robot enemies may take are manifold, they each have exploitable weaknesses that, fortuitously, match our natural human strengths. So, if a two-legged android gives chase, seek out a body of water, as "most robots will sink in water or mud and fall through ice." It also may be a good idea to carry around a pair of welder's goggles, as lasers will likely be robot attackers' weapons of choice, and even a weak laser can cause blindness. Options for fighting back are plentiful, though not everyone will be relieved to learn the standard kitchen microwave can be retrofitted into a radiation gun that can destroy electronics and "cook human flesh." (Instructions for such a project are not included.) Humorous and informative-Wilson drops robotics history trivia nuggets and includes brief descriptions of current robot research-this nifty little guide to surviving the inevitable robot apocalypse may have you reconsidering purchasing that "smart" (read: insidious) refrigerator.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Product Description

An inspired and hilarious look at how humans can defeat the inevitable robot rebellion?as revealed by a robotics expert.

 

How do you spot a robot mimicking a human? How do you recognize and then deactivate a rebel servant robot? How do you escape a murderous ?smart? house, or evade a swarm of marauding robotic flies? In this dryly hilarious survival guide, roboticist Daniel H. Wilson teaches worried humans the keys to quashing a robot mutiny.

 

From treating laser wounds to fooling face and speech recognition, besting robot logic to engaging in hand-to-pincer combat, How to Survive a Robot Uprising covers every possible doomsday scenario facing the newest endangered species: humans. And with its thorough overview of current robot prototypes?including giant walkers, insect, gecko, and snake robots?How to Survive a Robot Uprising is also a witty yet legitimate introduction to contemporary robotics. Full of cool illustrations, and referencing some of the most famous robots in pop-culture, How to Survive a Robot Uprising is a one-of-a-kind book that is sure to be a hit with all ages.     

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Product Details Paperback: 176 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (October 13, 2005) Language: English ISBN-10: 1582345929 ISBN-13: 978-1582345925 Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 0.5 inches Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (39 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #23,568 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in this category: (What's this?) #33 in  Books > Entertainment > Humor > Parodies

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Inside This Book (learn more)

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
robot uprising, modular robots, humanoid robots, smart house, kill switch

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Carnegie Mellon University, The Terminator, The Matrix, Star Wars, University of California, Robot House

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Robot Rover by Nikki Sims Discusses: modular robots robot forms humanoid robots Multi-Robot Systems. From Swarms to Intelligent Automata, Volume III by Lynne E. Parker Discusses: robot forms performance robots Carnegie Mellon University Loading...

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Customer Reviews

39 Reviews 5 star:  (19) 4 star:  (12) 3 star:  (5) 2 star:  (3) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.2 out of 5 stars (39 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 79 of 84 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars A Boon to SF Writers, November 6, 2005 By  D. G. D. Davidson "www.scificatholic.com" - See all my reviews Daniel H. Wilson has provided a handsome and irreverent guide to survival in the face of the inevitable robot rebellion. This is not, however, a mere joke book about robots. Wilson is a Ph.D. candidate in the subject and, correspondingly, his discussions not only invoke well-known robot-based apocalyptic stories but involve numerous descriptions of existing robot technologies and speculations on how they may be refined in the future. The book is an engaging and relatively painless introduction to robotics. For those interested in science fiction, particularly in writing it, Wilson offers an up-to-date overview of robotics technology as it stands as well as a wealth of technical terms and buzz words. The humor is based almost entirely on well-known "evil robot" plotlines, and so the text is also useful for steering the potential writer away from cliches. The quality of the humor, however, is hit-and-miss. Some of the jokes are quite funny, some are groaners, and some simply fall flat. Occasional bad grammar detracts from the overall presentation. Simultaneously educational and fun, How to Survive a Robot Uprising will make a good read for technophiles, sf fans, and B movie buffs. 32 of 33 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars For those who like their humor books educational and shiny., June 9, 2006 By  A. Ryan "Merribelle" (Westminster, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    The good news is that robots lack emotions, so they can't get PO'd about how the human race has been exploiting them. The bad news is that they are smarter and more logical than we are - and might someday realize that there are a million and one reasons why we don't need to exist. Welcome to your near future. Do you know how you will survive the robot uprising? First, know your enemy. Recognize that robots have "natural" weaknesses - lack of context/social adaptability, physical limitations over certain types of terrain - that humans can exploit to advantage. Be aware also that they may have certain strengths that humans lack; after all, that is what they are built for in the first place, isn't it? They do not need to sleep, for example, and therefore can perform tasks for a potential 24/7. Robots also may have "superhuman" abilities. Some robots can track your heat signature with thermal imaging cameras, mine credit card databases for information about you, turn built-in lasers on you, and of course, best you physically in a hand-to-hand combat situation with metal pincers and/or superior strength. How To Survive a Robot Uprising is soaked with information about current robotics and the trends that are now under development so that you can plan alternatives. Next, avoid aiding your enemy unawares. They have been infiltrating our factories, offices and homes for years. They are pretty much everywhere now, and they will be able to link up with and/or control devices that go where they cannot. What will you do on that day when your cell phone signals your location to the evil supercomputer that controls the laser-armed satellites? Or when your Smart House locks you in and "leaks" the gas from your heater? There are strategies to counter each and every possibility, but you must be aware of them first or you will likely be betrayed by your very own convenience devices. HTSARU is actually written by a very qualified individual who researches robotics and data mining. Mr. Wilson writes with a deadpan sense of humor that had me grinning throughout much of this short, sweet handbook and laughing out loud several times. Ironically, I ended up learning quite a bit about real-life robotics; the author spends the first two thirds of the book teaching a crash course on the subject as the prerequisite to the doomsday scenario strategies he offers in the last section. Richard Horne's red, black and white illustrations complement the text perfectly and have snickering little messages of their own embedded into the general absurdity. Get it for the sake of the survival of our species, your own personal knowledge of the field of robotics, a few chuckles to lighten your subway commute or the cool metallic red page gilding. Get it for your purse and pull it out when you have to wait in the checkout line. Get it as the perfect gift for a SF geek. Get it - because everybody needs to know how to survive a robot uprising. -Andrea, aka Merribelle 9 of 9 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars More than just a funny read, June 21, 2006 By  Jack Buffington (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    I actually build robots for a living and was given this book recently by a coworker when I was laid off . This book is as factual as it is entertaining. Having never thought about escaping from the robots that I build, it is interesting to see things from a different perspective. The strategies that are described would actually be effective given today's state of the art which makes it seem even funnier. Let's hope that this humor book never actually becomes a true survival handbook.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 3.0 out of 5 stars Could have been better, but worth it While it isn't written in the most exciting of tones, it does provide information for those who have a interest in robots but know nothing about them. Read more Published 1 month ago by Reverend Corter 5.0 out of 5 stars Robots I have this brother who loves stuff like this. He like the book. He always reads things that will never happen, but enjoys the what ifs. Published 6 months ago by Jessica Currier 5.0 out of 5 stars Amazingly funny book I picked up this book on a whim and found it to be a really great read. It has a lot of very realistic facts mixed with some fairly funny jokes. Worth checking out. Published 7 months ago by Marvin A. Conn 3.0 out of 5 stars Yep, I'm a Dead Man When I was in second grade, I was asked to write down what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote "Robot Maker. Read more Published 7 months ago by Michael J. Tresca 4.0 out of 5 stars One more comparison to Zombie Survival Manual The The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Deadtaught us how to survive if the undead started coming after us, trying to eat our brains and force us to... Read more Published 7 months ago by Kaeli Vandertulip 4.0 out of 5 stars Be Prepared How to Survive a Robot Uprising- This book was more non-fiction than I would have thought. Sure it has some pretty funny lines, but it is very educational on the state of current... Read more Published 8 months ago by William Black 2.0 out of 5 stars Not Much There This is cute, but it is no Zombie Survival Guide. There is very little in the way of step by step instruction, and it is more of an outline that a survival guide. Published 10 months ago by Leauxra 2.0 out of 5 stars Very dissapointed While I realize that How To Survive a Robot Uprising is supposed to be a work of comedy I was also expecting some half-serious advice on how to destroy circuits and complex... Read more Published 12 months ago by Christopher Krause 5.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious This book was absolutely hilarious. I bought it for one of my close friends, and we had a lot of fun going over the facts in the book about various survival techiques. Read more Published 13 months ago by T. Nunley 4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful book, lack of writing skill from the author I want to start by saying the looks of this book far surpassed my expectations, the robot on the cover and the letters on the back are silver and the pages are heavy and glossy... Read more Published 13 months ago by Luis Javier Rodriguez Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (October 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582345929
• ISBN-13: 978-1582345925
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #23,568 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #33 in

  Books > Entertainment > Humor > Parodies

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Boon to SF Writers, November 6, 2005

By	D. G. D. Davidson "www.scificatholic.com" - See all my reviews

Daniel H. Wilson has provided a handsome and irreverent guide to survival in the face of the inevitable robot rebellion. This is not, however, a mere joke book about robots. Wilson is a Ph.D. candidate in the subject and, correspondingly, his discussions not only invoke well-known robot-based apocalyptic stories but involve numerous descriptions of existing robot technologies and speculations on how they may be refined in the future.

The book is an engaging and relatively painless introduction to robotics. For those interested in science fiction, particularly in writing it, Wilson offers an up-to-date overview of robotics technology as it stands as well as a wealth of technical terms and buzz words. The humor is based almost entirely on well-known "evil robot" plotlines, and so the text is also useful for steering the potential writer away from cliches. The quality of the humor, however, is hit-and-miss. Some of the jokes are quite funny, some are groaners, and some simply fall flat. Occasional bad grammar detracts from the overall presentation.

Simultaneously educational and fun, How to Survive a Robot Uprising will make a good read for technophiles, sf fans, and B movie buffs.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For those who like their humor books educational and shiny., June 9, 2006

By	A. Ryan "Merribelle" (Westminster, CA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The good news is that robots lack emotions, so they can't get PO'd about how the human race has been exploiting them. The bad news is that they are smarter and more logical than we are - and might someday realize that there are a million and one reasons why we don't need to exist. Welcome to your near future. Do you know how you will survive the robot uprising?

First, know your enemy. Recognize that robots have "natural" weaknesses - lack of context/social adaptability, physical limitations over certain types of terrain - that humans can exploit to advantage. Be aware also that they may have certain strengths that humans lack; after all, that is what they are built for in the first place, isn't it? They do not need to sleep, for example, and therefore can perform tasks for a potential 24/7. Robots also may have "superhuman" abilities. Some robots can track your heat signature with thermal imaging cameras, mine credit card databases for information about you, turn built-in lasers on you, and of course, best you physically in a hand-to-hand combat situation with metal pincers and/or superior strength. How To Survive a Robot Uprising is soaked with information about current robotics and the trends that are now under development so that you can plan alternatives.

Next, avoid aiding your enemy unawares. They have been infiltrating our factories, offices and homes for years. They are pretty much everywhere now, and they will be able to link up with and/or control devices that go where they cannot. What will you do on that day when your cell phone signals your location to the evil supercomputer that controls the laser-armed satellites? Or when your Smart House locks you in and "leaks" the gas from your heater? There are strategies to counter each and every possibility, but you must be aware of them first or you will likely be betrayed by your very own convenience devices.

HTSARU is actually written by a very qualified individual who researches robotics and data mining. Mr. Wilson writes with a deadpan sense of humor that had me grinning throughout much of this short, sweet handbook and laughing out loud several times. Ironically, I ended up learning quite a bit about real-life robotics; the author spends the first two thirds of the book teaching a crash course on the subject as the prerequisite to the doomsday scenario strategies he offers in the last section. Richard Horne's red, black and white illustrations complement the text perfectly and have snickering little messages of their own embedded into the general absurdity.

Get it for the sake of the survival of our species, your own personal knowledge of the field of robotics, a few chuckles to lighten your subway commute or the cool metallic red page gilding. Get it for your purse and pull it out when you have to wait in the checkout line. Get it as the perfect gift for a SF geek. Get it - because everybody needs to know how to survive a robot uprising.
-Andrea, aka Merribelle

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars More than just a funny read, June 21, 2006

By	Jack Buffington (California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I actually build robots for a living and was given this book recently by a coworker when I was laid off . This book is as factual as it is entertaining. Having never thought about escaping from the robots that I build, it is interesting to see things from a different perspective. The strategies that are described would actually be effective given today's state of the art which makes it seem even funnier. Let's hope that this humor book never actually becomes a true survival handbook.