Mobile Robots: Inspiration to Implementation (Paperback)

by Joseph L. Jones (Author), Anita M. Flynn (Author), Bruce A. Seiger (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This second edition reflects technological developments and includes programs and activities for robot enthusiasts. Step-by-step instructions take the reader through the process of constructing the two different and inexpensive yet fully functional robots.

Product Details

• Paperback: 457 pages
• Publisher: AK Peters, Ltd.; 2 Sub edition (November 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568810970
• ISBN-13: 978-1568810973
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #389,078 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Author's Comments, January 13, 2004

By	Anita Flynn (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I am Dr. Anita Flynn, an author of Mobile Robots. There has been a long-running dispute between the publisher and me that anyone considering the book should know about. See the web site at http://www.mobilerobotsbook.com for more information.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good, but overly focused on Their Robot., June 21, 1999

By A Customer

Mobile Robots was clear, and to the point though I thought it was a little hobby shop oriented for a MIT Press Book. The book does cover the topic it claims, but it leaves out a lot. Many grounding, and circuit comments are left out assuming that you are using thier Robot. Little is said about SW Filtering, or dealing sensors problems. Almost nothing is said about alternatives to the 68HC11 Processor used on the Rug Warrior II brains board. A great list of resources, very impressive though a Web page for the book with all the code in soft copy would have been more up to the modern standard. All in All a good book for the beginner. Well worth the money.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for your Bookshelf, August 6, 2000

By	Paul A Jacobs (Westmont, IL United States) - See all my reviews

-I read this book cover to cover and the first time I picked it
up...and thumbed through it I was not won over by it. Months later I
decided what the heck and got it off Amazon. I have a good deal of
computer experience but at the time had no robotics experience. This
book incredibly broadened my thinking. It basically covers everything
from brains to brawns, citing examples quite often. I did not read
the 1'st edition of this book, but I emplore you to read this. If you
do not trust my opinion go down to a book store and read at least for
10 mins through the chapters. I think you will find that if you are a
novice roboticist that this book will get you quickly off in the
right direction to building your own bots. I also encourage you to
build their "Tute-Bot" a tutorial hardware bot that can be
put together for just a couple bucks. It will teach you an invaluable
lesson on why robots greatly rely on microprocessors. I sat
captivated by this book for upwards of 4-8 hour reading spells and I
did not lose interest which says alot considering their is much that
is still highly technical in this book and could, if not written well
become boring or too specific for a begginers/intermediate robotics
book. Prepare to see implementations/explanations on all sorts of
sensors (sonar, pyroelectric, photoelectric, Infrared, etc. etc.) the
"how-to's" on experimental circuit board design, creating
mobile bases/chasis, and a slew of other helpful design
suggestions.

The only downside although minor was that this book
made possibly to much reference to the rug-warrior brawn and
brains.... I would not reccomend for any novice to buy the rug
warrior nor the brains for it. At roughly $600 it is too high of an
investment for the newbie. Do however learn from [the] Rug-Warrior
design as I did, and use their ideas to implement your own
rug-warrior robot. A much better buy is the "Handy Board"
which is also ... a good high quality Robotic
Brain for Begginners/Intermediate roboticists. Also get the
"expansion board" with the handyboard, and rack up the
servo connectivity...The Rug-Warrior(tm) is still an awesome robot
and much can be learned from it, and reading about I found to be
still fascinating even though the price was not in my range. To
conclude, I would not pass up this book if you are new to robotics,
it is a MUST Have! ;-)

Ps. just so you know I am not affiliated
with acroname nor with the publisher, I just honestly reccomend this
book.

VipErReD -MaD RoBoTiCiSt