Rating: 
Summary: Only 2 Original Projects
Review: Of the three projects in the book, only two seem to be original. The coat hanger walker (displayed on the cover) was created by a 14 year old boy, who has generously made the plans available for free on the web.
Rating: 
Summary: Good stuff
Review: Review
Every time I flip through the TV channels and come across a program with robots doing battle, I have to stop and watch. Two or more machines built with two goals in mind... SURVIVAL and DESTRUCTION. I could only imagine how much fun it would be to build a robot and duke it out in a Plexiglas ring.I won't be battling in a Plexiglas ring, anytime soon... but I now have the resource to begin building robots... Gareth Branwyn covers everything you need to know to start building your own robot...and then some. He takes you through the history of robotics... some parts and tools that are needed to build robots... and some cool robot kits that you can purchase to get started. Then we're off to the fun part... 3 robot projects that you can build using stuff you have around the house and a few electronic components. The three projects walk you step-by-step through the process of building your robots. At the end of this book you'll find a ONE TIME Coupon, good for 10% off the regular price of any robot parts order worth over $75 at Solarbotics. Conclusion
If you're a beginner who wants to get into the world of robotics, this is the book for you. It's fun and easy to understand. I can't wait until it's time for my son's school science fair.
Rating:
Summary: Warmly written and educational
Review: This is a great book for those just starting the journey into robotics. Branwyn's conversational style and personal stories make this a great read as well as a fantastic learning tool. His insight into the world of robotics and trips down memory lane make what could be a dry how to guide into a very interesting read. The projects, as they increase in difficulty, teach the basics that will undoubtedly be the fundamentals for the budding roboticist. I recommend this book to all.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent fun - pure joy and enthusiasm!
Review: This is a tremendously fun and engaging book. It is immediately compelling and never loses its way as it ploughs through a plethora of topics, introducing all the basic skills and resources needed to genuinely construct one's own hobby robots. The book begins with a fascinating history on the origins of robots leading through to robot kits available today (like Lego Mindstorms), as well as off-the-shelf robots (like Aibo). The book culminates in three hands-on projects involving building a walking coat hanger, animating an old computer mouse, and then a walking CD rack with an embedded microcontroller for brains, programmable by Visual Basic. These projects are all slightly zany and even off-the-wall but demonstrate solid techniques and show just how robotics is limited only by one's imagination. Best of all, they use as few commercial parts as possible, preferring to recycle household junk. This title is a delight to read; it is absorbing and highly entertaining. However, to my mind, its absolute greatest attribute is the sheer sense of fun and enthusiasm which radiates from the author. It's clear he has an enquiring mind and an almost childish fascination for robots. It's easy to imagine him longing for his very own R2D2! This pure sense of wonderment really comes out and is sure to infect even the most technophobic of readers. This is wonderfully remniscent of the "hacker" spirit possessed by all the greatest computer scientists and hobbyists who really strive to understand just how technology works, and how to develop it themselves. The book concludes with a detailed, annotated, list of books, magazines and Web sites that can be referred to for more information. Finally, it contains a 10% off voucher for a US based robot parts Web-store but fortunately for international readers the parts used throughout can be sourced from most any electronics or hobby supplier.
Rating:
Summary: Great Introduction To Robotics
Review: This is about as clear and concise a book on robotics found anywhere. Though I had little experience with robotics when I started it, within a couple weeks I was able to complete the first project and quickly took on the other two. Now I have three little bots that scurry about my apartment, entertaining guests (and my cat) with their antics. The book is an easy-read, and while the idea of building actual robots may seem daunting to some, the author takes you through every step of robotics, including advice on building and problem solving, all spiced up with a bit of humor and some interesting insights into the history of robots in real-life and fiction. It includes a comprehensive parts-buying list so that anyone with only a basic understanding of electronics can walk into any Radio Shack and walk out with what they need (though some parts are more readily available on the web). While the information in the book could be scrounged on the web by sophisticated users, the fact that the author has consolidated it into one easy-to-read book that walks you through all the steps in an entertaining and educational manner makes this book a "must-have" for anyone interested in learning about robotics. Great for techno wiz-kids and adults alike.
Rating:
Summary: If you want to learn about robots this is the book!
Review: This is an amazing little book full of tips and insight on the robot-building experience. Also, from all the tools and soldering knowledge, you can build more than just little robots. You can build a plethora of little electronics toys and whizbangs that are fun. If you plan on investing about $100 in parts and tools, then this is the book for you. Some books have you buy the kit FROM the author. This book is not like that. The author is simply a robot fanatic who is very skiled at what he does. I borrowed this book from a friend and didn't want to give it back!! It is so awesome!
Rating:
Summary: If you want to learn about robots this is the book!
Review: This is an amazing little book full of tips and insight on the robot-building experience. Also, from all the tools and soldering knowledge, you can build more than just little robots. You can build a plethora of little electronics toys and whizbangs that are fun. If you plan on investing about $100 in parts and tools, then this is the book for you. Some books have you buy the kit FROM the author. This book is not like that. The author is simply a robot fanatic who is very skiled at what he does. I borrowed this book from a friend and didn't want to give it back!! It is so awesome!
Rating:
Summary: Enthusiastic Writer Makes Do-It-Yourself Robotics Fun
Review: This surprisingly fun and resourceful book oozes with the enthusiasm of its writer. Gareth Branwyn likes to think he's part robot since he had a hip replacement, but he's actually a disciplined booster of robots as supporters of humanity, rather than liquidators. This is a great read on the background of modern robotics, what they can and can't do, and what is achievable with even a limited technological foundation. Anyone who works with a computer can easily grok the tools that go into robot anatomy, and they can appreciate the functions of robots - even at the level of cute, not-quite-cuddly creatures running along the floor, freaking out the cat, and avoiding bumping into furniture. Three specific projects form the center of the book, including a walking coat hanger, that get your feet wet in construction, and there is an ample set of references that enable those suitably encouraged to seek out more grandiose projects. Now that the holidays are upon us, wouldn't it be cooler to make a home-made robot than a fruitcake?
Rating:
Summary: Not what i expected
Review: When the title of the book says Absolute Beginners's guide it means it. The book does a good job of explaining the history of robotics, and describing the various types. But there is a definate lack of explaination when it comes to the robots them selves. Its simply "asseble part A with part B, then move on to C." With no reasoning behind why you're doing it. In short the book does a poor job of teaching you robotics but instead is an exercise in how to follow directions.
Rating:
Summary: Bad Jokes
Review: Zoinks! This book is hard to read. The material is straightforward but the author thinks that he is the next Benny Goodman. Like Benny Goodman, he never stops trying to squeeze in a joke. Unfortunately I never laughed at Benny's jokes or author's. If it weren't for the one liners, the book would be quite good. Humor is a tool best left in the hands of professionals. Perhaps the friends and family of the author can arrange an intervention. If you're under 16 years of age it's a great book. If you remember who Benny Goodman is, you're in for a frustrating time.
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