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Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful & Simple
Review: As a graphic designer by trade, I dabble in building robots. The BEAM philosophy for building robots is really quite amazing because the focus is on reuse of discarded electronics while striving to make your robots look as asthetically pleasing as possible. The strength of this work is that now everybody may build a robot easily and quickly.
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Summary: Keeper
Review: Great book for beginners in robotics OR electronics. This book focuses on the minimalist BEAM approach to robotics, as opposed to the full blown combat robots you see on TV. Starts with the real basics, everything from reading resistor color bands (BBROYGBVGW - Bad Boys etc...) to proper soldering techniques. Then it moves on to a series of step-by-step micro-bot builds, generously illustrated with photos and diagrams. If you can't find the parts around the house to build your bots, you can always take the author's dumpster diving tips to heart. I'd recommend this book for anybody who's not afraid of soldering and glue fumes.
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Summary: Hrynkiw! Tilden! What more could you need?
Review: This book definitely has what it takes to introduce enthusiasts of all ages to the many aspects of BEAM robotics. It is important to note that it covers topics from those that are very simple (good learning material for those new to the topic or are fairly young) to those that are quite esoteric (satisfying food for thought for the experienced BEAM roboticist.) We can only hope for more from this group of authors.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book
Review: This book is very well done. The photos are phenomenal, the mechanical diagrams are very consice and exact and the subject matter is explained very well. The only reason I give it a 3-star rating is because all of the material is available on the internet for free - although I do like having the book on my shelf. I don't agree that the simple beam technolgy will stand the test of time because what they call a "nervous network" is actual just a simple analog sequence generator and cannot be programmed to allow the robot to do practical work. If you want to have some control over what your robot is going to do, then you need to get a book that explains the use of microcontrollers. Try a book by Myke Predko. Definitely buy this book though!!
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Summary: The Best of BEAM
Review: This is, by far, the best robotics how-to book I've ever read. I've been following the BEAM "movement" from its inception, and Dave Hrynkiw's work for years. This book makes the BEAM approach toward robotics accessible to everyone, from the complete newbie to the more experienced hobbyist.I was amazed at how well the book was written (it's genuinely funny in spots), and how much attention to detail was evident in clear photos and well-done illustrations. This is a model for how such a book should be done. There are seven projects in the book, from a simple solar-powered top to a rather sophisticated four-legged insect-like walker. Set-by-step instructions are given for each project, along with process photos and circuit diagrams. One of the coolest things about BEAMbots is that they're often built from analog electronics scavenged from techno-junk (old solar calculators, Walkman, pagers, modems, etc.). Dave provides info on how to round up this junk and where to go for the parts you can't scrounge. I think that making some of these little autonomous robo-critters and letting them scuttle and flail around in your office (seeking light, avoiding light, dodging obstacles) would be a great way of flexing your superior geek muscles. Make some of these babies and you'll be the envy of propellerheads everywhere!
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