Modern Robotics: Building Versatile Machines

VOYA - Rayna Patton

This eight-volume series deals with advances in science and technology that impact lives. Other series titles are Modern Astronomy, Modern Genetics, Communications and Broadcasting, Forensic Science, Modern Marine Science, Mathematics, and Artificial Intelligence. Each book begins with an introduction giving a quick historic overview of the field, followed by biographies, arranged more or less chronologically, of people whose work was important during the twentieth century and up to the present. Writing throughout is more than adequate. Each biography will engage interested students and help report writers to get a real feel for the scientist or inventor they are investigating. Black-and-white photos and other illustrations are well chosen, and extensive lists of additional resources make each book doubly useful. Modern Robotics, like others in the series, has an interesting introduction, in this case evoking the idea of historic "robots," including the "golem," elaborate mechanical automatons, and science fiction robots of the early twentieth century. At that time, Norbert Weiner defined the new science of cybernetics and succeeding scientists adapted and expanded his ideas into the world of industry. New robots have appeared regularly since then, and are used for a variety of purposes, including explorations (like the Mars rovers). Researchers like Kevin Warwick in England are attempting to utilize "bionic" implants to assist handicapped humans, and the search continues for true robotic intelligence and a "universal" robot. Overall these carefully researched and well-presented books should be a worthwhile addition to the high schoolcollection.