Subjects:  1. Automation    2. CAD-CAM - AutoCad    3. Engineering - Industrial    4. Machinery    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Technology    7. Technology & Industrial Arts   

Reviews (3)

Teach Yourself to Program a PLC
I have taught courses in Computer Integrated Manufacturing and CNC Programming, and wanted to pick up PLC Programming as well.To do so, I needed a book I could teach myself from.When I looked at what Prentice - Hall had to offer, the boatload of examples and end of chapter problems drew me to this text.Learning to program from this text was a struggle until CH. 6, where the authors compare PLC programming to Digital Logic Gates.The light suddenly turned on.If you have relay logic or digital logic experience, you can learn to program PLC's pretty easily.If you don't have that background, I believe you can still learn to program from the text.The authors have a clear voice and excellent examples.You'll just have to work harder at it, and the light may not come on until you're deep into the book.The biggest hurdle seems to be learning to work with the ladder diagrams.That's just a matter of practice.But there's where my complaint comes with the book.I had expected that all of those end of chapter examples would give me lots of practice.What you don't get from this book are the answers unless you have the instructors manual (which unfortunately I didn't ask Prentice Hall for).Unless you're sitting in a classroom where you receive feedback from an instructor, think twice before buying this text.If they provide answers to every other exercise in the fifth edition, it would be a good text to teach yourself from.

The Best PLC Book Around
I have used Webb three times as the text for my PLC course.Each time, the book provided the perfect complement to our Allen-Bradley PLC lab.The writing is clear and easy to understand.The examples are well-thought-out and provide valuable insight into the material. Book lacks answers to all chapter end excercises
This is an interesting and informative book. The book seems to cover the topic well. Unfortunately, there is not enough worked out examples to really grasp the subject well. There are no answers to the many excercisesthat are listed at the end of the chapters. There is an instructor manualavailable from the author. Unfortunately, The instructor manual is notavailabe to anyone except an instructor. The average technician thatpurchases this book to further their education on the subject will not haveenough examples to learn much. I am an experienced electronic technician bytrade. I am very familiar with PL Controllers and hoped for moreapplication examples. I was very disappointed since the book seemedcomprehensive. Only the instructors will be able to learn much from thisbook. I really wanted that instructor manual to make the book usefull.Sorry, the book is not worth it without excercise answers. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    3. Engineering - Mechanical    4. Programmable Controllers    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Technology    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Automatic control engineering    9. Circuits & components    10. Computer Programming   

Editorial Review

Will we build intelligent robots from the brain down, or from the legs up? Rodney A. Brooks, the controversial director of MIT's Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, is betting on the latter--and the smart money's following him. Read more

Reviews (5)

Brooks Collection -- History and then?
This book is a collection of the "best" / most cited Brooks papers. Basically it covers what is considered the core of papers that got behaviour based robotics rolling. Almost all papers have appeared as journal papers earlier and this is merely a convenient collection of these. Good thought-provoking material
While the title is a bit misleading (this is not a history per se, so much as a collection of papers of historical interest), this book contains a wealth of good material for those researching behavior-based robotics. As the book is a collection of Brooks' papers on the subject, it gives good insights into his approach -- although it does include a significant amount of redundant text (as you'd expect, many of the papers share "boilerplate" treatments of some subject matter). Interesting Perspective
This book presents a series of papers (technical and philosophical) on anapproach to AI (specifically, robotics), that basically denies the need forthe existence of a 'cognition' system.I like this approach because ofit's simplicity, and it's philosophical implications.To the reader thatwas expecting a book on the history of AI: Yes, the title could be readlike that, but I think the intent was to say "This is the history of anew way of looking at things", not "This is the early history ofthe entire field of AI" ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence    2. Artificial Intelligence - General    3. Automation    4. Computers - General Information    5. Engineering - Mechanical    6. Expert Systems    7. Robotics    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Technology    10. Cognitive theory    11. Computers / Artificial Intelligence    12. History of specific subjects   

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Business & Economics    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. Business/Economics    5. Creative ability in business    6. Management    7. Management - General    8. New products    9. Technological innovations    10. Business strategy    11. Management & management techniques   

Reviews (1)

Problably the Foremost Reference on Control Valves

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Subjects:  1. Science/Mathematics    2. Technology & Industrial Arts    3. Technology    4. Machinery    5. Automatic control engineering    6. Mechanical Engineering & Materials    7. Control valves    8. Engineering - Mechanical    9. Automatic control    10. Automation    11. Engineering Instruments   

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Electronic Apparatus And Devices    3. Electronics - General    4. Engineering - Mechanical    5. Mechatronics    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Technology    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Technology / Engineering / Mechanical   

Subjects:  1. Animals    2. Automatic control    3. Automation    4. Control Theory    5. Electric power system stabilit    6. Electric power system stability    7. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    8. Engineering - Mechanical    9. General    10. Nonlinear control theory    11. Science/Mathematics    12. Technology    13. Technology & Industrial Arts    14. Automatic control engineering    15. Mathematics / Linear Programming    16. Production engineering   

Reviews (1)

1st rate
Excellent source for both beginning and advanced technicians or engineers. This book is not the newest one on the subject, but I believe it covers individual components/devices better that most. I would recommend this to anyone involved in process control in any industry.Read more

Subjects:  1. Automatic control    2. Automation    3. Engineering - Chemical & Biochemical    4. Engineering - Mechanical    5. Engineering instruments    6. General    7. Process control    8. Science    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Technology    11. Mechanical engineering    12. Technology / Automation   

Reviews (4)

pretty good primer
I'm quite familiar with other uCs, so this one was a good one for explaining the details of the AVR and how it differed (specific pins, timing issues) from other uCs I've played with. I liked the reading style, and the code, though assembly, was easy to translate into C.

Not bad, not great
This is a pretty basic book, maybe only 150 pgs (minus appendix and section with binary math refresher).There's no index (sigh).It's based on AT90S1200 and Tiny12, but more recent device types should be similar at the core level.It's a learn-as-you-go introduction, which beginners will probably appreciate.So you won't see chapters oriented by "flow control", "interrupts", "arrays", etc., but by example project.But it's got lots of example code and probably worth keeping around even for the intermediate/advanced user.Avrfreaks.com is often useful and it's free.

"AVR: An Introductory Course"- like, for programmers?
Unfortunately, found this book to be primarily a programming book, and minimally useful from a semi-newbie hardware perspective. Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Counseling - Vocational Guidance    3. Electronics - Microelectronics    4. Engineering - Mechanical    5. Microprocessor Programming    6. Microprocessors    7. Programmable Controllers    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Technology    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Automatic control engineering    12. Technology / Electronics / Microelectronics   

Reviews (1)

Simply, don't buy!
This is the first time I gave a book 1 star.The reason is that this book should not be sold as stand alone product, but with the kit from Acroname that this book is 100% tied to.The cost of the kit is 300+ USD!The writters falsely tell that you can build a robot by two options: from the kit and from the "scratch".Well, this "from scratch" is simply a lie!To build Palm controlled robot you need some kind of interface between Palm and motors, sensors, etc.Well, this book tells you to buy that interface from...guess who....Acroname!Building it from "scratch" would mean that you are provided with optional schematic diagram that would allow you to build interface.But it doesn't.Everything in the book is tioed to Acroname and its kit.The only good thing is software that comes with this book, but only if you buy that kit from Acroname (remember 300+ USD).This is the only reason book can get that 1 star, otherwise this is a perfect ZERO star book.Stay away from it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Amateur's manuals    2. Artificial Intelligence - General    3. Automation    4. Computer Books And Software    5. Engineering - Mechanical    6. Handbooks manuals etc    7. Hardware - Personal Computers - General    8. Hardware - Personal Computers - PCs    9. Palm OS    10. Robotics    11. Robots    12. Technology    13. Technology & Industrial Arts   

Reviews (7)

Total waste of time and money
Info: I read the 3rd edition what was published in 2004.
A book with a very specific orientation
This book is NOT suited for electrical engineers who want to learn SCADA. It is, however, adequate for business men or managers who would like to acquire a general (very general indeed)understanding of SCADA terminology. Themes within the book are treated superficially sometimes, with a greater depth in others (such as when addressing protocols) that is not consistent nor coherent. I do not recommend this book for a Power Systems Engineer, student of such systems, or any electric or electronic engineer that wishes to understand SCADA.

Excellent for training
For training technicians, this book provides an excellent introduction to how SCADA systems work. Most of the more detailed system information requires training and manuals from specific vendors who usually provide good information on their products but little in the way of a system-wide view. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automatic data collection syst    2. Automatic data collection systems    3. Automation    4. CAD-CAM - General    5. Computer Bks - General Information    6. Computers    7. Computers - General Information    8. Engineering - General    9. Engineering - Industrial    10. Management information systems    11. Programmed instruction    12. Science/Mathematics    13. Supervisory control systems    14. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    15. Technology    16. Technology / Technical & Manufacturing Industries & Trades   

Reviews (10)

Makes ALOT of sense - great help
I was interested in electronics and robotics so I purchased this book. The flow of the book is a little choppy but I must say that the information helped me win high school science fairs and I am now studying electrical engineering at university! The support site is great and the author was very helpful. The well writen software projects I downloaded from the support site helped my dive into the project and allowed me to get a solid understanding of PalmOS, windows CE development, circuit fabrication and PIC programming. The project does required that you purchase a PIC programmer but if you are to pursue a career in robotics it is well worth it! Thank You!

Makes no sense.
I had high expectations for this book, assuming that it would start out slow, with basic information, then pick up from there. This is far from the truth. The book slams you from the sixth page (literally) with seemingly irrelevant information about computer architecture, accompanied with confusing diagrams. As all of the other reviewers mentioned, the book is littered with a copied mismatch of pictures and diagrams. The book does not follow a logical thought process, nor is any of the information practical. Unless you have a BSCmpE, don't buy this book.

Recipe for a Robot
Following discussions with the author, I have amended this review.
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Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Computers - Languages / Programming    3. Digital control systems    4. Hardware - Personal Computers - General    5. Networking - General    6. Programming Languages - General    7. Robotics    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Technology    10. Technology / Robotics   

Reviews (3)

---my bad-----
-this review written in error----but amazon does not let you delete them on your own.

Good Reference
This book should be a standard for anyone interested in robotics. It is a wonderful survey of what works. Some might complain of a lack of detail, but I disagree. There is more than enough detail for you to understand thesystems discussed and if you really want to learn more about exactly how aparticular system was implemented, use the bibliography. Once you know whodid what and where, it's easy to find the original papers on the web.

Excellent Survey, I would have liked more detail.
The book covers the book in the field and does it well.The only thing missing is a little more detail about each system.I don't know how it would fit, but it would have helped.However, thebook is everything itclaimed to be and more. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence    2. Artificial Intelligence - General    3. Automation    4. Case studies    5. Computer Books: General    6. Computers    7. Computers - General Information    8. Mobile robots    9. Robotics    10. Telecommunications    11. Computers / Artificial Intelligence   

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Business & Economics    3. Business/Economics    4. Computer Bks - General Information    5. Computers - General Information    6. Industrial Management    7. Information Technology    8. Social aspects    9. Technology And Society    10. Business & Economics / Industrial Management    11. Impact of computing & IT on society    12. Sociology, Social Studies    13. USA   

Reviews (7)

Bad Bad Bad One
you buy a book and hope that teach you something ,but this is a step by step cook-book and will never teach you cook just make some food
Awesome book!
In response to the last review I have to say that all of the files listed in the book actually ARE available on the authors website - just follow the links that are listed for the book support!! I downloaded all the files without any problems. Craig must have been confused about the PicBasic Pro compiler - you do have to buy that from a software company (microengineering labs) but getting the compiler makes PIC microcontroller programming painless and the author would be liable if he put it on his website for free. You don't even really need the compiler if you are building the robots as they are described in the book because the book lists the hex files needed to program the microcontroller. The great thing about this book is that it stands alone because all of the programs and the hex files are listed in the book so that you don't actually need to access the authors website at all - the book is complete on its own. Promised files not available
I have sent 3 e-mails to Mr Williams asking when the sample programs and other files in the book would be available as stated in the book and so far have received no response and the files are still not available on his web page I purchased the book in July of 2003 so at this point I would not purchase another book by this author. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Electronics - Microelectronics    3. Robotics    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Technology    6. Technology & Industrial Arts    7. Technology / Robotics   

Reviews (2)

practical observers
Observers in Control Systems is a practical guide to observers, and is especially oriented towards motion control. Ellis is the great communicator for control engineers
As he did with his Control System Design Guide, George Ellis has managed to take a key concept, the observer, and explain it in terms that the average, practicing, control engineer can understand, and better yet: Apply.If you believe that all you need to know can be desribed in classical control terms, then this book is for you.If you shun anything that refers to "modern control theory," or "state space" then this book is for you.If you've always wanted to apply principles of modern control theory, but never figured out how to reduce it to practice, then this book is for you.If you're frustrated by the fact that you're colleagues eyes glaze over when you talk about "State Estimators," then this book is for you.Or if you simply want to be the control engineer that takes one or more of your best control loops up another notch in performance, then this book is for you.In this book, George Ellis explains, in simple control terms, what an observer is and how it can be applied.Ellis, provides plenty of information for you to asses the risk/benefit of applying observers to a process, e.g., how good must your process/sensor model be for the observer to be effective (You'll be surprised at how robust they are).Finally, Ellis provides many ready-to-run simulation examples, written in Visual Model-Q, a very powerful control system modeling environment.Visual Model-Q is in turn available to download at a great price: free! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Algorithms (Computer Programming)    2. Automation    3. Computer Books: General    4. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    5. Engineering - Mechanical    6. Feedback Control Systems (Engineering)    7. Observers (Control theory)    8. Programming - General    9. Robotics    10. Technology    11. Technology & Industrial Arts    12. Automatic control engineering    13. Industrial quality control    14. Technology / Engineering / Electrical   

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Case studies    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computers    5. Information Technology    6. Reengineering (Management)    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Business information systems   

Reviews (2)

Absolutely excellent
This is a series of papers stitched into a book, and without exception they are all well written, provide lots of technical detail, and are a joy to read. I highly recommend this book if you have any interest in the history of computing machinery and electronics. The only thing lacking is a story line or a plot - many books will detail the genius of a specific person or technical team (e.g. Seymour Cray, or the Macintosh developers), then take you through each phase of the development and success (or failure) of one or more products. This book, by contrast, is focused on the technical nitty-gritty, and the personalities and financial success/failure of the business is generally ignored.

very technical
This book is very technical, which is exactly what I was looking for.It is filled with architectual diagrams, opcodes, and even code fragments from the earliest computers.Some of these machines even predate World War 2.Read more

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Computer Architecture - General    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computer Engineering    5. Computers    6. General    7. History    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Computer architecture & logic design    10. History of engineering & technology    11. History of specific subjects    12. Science / History   

Subjects:  1. Engineering - Automotive    2. Engineering - Mechanical    3. Industrial Design - General    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Technology    6. Technology & Industrial Arts    7. Automotive technology    8. Technology / Engineering / Mechanical    9. automative engine design    10. combustion engine    11. mechanical development    12. piston engine   

Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Electronics - General    3. Engineering - Industrial    4. Ergonomics/Human Engineering    5. Industrial Design - General    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Technology    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Automatic control engineering    10. Behavioural theory (Behaviourism)    11. Human biology    12. Mechanical Engineering & Materials    13. Technology / Electronics / General