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9.0

Author: Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio Excerpt: "An engaging and insightful compendium illuminating our accelerating ascent to the inevitable merger of human and machine. Although many today find the prospect disconcerting, by the time the Robo sapiens are fully amongst us, we will find it very natural to interact intimately with these inventions of our intellect." - Ray Kurzweil .: Buy at Amazon.com :. .: Buy at Amazon.co.uk :.

This book is definitely something the robotics community needed - not only is Robo sapiens an interesting read, it contains some of the best robotics photography I've seen. The book gives robotics the vibrance and colour that the field deserves. From the scary image on the front (for your information, that is an animatronic face lit from behind) to images of the Honda P3, MIT's Cog and Kismet, and a personal favourite of mine, the Sony AIBO.

This book covers robots from all categories - academic, commercial, biological and entertainment making it an incredible read no matter what field you're interested in. I must emphasize that the book is a good read, not just a photography book like one might be inclined to think if you picked it up in a book store. Most pictures have an in-depth explanation of the circumstances the picture came about, statistics about the robotic in question or interviews with the scientists involved. The book also has a commendable glossary and recommend reading list too.

Some of the highlights of the book include an interview with the brains behind much of Cog - Rodney Brooks. He makes some excellent points about the AI community and where it might be going. The best part was the authors had the cheek to ask Brooks whether he was a "grumpy old asshole?". There is also a very informative interview with Mark Tilden, famous for is BEAM-style robots and an interview with a man that had a prosthetic arm and had to "jump-start" his elbow because the battery died! Just this sheer range of interviews and accompanying photos make this book an incredibly worthwhile read.

For enthusiasts or hobbyists alike, this book will not disappoint.