Read Books Online and Download eBooks, EPub, PDF, Mobi, Kindle, Text Full Free.
Download Technology Programming And Robotics 3 full books in PDF, epub, and Kindle. Read online Technology Programming And Robotics 3 ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. Fast Download speed and no annoying ads. We cannot guarantee that every ebooks is available!
Author : Mikell P. Groover
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780071004428
Total Pages : 546 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (44 download)
Download or read book Industrial Robotics written by Mikell P. Groover and published by . This book was released on 1986 with total page 546 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Author : Anil Mahtani
Publisher : Packt Publishing Ltd
ISBN 13 : 1786461374
Total Pages : 469 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (864 download)
Download or read book Effective Robotics Programming with ROS written by Anil Mahtani and published by Packt Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2016-12-27 with total page 469 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Find out everything you need to know to build powerful robots with the most up-to-date ROS About This Book This comprehensive, yet easy-to-follow guide will help you find your way through the ROS framework Successfully design and simulate your 3D robot model and use powerful robotics algorithms and tools to program and set up your robots with an unparalleled experience by using the exciting new features from Robot Kinetic Use the latest version of gazebo simulator, OpenCV 3.0, and C++11 standard for your own algorithms Who This Book Is For This book is suitable for an ROS beginner as well as an experienced ROS roboticist or ROS user or developer who is curious to learn ROS Kinetic and its features to make an autonomous Robot. The book is also suitable for those who want to integrate sensors and embedded systems with other software and tools using ROS as a framework. What You Will Learn Understand the concepts of ROS, the command-line tools, visualization GUIs, and how to debug ROS Connect robot sensors and actuators to ROS Obtain and analyze data from cameras and 3D sensors Use Gazebo for robot/sensor and environment simulation Design a robot and see how to make it map the environment, navigate autonomously, and manipulate objects in the environment using MoveIt! Add vision capabilities to the robot using OpenCV 3.0 Add 3D perception capabilities to the robot using the latest version of PCL In Detail Building and programming a robot can be cumbersome and time-consuming, but not when you have the right collection of tools, libraries, and more importantly expert collaboration. ROS enables collaborative software development and offers an unmatched simulated environment that simplifies the entire robot building process. This book is packed with hands-on examples that will help you program your robot and give you complete solutions using open source ROS libraries and tools. It also shows you how to use virtual machines and Docker containers to simplify the installation of Ubuntu and the ROS framework, so you can start working in an isolated and control environment without changing your regular computer setup. It starts with the installation and basic concepts, then continues with more complex modules available in ROS such as sensors and actuators integration (drivers), navigation and mapping (so you can create an autonomous mobile robot), manipulation, Computer Vision, perception in 3D with PCL, and more. By the end of the book, you'll be able to leverage all the ROS Kinetic features to build a fully fledged robot for all your needs. Style and approach This book is packed with hands-on examples that will help you program your robot and give you complete solutions using ROS open source libraries and tools. All the robotics concepts and modules are explained and multiple examples are provided so that you can understand them easily.
Author : Robert W. Lewis
Publisher : IET
ISBN 13 : 9780852969502
Total Pages : 350 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (695 download)
Download or read book Programming Industrial Control Systems Using IEC 1131-3 written by Robert W. Lewis and published by IET. This book was released on 1998 with total page 350 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This revised edition includes all IEC proposed amendments and corrections for the planned 1999 revision of IEC 1131-3, as agreed by the IEC working group. It accurately describes the languages and concepts, and interprets the standard for practical implementation and applications.
Author : Alvaro Rocha
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 3031048199
Total Pages : 622 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (31 download)
Download or read book Information Systems and Technologies written by Alvaro Rocha and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-05-16 with total page 622 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book covers the following main topics: A) information and knowledge management; B) organizational models and information systems; C) software and systems modeling; D) software systems, architectures, applications and tools; E) multimedia systems and applications; F) computer networks, mobility and pervasive systems; G) intelligent and decision support systems; H) big data analytics and applications; I) human–computer interaction; J) ethics, computers and security; K) health informatics; L) information technologies in education; M) information technologies in radio communications; N) technologies for biomedical applications. This book is composed by a selection of articles from The 2022 World Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (WorldCIST'22), held between April 12 and 14, in Budva, Montenegro. WorldCIST is a global forum for researchers and practitioners to present and discuss recent results and innovations, current trends, professional experiences, and challenges of modern information systems and technologies research, together with their technological development and applications.
Author : Kathy Ceceri
Publisher : Nomad Press
ISBN 13 : 1936749793
Total Pages : 163 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (367 download)
Download or read book Robotics written by Kathy Ceceri and published by Nomad Press. This book was released on 2012-08-01 with total page 163 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once, robots were only found in science fiction books and movies. Today, robots are everywhere! They assemble massive cars and tiny computer chips. They help doctors do delicate surgery. They vacuum our houses and mow our lawns. Robot toys play with us, follow our commands, and respond to our moods. We even send robots to explore the depths of the ocean and the expanse of space. In Robotics, children ages 9 and up learn how robots affect both the future and the present. Hands-on activities make learning both fun and lasting.
Author : Cameron Hughes
Publisher : Que Publishing
ISBN 13 : 0134176693
Total Pages : 735 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (341 download)
Download or read book Robot Programming written by Cameron Hughes and published by Que Publishing. This book was released on 2016-05-02 with total page 735 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Start programming robots NOW! Learn hands-on, through easy examples, visuals, and code This is a unique introduction to programming robots to execute tasks autonomously. Drawing on years of experience in artificial intelligence and robot programming, Cameron and Tracey Hughes introduce the reader to basic concepts of programming robots to execute tasks without the use of remote controls. Robot Programming: A Guide to Controlling Autonomous Robots takes the reader on an adventure through the eyes of Midamba, a lad who has been stranded on a desert island and must find a way to program robots to help him escape. In this guide, you are presented with practical approaches and techniques to program robot sensors, motors, and translate your ideas into tasks a robot can execute autonomously. These techniques can be used on today’s leading robot microcontrollers (ARM9 and ARM7) and robot platforms (including the wildly popular low-cost Arduino platforms, LEGO® Mindstorms EV3, NXT, and Wowee RS Media Robot) for your hardware/Maker/DIY projects. Along the way the reader will learn how to: Program robot sensors and motors Program a robot arm to perform a task Describe the robot’s tasks and environments in a way that a robot can process using robot S.T.O.R.I.E.S. Develop a R.S.V.P. (Robot Scenario Visual Planning) used for designing the robot’s tasks in an environment Program a robot to deal with the “unexpected” using robot S.P.A.C.E.S. Program robots safely using S.A.R.A.A. (Safe Autonomous Robot Application Architecture) Approach Program robots using Arduino C/C++ and Java languages Use robot programming techniques with LEGO® Mindstorms EV3, Arduino, and other ARM7 and ARM9-based robots.
Author : Matt Timmons-Brown
Publisher : No Starch Press
ISBN 13 : 1593279213
Total Pages : 241 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (932 download)
Download or read book Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi written by Matt Timmons-Brown and published by No Starch Press. This book was released on 2019-01-22 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi, you'll learn how to build and code your own robot projects with just the Raspberry Pi microcomputer and a few easy-to-get components - no prior experience necessary! Learn Robotics with Raspberry Pi will take you from inexperienced maker to robot builder. You'll start off building a two-wheeled robot powered by a Raspberry Pi minicomputer and then program it using Python, the world's most popular programming language. Gradually, you'll improve your robot by adding increasingly advanced functionality until it can follow lines, avoid obstacles, and even recognize objects of a certain size and color using computer vision. Learn how to: - Control your robot remotely using only a Wii remote - Teach your robot to use sensors to avoid obstacles - Program your robot to follow a line autonomously - Customize your robot with LEDs and speakers to make it light up and play sounds - See what your robot sees with a Pi Camera As you work through the book, you'll learn fundamental electronics skills like how to wire up parts, use resistors and regulators, and determine how much power your robot needs. By the end, you'll have learned the basics of coding in Python and know enough about working with hardware like LEDs, motors, and sensors to expand your creations beyond simple robots.
Author : Martin Buehler
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 364203991X
Total Pages : 651 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (42 download)
Download or read book The DARPA Urban Challenge written by Martin Buehler and published by Springer. This book was released on 2009-11-26 with total page 651 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By the dawn of the new millennium, robotics has undergone a major transformation in scope and dimensions. This expansion has been brought about by the maturity of the field and the advances in its related technologies. From a largely dominant industrial focus, robotics has been rapidly expanding into the challenges of the human world. The new generation of robots is expected to safely and dependably co-habitat with humans in homes, workplaces, and communities, providing support in services, entertainment, education, healthcare, manufacturing, and assistance. Beyond its impact on physical robots, the body of knowledge robotics has produced is revealing a much wider range of applications reaching across diverse research areas and scientific disciplines, such as: biomechanics, haptics, neurosciences, virtual simulation, animation, surgery, and sensor networks among others. In return, the challenges of the new emerging areas are proving an abundant source of stimulation and insights for the field of robotics. It is indeed at the intersection of disciplines that the most striking advances happen. The goal of the series of Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics (STAR) is to bring, in a timely fashion, the latest advances and developments in robotics on the basis of their significance and quality. It is our hope that the wider dissemination of research developments will stimulate more exchanges and collaborations among the research community and contribute to further advancement of this rapidly growing field.
Author : Myint Swe Khine
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319577867
Total Pages : 260 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (195 download)
Download or read book Robotics in STEM Education written by Myint Swe Khine and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-07-10 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book describes recent approaches in advancing STEM education with the use of robotics, innovative methods in integrating robotics in school subjects, engaging and stimulating students with robotics in classroom-based and out-of-school activities, and new ways of using robotics as an educational tool to provide diverse learning experiences. It addresses issues and challenges in generating enthusiasm among students and revamping curricula to provide application focused and hands-on approaches in learning . The book also provides effective strategies and emerging trends in using robotics, designing learning activities and how robotics impacts the students’ interests and achievements in STEM related subjects. The frontiers of education are progressing very rapidly. This volume brought together a collection of projects and ideas which help us keep track of where the frontiers are moving. This book ticks lots of contemporary boxes: STEM, robotics, coding, and computational thinking among them. Most educators interested in the STEM phenomena will find many ideas in this book which challenge, provide evidence and suggest solutions related to both pedagogy and content. Regular reference to 21st Century skills, achieved through active collaborative learning in authentic contexts, ensures the enduring usefulness of this volume. John Williams Professor of Education and Director of the STEM Education Research Group Curtin University, Perth, Australia
Author : David Cook
Publisher : Apress
ISBN 13 : 1484213599
Total Pages : 472 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (842 download)
Download or read book Robot Building for Beginners, Third Edition written by David Cook and published by Apress. This book was released on 2015-09-02 with total page 472 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I wrote this book because I love building robots. I want you to love building robots, too. It took me a while to learn about many of the tools and parts in amateur robotics. Perhaps by writing about my experiences, I can give you a head start."--David Cook Robot Building for Beginners, Third Edition provides basic, practical knowledge on getting started in amateur robotics. There is a mix of content: from serious reference tables and descriptions to personal stories and humorous bits. The robot described and built in this book is battery powered and about the size of a lunch box. It is autonomous; that is, it isn't remote controlled. The book is broken up into small chapters, suitable for bedtime (or bathroom) reading. The characteristics and purposes of each major component (resistor, transistor, wire, and motor) are described, followed by a hands-on experiment to demonstrate. Not only does this help the reader to understand a particular piece, but it also prepares them with processes to learn new parts on their own. An appendix offers an introduction to 3D printing and parts of the robot can, as an alternative, be "printed" using a 3D printer. The master project of the book is a simple, entertaining, line-following robot.
Author : D.J. Todd
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 9401167680
Total Pages : 238 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (11 download)
Download or read book Fundamentals of Robot Technology written by D.J. Todd and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Methods of contro1151 Mechanical master-slave telemanipulators 151 Powered telemanipulators 152 Servo control of unilateral telemanipulators 152 Bilateral servo manipulators 155 Special characteristics of teleoperators 158 Design criteria for teleoperators 159 Vehicles and transporters 160 Applications of teleoperators 161 Remote handling of radioactive materials 161 Remote handling of explosive and toxic materials 161 Telemanipulation of heavy objects 163 Underwater teleoperation 163 Teleoperation in space and planetary exploration 164 Telemanipulators for the disabled 164 Computer assisted teleoperation 166 Bibliographic notes 170 Chapter 9: Mobile robots 171 Introduction 171 Land surface robots 171 Arrangements of wheels and tracks 171 Unusual wheel and track arrangements 172 Navigation for land vehicles 174 Teleoperation 174 Dead reckoning 175 Inertial navigation 175 Tracking from a fixed base; beacons 175 Satellite navigation 175 Map matching 175 Wall following 176 Route planning 176 Control and communication 176 Sensors for mobile robots 177 Body orientation and angular rates 1 77 Body position, speed and acceleration 177 Terrain scanning 178 Types and applications of mobile robots 179 Education and research 179 Remote handling 183 Military mobile robots 183 Fire-fighting and rescue 187 Construction 188 Mining 188 Planetary exploration 188 Legged robots 188 Comparison of legs and wheels 189 Leg number and arrangement 189 Leg number 189 Leg disposition 190 Relative leg length 190 Leg construction 190 Control 191 Climbing robots 195 Robot submersibles 196 Uses of submersible robots 199 Robots in air and space 201 Space 202 Bibliographic notes 204 Chapter 10: Automated guided vehicles 205
Author : Danny Staple
Publisher : Packt Publishing Ltd
ISBN 13 : 1789345936
Total Pages : 462 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (893 download)
Download or read book Learn Robotics Programming written by Danny Staple and published by Packt Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2018-11-29 with total page 462 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gain experience of building a next-generation collaboration robot Key FeaturesGet up and running with the fundamentals of robotic programmingProgram a robot using Python and the Raspberry Pi 3Learn to build a smart robot with interactive and AI-enabled behaviorsBook Description We live in an age where the most difficult human tasks are now automated. Smart and intelligent robots, which will perform different tasks precisely and efficiently, are the requirement of the hour. A combination of Raspberry Pi and Python works perfectly when making these kinds of robots. Learn Robotics Programming starts by introducing you to the basic structure of a robot, along with how to plan, build, and program it. As you make your way through the book, you will gradually progress to adding different outputs and sensors, learning new building skills, and writing code for interesting behaviors with sensors. You’ll also be able to update your robot, and set up web, phone, and Wi-Fi connectivity in order to control it. By the end of the book, you will have built a clever robot that can perform basic artificial intelligence (AI) operations. What you will learnConfigure a Raspberry Pi for use in a robotInterface motors and sensors with a Raspberry PiImplement code to make interesting and intelligent robot behaviorsUnderstand the first steps in AI behavior such as speech recognition visual processingControl AI robots using Wi-FiPlan the budget for requirements of robots while choosing partsWho this book is for Learn Robotics Programming is for programmers, developers, and enthusiasts interested in robotics and developing a fully functional robot. No major experience required just some programming knowledge would be sufficient.
Author : Danny Staple
Publisher : Packt Publishing Ltd
ISBN 13 : 1839217863
Total Pages : 602 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (392 download)
Download or read book Learn Robotics Programming written by Danny Staple and published by Packt Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2021-02-12 with total page 602 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Develop an extendable smart robot capable of performing a complex series of actions with Python and Raspberry Pi Key Features Get up to speed with the fundamentals of robotic programming and build intelligent robots Learn how to program a voice agent to control and interact with your robot's behavior Enable your robot to see its environment and avoid barriers using sensors Book Description We live in an age where the most complex or repetitive tasks are automated. Smart robots have the potential to revolutionize how we perform all kinds of tasks with high accuracy and efficiency. With this second edition of Learn Robotics Programming, you'll see how a combination of the Raspberry Pi and Python can be a great starting point for robot programming. The book starts by introducing you to the basic structure of a robot and shows you how to design, build, and program it. As you make your way through the book, you'll add different outputs and sensors, learn robot building skills, and write code to add autonomous behavior using sensors and a camera. You'll also be able to upgrade your robot with Wi-Fi connectivity to control it using a smartphone. Finally, you'll understand how you can apply the skills that you've learned to visualize, lay out, build, and code your future robot building projects. By the end of this book, you'll have built an interesting robot that can perform basic artificial intelligence operations and be well versed in programming robots and creating complex robotics projects using what you've learned. What you will learn Leverage the features of the Raspberry Pi OS Discover how to configure a Raspberry Pi to build an AI-enabled robot Interface motors and sensors with a Raspberry Pi Code your robot to develop engaging and intelligent robot behavior Explore AI behavior such as speech recognition and visual processing Find out how you can control AI robots with a mobile phone over Wi-Fi Understand how to choose the right parts and assemble your robot Who this book is for This second edition of Learn Robotics Programming is for programmers, developers, and robotics enthusiasts who want to develop a fully functional robot and leverage AI to build interactive robots. Basic knowledge of the Python programming language will help you understand the concepts covered in this robot programming book more effectively.
Author : Morgan Quigley
Publisher : "O'Reilly Media, Inc."
ISBN 13 : 1449325513
Total Pages : 447 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (493 download)
Download or read book Programming Robots with ROS written by Morgan Quigley and published by "O'Reilly Media, Inc.". This book was released on 2015-11-16 with total page 447 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chapter 3. Topics; Publishing to a Topic; Checking That Everything Works as Expected; Subscribing to a Topic; Checking That Everything Works as Expected; Latched Topics; Defining Your Own Message Types; Defining a New Message; Using Your New Message; When Should You Make a New Message Type?; Mixing Publishers and Subscribers; Summary; Chapter 4. Services; Defining a Service; Implementing a Service; Checking That Everything Works as Expected; Other Ways of Returning Values from a Service; Using a Service; Checking That Everything Works as Expected; Other Ways to Call Services; Summary.
Author : Enrique Fernández
Publisher : Packt Publishing Ltd
ISBN 13 : 1783987596
Total Pages : 458 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (839 download)
Download or read book Learning ROS for Robotics Programming written by Enrique Fernández and published by Packt Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2015-08-18 with total page 458 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Your one-stop guide to the Robot Operating System About This Book Model your robot on a virtual world and learn how to simulate it Create, visualize, and process Point Cloud information Easy-to-follow, practical tutorials to program your own robots Who This Book Is For If you are a robotic enthusiast who wants to learn how to build and program your own robots in an easy-to-develop, maintainable, and shareable way, this book is for you. In order to make the most of the book, you should have a C++ programming background, knowledge of GNU/Linux systems, and general skill in computer science. No previous background on ROS is required, as this book takes you from the ground up. It is also advisable to have some knowledge of version control systems, such as svn or git, which are often used by the community to share code. What You Will Learn Install a complete ROS Hydro system Create ROS packages and metapackages, using and debugging them in real time Build, handle, and debug ROS nodes Design your 3D robot model and simulate it in a virtual environment within Gazebo Give your robots the power of sight using cameras and calibrate and perform computer vision tasks with them Generate and adapt the navigation stack to work with your robot Integrate different sensors like Range Laser, Arduino, and Kinect with your robot Visualize and process Point Cloud information from different sensors Control and plan motion of robotic arms with multiple joints using MoveIt! In Detail If you have ever tried building a robot, then you know how cumbersome programming everything from scratch can be. This is where ROS comes into the picture. It is a collection of tools, libraries, and conventions that simplifies the robot building process. What's more, ROS encourages collaborative robotics software development, allowing you to connect with experts in various fields to collaborate and build upon each other's work. Packed full of examples, this book will help you understand the ROS framework to help you build your own robot applications in a simulated environment and share your knowledge with the large community supporting ROS. Starting at an introductory level, this book is a comprehensive guide to the fascinating world of robotics, covering sensor integration, modeling, simulation, computer vision, navigation algorithms, and more. You will then go on to explore concepts like topics, messages, and nodes. Next, you will learn how to make your robot see with HD cameras, or navigate obstacles with range sensors. Furthermore, thanks to the contributions of the vast ROS community, your robot will be able to navigate autonomously, and even recognize and interact with you in a matter of minutes. What's new in this updated edition? First and foremost, we are going to work with ROS Hydro this time around. You will learn how to create, visualize, and process Point Cloud information from different sensors. This edition will also show you how to control and plan motion of robotic arms with multiple joints using MoveIt! By the end of this book, you will have all the background you need to build your own robot and get started with ROS. Style and approach This book is an easy-to-follow guide that will help you find your way through the ROS framework. This book is packed with hands-on examples that will help you program your robot and give you complete solutions using ROS open source libraries and tools.
Author : Dinesh Tavasalkar
Publisher : Packt Publishing Ltd
ISBN 13 : 1789131073
Total Pages : 300 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (891 download)
Download or read book Hands-On Robotics Programming with C++ written by Dinesh Tavasalkar and published by Packt Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2019-03-30 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Enhance your programming skills to build exciting robotic projects Key FeaturesBuild an intelligent robot that can detect and avoid obstacles and respond to voice commandsDetect and track objects and faces using OpenCVControl your robot with a GUI button designed using Qt5Book Description C++ is one of the most popular legacy programming languages for robotics, and a combination of C++ and robotics hardware is used in many leading industries. This book will bridge the gap between Raspberry Pi and C/C++ programming and enable you to develop applications for Raspberry Pi. To follow along with the projects covered in the book, you can implement C programs in Raspberry Pi with the wiringPi library. With this book, you’ll develop a fully functional car robot and write programs to move it in different directions. You’ll then create an obstacle - avoiding robot using an ultrasonic sensor. Furthermore, you’ll find out how to control the robot wirelessly using your PC/Mac. This book will also help you work with object detection and tracking using OpenCV, and guide you through exploring face detection techniques. Finally, you will create an Android app and control the robot wirelessly with an Android smartphone. By the end of this book, you will have gained experience in developing a robot using Raspberry Pi and C/C++ programming. What you will learnInstall software in Raspberry Pi compatible with C++ programmingProgram the Raspberry Pi in C++ to run a motorControl RPi-powered robot wirelessly with your laptop or PCProgram an RPi camera using OpenCV Control a Raspberry Pi robot with voice commandsImplement face and object detection with Raspberry PiWho this book is for This book is for developers, programmers, and robotics enthusiasts interested in leveraging C++ to build exciting robotics applications. Prior knowledge of C++ is necessary to understand the projects covered in this book.
Author : University of Michigan--Dearborn
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 390 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (97 download)
Download or read book Undergraduate Catalog written by University of Michigan--Dearborn and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
