Best robotics books according to redditors

We found 414 Reddit comments discussing the best robotics books. We ranked the 136 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Top Reddit comments about Robotics:

u/lukeprog · 172 pointsr/Futurology

I have a pretty wide probability distribution over the year for the first creation of superhuman AI, with a mode around 2060 (conditioning on no other existential catastrophes hitting us first). Many AI people predict superhuman AI sooner than this, though — including Rich Sutton, who quite literally wrote the book on reinforcement learning.

Once AI can drive cars better than humans can, then humanity will decide that driving cars was something that never required much "intelligence" in the first place, just like they did with chess. So I don't think driverless cars will cause people to believe that superhuman AI is coming soon — and it shouldn't, anyway.

When the military has fully autonomous battlefield robots, or a machine passes an in person Turing test, then people will start taking AI seriously.

Amusing note: Some military big-shots say things like "We'll never build fully-autonomous combat AIs; we'll never take humans out of the loop" (see Wired for War). Meanwhile, the U.S. military spends millions to get roboticist Ronald Arkin and his team to research and write the book Governing Lethal Behavior in Autonomous Robots. (One of the few serious works in the field of "machine ethics", BTW.)

u/Enlightenment777 · 42 pointsr/ECE

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BOOKS


Children Electronics and Electricity books:

u/TroyDowling · 41 pointsr/physicsgifs

If you mean near the anode of the battery between the two humps of wire, I don't think so. Looks like the reflection on the hump whizzing by the camera real fast. However, in an inductive load like a motor, if not handled, you can expect to see sparks when the circuit is broken.

See:

u/jakimfett · 31 pointsr/talesfromtechsupport

Awesome!


Couple of resources for ya:

  • Junkbots <-- excellent book on electronics basics and low level electronics hacking. I can't recommend this one enough.
  • Arduino Starter Kit
u/BlueShellOP · 31 pointsr/programming

What you're describing is the beginning to the book Manna: Two Visions of Humanity's Future. It's a short read, and the tl;dr is that unfettered automation will fuck over mankind if we don't decide early on to make it serve to benefit mankind as a whole. That means completely and utterly rejecting capitalism and the entire foundation of modern economics. It's a very interesting concept and the book itself is a good read.

u/ang3c0 · 27 pointsr/worldnews

The book "Wired for War" covers this subject, and is really a great read for anyone interested in this subject. It's amazing to see the rate at which this all is happening and at the same time, somewhat scary to try to imagine where it will take us in the next 20-30 years.

Edit: Link for the book

u/soundcult · 26 pointsr/synthesizers

Hey! I can relate exactly to where your'e coming from. I, some years ago, decided I wanted to get into building synths. I ended up getting a job at a pedal company and have spent more time learning to build and repair pedals than synths. I don't work there anymore, but it gave me a lot of perspective into the field as we also made euro-rack modules.

First up: I don't want to scare you off from this, but just want to give you a realistic perspective so that you go into this knowing what you are getting into. Making synths is hard and it's expensive. As far as electronic projects go, making a synthesizer is up there on the list. I've repaired powerplant turbine controller circuitboards that were simpler than some of the synths I've owned. This isn't to say, "don't do it!" but, expect to learn a lot of fundamental and intermediate stuff before you ever have something like a fully-featured synth that you built in your hands.

It's also expensive. A cheap synth prototype is going to cost a couple hundred bucks, easy, while a more fully-featured prototype could cost into the thousands to produce, and that's just to build one working prototype. If you want to make a run of products you're going to need money up front, and not a small amount. So, just be prepared for that inevitability.

One final note is that my perspective is broad (digital and analog) but is rooted in analog electronics because that's where I started. This isn't the only path you can take to get to where you want to go but honestly in my opinion, even if you're going to go mostly digital later, you need to understand analog.

If you have never messed with electronics much before I highly recommend the Make: Electronics book. I'm a hands-on person and this was the most effective book I found that let me study electronics fundamentals the way I wanted to; by making stuff! No matter which direction you go on (digital, analog, hybrid, DSP, SID, etc) you're going to want to know how to pick the right resistor, or how to pop an LED into a circuit, and this book will teach you that.

Solid follow-up books from there are Make: More Electronics, Practical Electronics for Inventors, How To Diagnose and Fix Everything Electronic, and The Art of Electronics. All of these books are good books that touch on different concepts you will find useful, so I encourage you to look through them and decide for yourself which of these interests you.

Around this same time, I'd encourage you to start getting into kits. Honestly, before you build anything synth, I'm going to recommend you build some pedals. Effects pedals are fun and rewarding to build without being too hard. Start with a distortion circuit and work your way up from there. Once you can build a delay pedal without freaking out, move on to euro-rack kits, or other synth kits. While you're building these kits, don't just build them, play with the circuits! Try swapping components where you think you can, or adding features. One of my first kits was a distortion pedal with a single knob, but by the time I was done tweaking on it it had five knobs and two toggle switches!

Once you're feeling somewhat comfortable with electronics, then you can dive into the holy grail of analog synth design: Make: Analog Synthesizers this amazing book was written by the brilliant Ray Wilson who recently passed away. His life's goal was to bring the art of building analog synths into the hands of anyone who wanted to learn, and there is no better place to receive his great wisdom than this book. You should also check out his website Music From Outer Space along the way, but the book covers so much more than his website.

If you make through most or all of those resources you are going to be well-equipped to take on a career in synth-building! I'm personally still on that last step (trying to find the time to tackle Make: Analog Synthesizers) but hope within the next year or two to get that under my belt and start diving in deep myself. It's been a fun journey of learning and discovery and I wouldn't trade the skills I've gained in electronics for much.

Hope this helps, good luck!

u/ryzic · 12 pointsr/electronics

Sparkfun has some great tutorials, but they might be a little advanced for your level. I suggest trying to find a kit that does something interesting (adafruit and sparkfun have some of these). When you run into something you don't know, google it.

Also, BUY THIS BOOK!

u/lmfaoftw123321 · 10 pointsr/battlebots

For elementary kids, I would highly recommend them checking out FIRST robotics. They have a lot of different age levels for robotic interest. Or if you don’t want to go through an organized group, check out LEGO Mindstorms for building robotics.
Finally, check this book out if you just want a general introduction to building robotics (see if a library has it first before buying it) Robot Builder’s Bonanza

Edit: If you have more questions on FIRST I’d be happy to answer them but this should be a good starting point

u/amenkhet · 10 pointsr/IWantToLearn
u/beerKat · 10 pointsr/MechanicalEngineering

There are tons of projects! There are hacker groups and forums for literally every type of project out there on the internet. Read up on what other people have done in order to get ideas and avoid costly mistakes. I have no idea what you're into, but here are some things that I would like to build.

diy go kart:
http://www.diygokarts.com/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Intro-44/

drones:
http://diydrones.com/

Amateur telescope + exoplanets
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz0sBkp2kso

Rocketry (be careful!)
http://www.apogeerockets.com/Advanced_Construction_Videos/All
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12fR9neVnS8

Robotics
http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Robot
http://makezine.com/projects/building-a-simple-arduino-robot/
http://www.amazon.com/Arduino-Robotics-Technology-Action-John-David/dp/1430231831

Sterling engine
http://diystirlingengine.com/

A lot of cool projects mainly involve electronics and programming, but can still provide valuable skills for a mechanical engineer.

Magnetic levitator
http://hackaday.com/2013/12/05/avr-atmega-based-pid-magnetic-levitator/

Robotics simulator
http://gazebosim.org/

Motion sensing camera
http://www.instructables.com/id/Raspberry-Pi-Motion-Sensing-Camera/

Weather station
http://www.weather.dragontail.co.uk/index.php?page=station_setup

Note*
Some of the projects are more expensive and difficult than others. Keep in mind that the parts list doesn't always include the tools you will need to put stuff together.


u/punkgeek · 10 pointsr/printSF
u/Scripto23 · 9 pointsr/arduino

If you only get one book get Make: Electronics. I was in your position not that long ago, and after getting this book I am now able to build any circuit I need. This book is great and I'll leave it at that.

u/NinjaCoder · 9 pointsr/AskEngineers

>I'm a first year engineering student at a top 5 uni in the UK

Well, a couple quick looks for "how to learn C on arduino" gives me a few hundred thousand hits... so, did you look at all?

How about a book?

How about a web tutorial?

How about some more web tutorials?





u/cybrbeast · 9 pointsr/Futurology

He's not reading the right books, or maybe they aren't popular enough. While I really enjoy space sci-fi like Star Trek, I think Singularity sci-fi is going to be more relevant for the coming century. I highly recommend The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect, Accelerando, and Manna. These concepts haven't made it to the screen yet.

u/window_owl · 8 pointsr/electronics

For me, it was Mark Tilden's introductory book on BEAM robotics: Junkbots, Bugbots and Bots on Wheels.

u/ManWithoutOptions · 8 pointsr/arduino

assuming you have all the fundamental physic, you can start with the textbook from allaboutcircuits's textbook. A introduction to electronic book. It is about 2000 pages covering all basics of electronics. I think it is a great read and easy to understand, written for beginners.


After that you should read Make:AVR programming. It is quite enjoyable read and I read it in 2 sitting. A computer engineering book specifically targeting microcontroller. And as the name imply, it is about 8 bit AVR which is easily the most popular arduino variant. It covers a lot of detail on microcontroller basics and underlying electronic concept and working principles.

To supplement the above book, read a atmel datasheet on one of their microcontroller (atmega328 is a good choice).


For optional knowledge you can try Make's Encyclopedia Of Electronic Components It basically covers all electronic components and introduce you to it. I didn't like too much because you cant read it as a book but should use it as a reference to a particular component you are interested it. It is a great way to broaden your scope on what components is available to you.


Then for the advanced stuff you can read the The Art of Electronics By many it is consider the holy grail of electronic textbook. But I think it is difficult to read without an formal EE education.

u/peacewhale · 8 pointsr/singularity

You're looking for prime intellect, but here is another you may enjoy


Manna (also available free from his website) http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007HQH67U?pc_redir=1397674904&robot_redir=1

u/kleinbl00 · 7 pointsr/AskReddit

It will be like this.

The drone revolution is something that isn't discussed enough. Our ethics of conflict are now completely outdated, as is our combat paradigm. PW Singer makes a chilling, poignant observation:

  • IF armed UAVs are used against legitimate military targets in, say, Libya

  • AND these UAVs are piloted out of the suburbs of Las Vegas, NV

  • THEN is a Libyan car bomb in the Walmart parking lot outside of that air force base in Las Vegas an act of terrorism... or a legitimate military retaliation?

    Meanwhile, the volunteer army is rapidly being replaced by the privateer army. We had as many "contractors" in Iraq as we did regulars. Combine that with the rise of the wealthy and you begin to see warfare over private concerns - Cornelius Vanderbilt, after all, bankrolled the invasion of Nicaragua just so he could benefit from the trans-ithsmus canal (that was eventually built in Panama - suck it, Cornelius).

    What we're left with is basically a skein of high-tech terrorism that knows no boundaries, where victory belongs to either the most wealthy or the most steadfast. Wealthy nations will resist having their sons and daughters in harm's way, while poor nations will see any retaliation against their erstwhile "overlords in the sky" as legitimate military action. Any casual browsing of Al Jazeera will reveal the deep level of offense felt by the Pakistanis and others against American UAVs and UCAVs; it's one of their main literary threads.

    And the wars will be over resources. The demand for potable water is increasing more rapidly than supply, changing climate is depleting the yields of the world's fields and even the Saudis admit we've hit the Hubbert Peak.

    Every generation is horrified by the ensuing generation's paradigm for warfare. The next generation will be no different.

    TL;DR: High tech vs low tech, everywhere, forever, over things we take for granted right now
u/sherlocksrobot · 7 pointsr/NeutralPolitics

For more on this topic, I highly recommend P. W. Singer's "Wired for War: The Robotics Revolution and Conflict in the 21st Century." It's a bit dated since the technology has come so far since 2009, but he does a good job of weighing the pros and cons of lethal technologies like robots and drones.

Two of his main points:

  1. Shouldn't we do everything we possibly can to protect the good guys?

  2. Is it too easy to go to war now that we don't have to risk human lives?

    I think the use of drones to defeat domestic bad guys still satisfies the first question, but I'm not sure how it relates to the second question, especially since we have a reason to use non-lethal force in domestic situations. I think it's a very valid discussion.
u/tnecniv · 7 pointsr/arduino

Make: Electronics is a fantastic book for the hardware side of things. It does not use the Arduino (it only briefly touches on microcontrollers at the end), but it will give you a solid foundation to whicht you can easily apply the Arduino.

u/mr_wowtrousers · 7 pointsr/IWantToLearn

I am going through this book:

Make: Electronics (Learning by Discovery)

Beginner like you and it is pretty easy to follow along with. Great explanations.

u/leashertine · 7 pointsr/BdsmDIY

I don't know any video series, but this is the book series I recommend to new makers:

Fundamentals:

Make Electronics

Useful Companion Reference:

Encyclopedia of Electronic Components Volume 1

Encyclopedia of Electronic Components Volume 2

Bonus Points Reference:

Encyclopedia of Electronic Components Volume 3

Between those books and YouTube you'll be squared away for 99% of anything you would typically build at home. I say that as an engineer with work experience designing electronics.

u/johnboxall · 7 pointsr/arduino

I wrote a book which would be perfect for your students: http://www.amazon.com/Arduino-Workshop-Hands-On-Introduction-Projects/dp/1593274483

u/TheDarkIn1978 · 6 pointsr/electronic_cigarette

If anyone is interested, this book is pretty great for amateur hobbyists like a lot of us here.

u/[deleted] · 6 pointsr/arduino

Here's a book, and here's a kit. It's up to you if you want to get a kit, I didn't and I was fine. Bildr has a lot of tutorials for the Arduino.

u/Shadow703793 · 6 pointsr/arduino

First:

Go through the tutorials on the Arduino site as well as here: http://tronixstuff.wordpress.com/tutorials/ THese will cover the practical hands on stuff. Also, Adafruit has a lot of tutorials too.

Second:

If you're getting a book, get the Arduino Cookbook as it's one of the best reference books you can have. Get the Kindle version. This book basically gives you everything in one place for easy access/reference. I use this book rather often.

edit: Fixed link.

u/zhaverzky · 6 pointsr/embedded

I found the Make AVR programming book very helpful. I took an online embedded course offered through my university last year and the instructor and content were awful. If it wasn't for this book I never would have passed the course or been able to decipher any of the course material or assignments. I ended up with an A which was solely due to this book and does not reflect on the quality of instruction I was offered in any way. I'm still salty about the $1k I spent on the course but a credit is a credit I suppose.

https://www.amazon.ca/AVR-Programming-Learning-Software-Hardware/dp/1449355781

u/houfman · 5 pointsr/robotics

You should get a project book.

Something like the Robot Builder Bonanza might be nice, it's all about making your own bots rather than assembling a kit but still worth it, especially since you can shop around for individual components and save money.

u/AccidentalBirth · 5 pointsr/breadboard

You can try /r/electronics, /r/askelectronics, /r/EngineeringStudents, /r/engineering and /r/arduino too, in case this doesn't receive much attention. This is a pretty small subreddit, with very few subscribers. You'll have much more luck in those subreddits (the first two are very good for these types of questions).

This book would be perfect for you. Heck, I'm in my fourth year of electrical engineering, and I love that book. I'm sure you can find a free version somewhere, but I won't link you to that. It truly is an exceptional book that really teaches you about these things. Highly recommended and well worth the money. You'll have to make some purchases before each chapter, nothing too expensive. Just stop wasting money on alcohol or drugs and spend it on something that will benefit you in the future, something more relevant to education haha.

Seriously, that book will explain to you like you're five. It is great. And if you have any questions about the contents of it, you can google it, ask someone on the subreddits, or PM me for information.

Mind if I ask where you live? And what inspires you to be an engineer? What are some of your favorite classes in school? Tell me more about you.

I must say, your approach is a very good one. I can already tell you're a highly motivated person. You have a good attitude.

Edit: Some people are suggesting you start with arduino. But I really recommend you start with reading, and the basic tools (breadboard, components, etc). Although arduino can be basic, it involves coding as well, something you're likely not familiar with. Just get the book, and I promise you'll be satisfied.

u/theobromus · 4 pointsr/robotics

Hmm. I'm not aware of any free lectures (that doesn't mean there aren't any). There is this book, which is quite good (and you can read it online free): http://planning.cs.uiuc.edu/

Here's another textbook which I've read that covers many motion planning approaches: Principles of Robot Motion

Personally my favorite robotics book is Probabilistic Robotics, which doesn't really cover motion planning, but includes a lot about sensing and localization that you'll need to build a practical autonomous robot.

u/AgAero · 4 pointsr/ControlTheory

Just find a cheap book on the subject(s), ideally an older edition or something like that and work your way through the material. I've been taking a simular approach to Optimal Control and Estimation.

Don't just read the text like a novel though; do at least some of the problems, and ideally find a project you can tinker with and apply what you've learned. Standard test problems like double pendulums and such are an okay place to start, but anything else that interests you is fair game.

u/deaddodo · 4 pointsr/IWantToLearn

The Make books for electronics will get you a decent groundwork for the practical application side of things. Practical Electronics for Inventors will you get you covered on the theory side of things.

u/efij · 4 pointsr/electronics

Arduino is a great learning tool and to go from idea to finished project is quite fast. I definitely recommend starting with arduino and see if you like it. If you continue, you'll find that you have to purchase an arduino for each project you start, which can get quite expensive, or you'll be ripping apart old projects to get the arduino.


I purchased arduino and a few shields, but I felt like I really didn't know how everything was working electronically. I really enjoy programming, learning about electronics and making devices, so I decided to stop using arduino and just use the atmega microcontroller, which is the MCU that arduino is based on.


If you wanted to go this route then I would suggest buying an AVR ISP mkii programmer and downloading atmel studio. It's much easier to program the chips than any other method I've tried. Less fiddling. If you have experience in C programming then it will be really easy.


This is the best beginners tutorial I've found for atmel AVR:
https://www.newbiehack.com/


This book is an excellent follow up to that tutorial:
http://www.amazon.ca/Make-Programming-Learning-Software-Hardware/dp/1449355781/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398472387&sr=8-1&keywords=make+avr+programming


A good book on electronics - 1000 pages:
http://www.amazon.ca/Practical-Electronics-Inventors-Third-Edition/dp/0071771336

digikey.ca or .com has lots of parts and next day shipping for $8.


how to make an arduino on a bread board:
http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Standalone


Breadboard, Schematic and PCB layout software
http://fritzing.org

Soon you'll be etching PCBs at home

u/sllewgh · 4 pointsr/politics

Wired for War is a truly excellent book on this subject. It details new technologies mechanizing war and the impact of using them.

Using robots to do these jobs has a lot of potential unintended consequences. Al Qaeda uses it as propaganda. They are weak, they hide behind technology, they are scared to send real people onto the battlefield. Look at those drones! All we have to do is kill enough of their real people and they'll flee! (We did, a move I support, but still...)

Also, using drones lowers our barriers to entry to war. If we increasingly don't have to send our men and women in harms way, war is easier to support.

u/jhill515 · 3 pointsr/robotics

I recommend Robot Builder's Bonanza 4th Ed.

Also, check the wiki!

u/mynameisalso · 3 pointsr/electronics

I love this book. Go around picking up scrap electronics and build little robots. I built one from a dual deck tape player, an answering machine, and two nightlights.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0072226013/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

u/mindrend · 3 pointsr/Unity3D

Thanks. Dress simulation will need to come later I think. At this point I will stick with integrated arms to get the basic functionality done, then once that is working I will add more features such as DCS, dress sim, multi arm, co-ordinated motion, etc.

IK solver is done using the Denavit–Hartenberg parameters and the IK solution as laid out in Robotics by Craig (https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Robotics-Mechanics-Control-3rd/dp/0201543613), chapter 4.

I originally started out with a CCD type solver but I could not maintain the pose properly. Alot of the COTS IK solvers are really more geared toward humanoid type models. But due to the amount of work involved in calculating these parameters for each robot model and the number of robots I plan to support I think I might have to go for something from the Unity asset store.

u/timshoaf · 3 pointsr/statistics

These are extremely rudimentary forms of process control theory--and yet they are still taught in almost every undergraduate stats course for non-mathematicians everywhere I have seen.

For more modern approaches, you need to look first towards control theory

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_theory

Then toward the theory of optimal control

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optimal_control
https://math.berkeley.edu/~evans/control.course.pdf

Then finally to the marriage of this with statistics under the theory of Intelligent Control

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_control

I highly recommend Stengel's text (even if the formulation is a bit dated) http://www.amazon.com/Optimal-Control-Estimation-Dover-Mathematics/dp/0486682005

This gives a gentle introduction to all of these topics and culminates in some Bayesian control examples.

Corresponding seminar from Princeton by Stengel himself:
http://www.princeton.edu/~stengel/MAE546Seminars.html



So... in short, the SPC that you learned about with control charts etc is not a bad rudimentary alarming system if you can make normality assumptions about your error, and you assume your process is itself should be stationary; however, to have more rigor you can to turn to these other control / statistical decision theory methods

u/drivers9001 · 3 pointsr/arduino

Hey don't feel bad if you did. Breaking things is a fine way to learn. (I mean, I'm kind of curious about what the insides of a servo look like in person. Haha.) I was going to link to a book I saw that teaches you electronics by breaking stuff (like the first lesson was to completely burn up an LED haha). But I can't find it.

Oh wait, it was this book after all: http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740

u/Murloh · 3 pointsr/electronics

I picked up Make: Electronics and so far it has been very insightful. It walks you through doing real world examples while introducing some basic theory. It is all hands on which I like a lot. One caveat is that you need to also purchase all the components and tools. They sell 2 ready made component kits from Makershed.com but you can get the components cheaper utilizing different sources like mouser, jameco, even radio shack.

I also picked up a nerdkit (www.nerdkits.com) and it has been a great intro into microcontrollers. The documentation and support those folks provide are truly second to none. AWESOME community. Once I complete the Make Electronics book, I will be going full steam ahead with seeing how far I can get with MCUs.

And then, it will be on to exploring some robotics for me. If you are like me, be careful that you don't get bogged down with theory only. Back in my teens, I really wanted to explore electronics and read all I could on theory. Which was great and all, but also very very dry. Yes, Ohm's law is critical to know. However, making the leap from theory to practice will be equally as critical and will ensure you see how to really apply the theory you are learning.

u/CaffeinatedGuy · 3 pointsr/IWantToLearn

I'd pick up the following kit and book. I've had this kit for years, and it's a pretty good intro. The breadboard and external components make it expandable so you can use your own components for experimentation. It also had a lot of IC circuits.

The book will get you playing on your own, and supplement where the kit leaves off.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=28733516#

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0596153740/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_OnZaub1V8MYBY

u/wolface · 3 pointsr/arduino

I think what you are looking for is a book called Make: Electronics

u/momslatin_dadsasian · 3 pointsr/java

I'm super new myself, but I've got this one: http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740 and its pretty good so far. Starts you from the very basics.

u/AnalogKid2112 · 3 pointsr/EngineeringStudents

For electronics, Make: Electronics is a great book that introduces components and basic concepts. Each chapter has a parts list so you can buy individual components as you go along or order a kit with everything included. You don't need expensive tools to get started, the cheap stuff is fine.

For programming, check out /r/learnprogramming, codecademy.com, or any of the high rated books on Amazon. Python is recommended for beginners, although if you know what university you are transferring to try and find out what language they use for their intro classes.

And if you want to shell out the cash, you can buy the student version of MATLAB and get started with it. There's a billion Youtube tutorials and books available that walk you through it.

u/dasshue · 3 pointsr/AskElectronics

I had a good time with the Make: electronics book. You won’t become an electrical engineer with it, but it covers some good fundamentals, and won’t bore you to death. There are kits available to work your way through all of the projects, which can be easier than sourcing all of the parts a book/or project talks about. And best yet, the kits (two available) will give you a decent assortment to play with when you are done.

Hope this helps!

make: electronics

u/svaha1728 · 3 pointsr/ECE

You mentioned Arduino, so I'd recommend this book and Make:Electronics

For the more academic side of things I'd recommend, The Art of Electronics Student Manual

u/maredsous10 · 3 pointsr/electronics

Getting Started in Electronics by Forest Mims
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0945053282/

Make: Electronics
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0596153740/

Lab Manuals for Electronics
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471386952/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0135046858/


Videos
Make videos by Collin Cunningham on youtube.com

Edit: Changed Chris to Collin (I got mixed up)... one guy does Aphex Twin videos and the other does Make videos

u/Nekonomicon · 3 pointsr/Portland

Here's a $10 kit amazon.com sells that includes all the little parts you need if you're going through Getting Started With Arduino. Regardless of having the book or not, it's a nice starter kit.

u/FatalWoot · 3 pointsr/engineering

I'm a Mechanical Engineering student and I found myself in a similar situation as you. I decided I wanted to learn about robotics and make a robot in my free time. I highly suggest Robot Building for Beginners by David Cook. The book goes over design, prototyping, and good practices for technical skills (soldering, etc.).
http://www.amazon.com/Robot-Building-Beginners-Technology-Action/dp/1430227486/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

u/TheSpeedy · 3 pointsr/arduino

Make has some great intro stuff for arduino. Good places to start would be to get either the getting started with arduino kit or if you want more advanced stuff immediately the Make ultimate arduino pack.

If you don't want to spend on hardware without understanding, there is a lot on youtube about arduino programming. Arduino Cookbook has most of the basics and a good framework for moving forward.

u/DevilsWeed · 3 pointsr/darknetplan

As someone with zero programming experience, thank you for the reading list. I was just planning on trying to learn python but I don't know if that's the best language to start with. Would you recommend just reading those books and starting with C?

Also, since I have no experience a technical answer would probably go right over my head but could you briefly explain how someone would go about messing around with an OS? I've always wondered what people meant by this. I have Linux installed on a VM but I have no idea what I could do to start experimenting and learning about programming with it.

Edit: Are these the books you're talking about? Physical Computing, C programming, and Writing Great Code?

u/dibsODDJOB · 3 pointsr/AskEngineers

I would get an Arduino and a good tutorial book like the Arduino Cookbook and just start trying all the examples. r/Arduino is a good source for help as well. You'll learn the basics of electronics, software, mechanical parts, etc. The Arduino is so popular you'll never run out of example projects and tutorials on the web.

From there you can start thinking about ways to modify the examples and create your own projects. Once you learn how to control things, you can substitute in any mechanical gadget your mind can dream up.

u/danisnotfunny · 3 pointsr/arduino

I recommend Getting Started With Arduino, it is by one of the creators on the original Arduino. It aims at someone with no programming/electronics experience and breaks down the sketches of simple programs one line at a time.

Although it only covers the basics, it is very short and can be read very quickly. I would read that as a quick introduction and then go onto using the arduino cookbook, which can be used for reference for specific projects.

u/Noobcoder_and_Maker · 3 pointsr/arduino

Make: do a series of 3 electronics encyclopedias which are quite good for the beginner. Here's a link - https://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Electronic-Components-Capacitors-Transistors/dp/1449333893



But if you Google about, you can usually find the PDF's to download, if you know what I mean.

u/cowbellemoo · 3 pointsr/arduino
u/papaburkart · 3 pointsr/raspberry_pi

Maybe something like this?

http://vetco.net/products/300-in-one-experimenter-kit

I'd also recommend the following books:

Practical Electronics for Inventors:
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1259587541

Make: Electronics:
www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1680450263

Make: More Electronics:
www.amazon.com/dp/1449344046

u/La_FlamaBlanca_ · 3 pointsr/arduino

Considering you're at Uni check out the library for free resources too. My library had endless books on python and a couple arduino and raspberry pi books. I checked out The Arduino Workshop and enjoyed working through it.

https://www.amazon.com/Arduino-Workshop-Hands-Introduction-Projects/dp/1593274483/ref=pd_sim_14_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1593274483&pd_rd_r=ND704MCP7S0H8W3CAQDB&pd_rd_w=005dA&pd_rd_wg=32nYz&psc=1&refRID=ND704MCP7S0H8W3CAQDB

u/Neuro_Prime · 3 pointsr/neuro
u/cr0sh · 2 pointsr/robotics

I'll tell you "how to start": Pick up all the editions (there are 4 current ones) of this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Robot-Builders-Bonanza-Gordon-McComb/dp/0071750363

That's the latest one right there - but I promise, you really want the first edition (back when it was still a TAB book). Gordon McComb will guide you one this quest, because he comes from the old school of 1970s and 1980s hobbyist robot builders.

In fact, if you can find copies of the old TAB robotics books by Frank DaCosta ("How to Build Your Own Working Robot Pet"), David L. Heiserman ("How to Design and Build Your Own Custom Robot" - among others), and Edward L. Safford Jr. ("The Complete Handbook of Robotics" - and others) - so much the better.

These are all fairly out-dated books when it comes to the electronics (with the exception of the Bananza books - though the first edition is kinda long in tooth), but the mechanics and ideas are what you may really need and want. Back then, whether you were a university or an individual, if you wanted a robot, you were building it from scratch with whatever you could get your hands on and bodge together most of the time. Sometimes as cheaply as possible, using whatever surplus parts you could find, beg, borrow or steal.

Need a low-cost 2-wheel platform for your robot that can haul hundreds of pounds? Repurpose a used 2-wheel differential drive power mobility chair!

Build the arm out of old electrical conduit and windshield wiper motors; use some potentiometers for angular feedback. Bolt, epoxy, or weld the whole thing together.

Gain an eye for going to the hardware store (or scrounging the trash on bulk-trash days or the junkyard) and looking at things and saying "Yeah - that'd make a right-fine robot chassis there!".

Ya gotta learn to think about things in a different way; I sometimes go to the grocery store and manage to see things that would work great for robotics. I always see things along the side of the road, or in the trash, or at a junkyard, or a pick-ur-part, or hardware store - tons of things that would work for robots! Thrift stores like Goodwill can be excellent robot parts places - if you know how to see!

But those books above will show you how to start, I promise! Give them a go - and don't think you need a ton of money to do robotics - because you don't.

u/hit_bot · 2 pointsr/robotics

Something you might consider is BEAM-style robots. A decent book I found a while ago discusses it in detail: JunkBots, Bugbots, and Bots on Wheels: Building Simple Robots With BEAM Technology.

The idea is to basically just build robots out of random parts you can find around the house in old electronics, focusing on simplicity. Wikipedia Article

u/Rakajj · 2 pointsr/politics

I'd recommend Wired for War as a pretty great read on some of the ethical implications and current debate on drone use. It covers more of the war-uses than domestic uses but it still raises a lot of the right questions, although it doesn't hit them all square on.

u/sigfast · 2 pointsr/gaming

Anyone else read Wired for War? It offers some great insight into how technological advances in warfare are affecting modern conflict, in particular how understanding of the changes to psychology lag far behind that of the technology itself.

"The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom." - Isaac Asimov

Definitely worth a read.

u/seanbow · 2 pointsr/robotics

Once you gain some basic programming abilities (the Arduino suggestion is a good one to follow up on), if you're actually planning on controlling hands to pick things up as you say, you should delve into a book such as http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Robotics-Mechanics-Control-3rd/dp/0201543613/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314820514&sr=8-1 .

u/eubarch · 2 pointsr/robotics

Just to add to GreyMX's answer a little bit:


There are embedded IMUs on the market now (e.g. Analog Devices ADIS line) that cost a few hundred dollars, and are small, accurate, and precise enough to do these sorts of tasks. The go-to method for finding the postionand orientation of fixed wing UAVs has been a combination of IMU and GPS, where the translation/rotation information you're looking for is generated by a Kalman filter that is calibrated with a model of the UAV dynamics.



A really good book for getting into these techniques is Probabilistic Robotics:

http://www.amazon.com/Probabilistic-Robotics-Intelligent-Autonomous-Agents/dp/0262201623/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409573217&sr=8-1&keywords=probabilistic+robotics

u/hbar · 2 pointsr/engineering

I'd recommend this book to anyone serious about controls. It's a fairly dense though, so you might look for another more readable one as well.

There is an edition out there with an appendix on "Optimal control and the meaning of life". Ignore that part.

edit: I was thinking of this book (Appendix C). There is a PDF of it online somewhere.

u/jhchex · 2 pointsr/electronic_circuits

Buying a few kits is a good way to learn some basic techniques but I'd also recommend checking out this book: http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=04BB6E49FT8V4ZAPNATV

u/teeceli · 2 pointsr/arduino

Thank you! I think I might buy Make: Electronics or Practical Electronics for Inventors just to have on hand as a quick reference manual.

u/spwx · 2 pointsr/electronics

All these comments are great, but the absolute beginning is here!

Next read the book suggested by ryzic. If you have the money, id buy the companion kits that Make sells for the book.

After reading those two books and doing all the projects, look into some "project kits." Check out sparkfun, The Evil Genius series of books, or my favorite the Nuts and Volts store.

After three or four "project kits" just find schematics and figure out how to buy all the parts yourself. Really the world is your oyester and with enough struggling you can build anything. Some ideas that always get people excited: a Tesla coil, cell phone jammers, tasers, ultrasonic range finders, a robotic arm, mechanized nerf gun, anything you think is cool and can find a schematic for.

From there you a going to find yourself really interested in microcontrollers. And well.. Thats a different comment lol!

u/flaz · 2 pointsr/electronics

I have programmed computers for a living for nearly twenty years. I have also done hobby electronics for longer than that. However, I don't know electronics remotely as much as I do programming. So I have a few things to say about this in terms of programming.

My recommendation would be to begin learning C right away. You'll have to know it to learn C++ later anyway, plus there are many C-like languages out there. Once you understand C, it will be much easier to learn different assembly languages for different devices. From my own experience with electronics and programming, C will be an incredibly useful tool to have at your disposal. Once you have C basics down, there are tons of books and online resources out there for learning to program AI. It will take a few years to get good at programming, so stick with it and be patient.

The great thing about learning programming is that you don't need an instructor or class. You can learn it all on your own, all the way to being a professional. When you get to college, if you wanted to stay with programming only, then computer science would be a wise choice. However, my own experience has shown that getting a degree in computer science isn't necessary if you teach yourself programming, and you work hard at it. Therefore you can focus on electrical engineering when you get there and continue to work on your programming skills yourself.

For electronics, I would start with the book, Make: Electronics. Once you learn C, I would get an Arduino starter kit and a book about it. That will definitely get your feet wet with robotics-like electronics and C programming. You'll be able to do some pretty powerful stuff at that point, and have a really good idea of where to go next with college.

Finally, I would strongly suggest studying as much mathematics as you can. I hated math so much when I was younger, but now I use it all the time and wish I had better skills. You won't need it in the early years, but I guarantee that you'll need it later when you get good at your craft. I know this from my own experience and wish I had studied more math in high school and college. In fact, if I had it to do over, knowing what I know now, twenty years later, I would have just gotten a degree in math. You will eventually be shocked by how many uses there are for even some of the seemingly most useless math stuff. Every little tidbit you learn now is another trick in your pocket to make good money with later on.

u/Senqo · 2 pointsr/electronics

You absolutely must get the book "Make: Electronics".

u/zenlizard1977 · 2 pointsr/arduino

With a programming background you will take to working with the code and libraries fairly easily but working with the electronic principles a little more challenging (at least that was my case). This book wasn't specific to Arduino but made working with the Arduino much easier for me as I got the basics down as far as working with capacitors, resistors, LED's, pull downs, switches, etc.
http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740

u/Make_Me_A · 2 pointsr/electronics

I read this book and found it quite interesting and easy to read. It includes many pictures and is quite hands on DIY.

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740

u/hugh_person · 2 pointsr/DIY

Try r/electronics and maybe r/arduino. The communities there are great, but you need to give a clear description of what you are trying to do.

That said, Forest Mims III's Getting Started in Electronics has probably launched a million hackers, and you can find it at a better Radio Shack.

I also like the book put out by MAKE. It's the book I would have liked to have when I was learning electronics. It goes from licking a 9V battery to using common and useful ICs.

While both of these books will get you started with how electricity works, neither one covers microcontrollers. Buy an Arduino, or a BASIC Stamp, or whatever and just get started. There's tons of info online. And if you have questions or problems, the above subs have lots of smart and helpful people.

u/LithiumEnergy · 2 pointsr/AskPhysics

There's plenty of great books that he can refer to when learning electronics, but its fun because you can actually start applying physics knowledge to create circuits and fix things. Make: Electronics is a great book for anyone who wants to learn how to put together some analog circuits - they actually have some kits that go with it. The Art of Electronics goes deeper into the theory behind circuitry and components which might be useful too.

Most physics majors don't usually look at electronics with any depth - that's usually for engineers. But electronics is all about using physics knowledge creatively!

u/dangets · 2 pointsr/raspberry_pi

The defacto bible is "The Art of Electronics" by Horowitz and Hill which still sells for $100 even though the latest edition is from 1989. It is a thick book, but is better than most textbooks IMHO. They refer to many part numbers that are long past gone, but it should give you the vocab and keywords for you to search out the current parts.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Electronics-Paul-Horowitz/dp/0521370957/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342471024&sr=8-1&keywords=art+of+electronics

Other than that, if you want more beginner books - look at Make: Electronics
http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1342471247&sr=1-1&keywords=make+learning+electronics or the Forrest Mims books

As far as power supplies specifically, I believe I found a couple of howto webpages that described the basics - I'll edit this post if I find them again.

u/LordGAD · 2 pointsr/amateurradio

I really like Make: Electronics http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740

It will take you step by step through electronic components by building circuits that show you how they work. It's written with a very conversational style and is really just very well done IMO.

u/DarkDeliverance · 2 pointsr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

As a fellow engineering student, I can attest to the fact that NOTHING helps out studying, time-management, and efficiency as my new Tablet!
Also, here is a very interesting textbook that I actually thoroughly enjoyed :)

u/dagamer34 · 2 pointsr/electronics

For electronics I started with this book: http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369542421&sr=8-1&keywords=Make%3A+electronics
It has lots of cool experiments to get you started with concepts.

Then there's this: http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Electronics-Inventors-Third-Edition/dp/0071771336/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1369542421&sr=8-10&keywords=Make%3A+electronics
This will go much deeper into theory and give you a strong foundation.

Though if you want to delve right into the programming part: http://www.makershed.com/Getting_Started_with_Arduino_Kit_V3_0_p/msgsa.htm
and
http://www.makershed.com/Raspberry_Pi_Starter_Kit_Includes_Raspberry_Pi_p/msrpik.htm

MicroCenter will have the kits, and RadioShack should have the tinier parts, as well as the Raspberry Pi.

u/Unexpectedsideboob · 2 pointsr/arduino

By far and above the best resource is Getting Started With Arduino. If you have any coding background it will be very familiar, and the approach is relaxed and enjoyable.

This book should come with every Arduino.

This is targeted at the Uno, but if you have a Mega you'll be ok too.

u/Augustus290 · 2 pointsr/singapore

If you already have an Ardunio this set is the one we use at our school. (Although, full disclosure, I don't live in Singapore) On top of that, of course the Ardunio Cookbook...

Hope that helps.

u/GreatTricks · 2 pointsr/arduino

I have also always wanted to make a robot! And in the past I have actually tried out a few kits but was disappointed with them for exactly what you said ('put it together by following the instructions and its done'). There are many kits out there that are "put tab a in slot b" and it drove me CA-RAY-ZEE because they never explained WHY and what tab a was doing and why slot b was necessary and in the end I knew exactly as much as I did before. That's why a book or set of tutorials with lots of small projects that explain what they are doing is better. The book with the starter kit I linked above was really good at that. I've also heard good things about Arduino Cookbook but I haven't used it myself. After reading all your replies I'd say go for it. Have a project adventure. The worst that can happen is you've spent some $$ and have learned some stuff. And the best that can happen is that you've spent some $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and have made some really cool things.

u/bullcityhomebrew · 2 pointsr/arduino

I would start with your basic UNO as part of a starter kit. If you've never done it before, working through the samples is the absolute best way to get going. In addition, get the Arduino Cookbook. With those two things, you should be able to work up to doing what you need to do.

u/FabianN · 2 pointsr/programming

That's what I love about the Arduino platform though! The Arduino platform is a very mixed type of development system of software and hardware work.

You don't know much of hardware? That's fine! You can buy pre-built modules that you literally stack together and then you just need to deal with the software end. It is a bit more expensive this way, making it yourself saves on labor costs of course, but lots of people make completed projects this way, never even touching a soldering iron.

You're big on hardware? You can build it all yourself from the ground up and really go deep into the guts, and save yourself some money (and, sometimes some programming work, depending on what it is).


Though, I don't think a teensie is the development board you'd want to start with to get into the arduino platform, the UNO is best for beginners. But for a lot of people, arduino is their first foray into anything like electronics or programming.

If the itch does ever appear, get a good book (I like Ardunio Cookbook) and get a decent starter kit that comes with more than just the development board (the Sparkfun Inventor's kit looks great to start with).


Not trying to force you, but don't let it scare you off! It's a lot easier to get started in than it seems.

u/ford_contour · 2 pointsr/Python

The exceptionally helpful Arduino community are doing things like what you want to do, and most of their example code is in Java C. Some of the best programming advice I have heard is to adopt the language that you can get help with easily for the task at hand.

I would recommend you start with Getting Started with Arduino, and move on to the examples in the The Arduino Cookbook.

It is certainly possible, and not very difficult, to switch to Python for Adruino later, if you want to. But I recommend getting your feet under you using the default language, rather than trying to tackle both getting the examples running and converting them to Python at the same time.

Edit: Thanks /u/markrages. You're right, I do recall doing a #define once recently. Must be C. It's definitely one of those 'semi-colon' languages, in any case.

u/catchierlight · 2 pointsr/synthdiy

ah I see. Well you definitely are on the right track by doing mesurements while you are building. I am not really the right person to ask because Im still in the beginning stages but I also bought: Boylestad https://www.amazon.com/Introductory-Circuit-Analysis-Robert-Boylestad/dp/0133923606 (a much cheaper older version that I found for about $10 I think you are aware one nice thing about learning electronics from scratch is that the basics, the most important things, were discovered a long time ago so you can get a great wealth of information for very cheap....) This is pretty much, well like exactly what youd use if you took a college course on circuit analysis, much great information on the physics and basics of linear and non-linear circuits, it can be pretty dry though, but that is what you probably really need if you want to really "grok" what is going on in a circuit, i.e. using OHMs/Thienevin laws etc and Loop analysis, looking at the numbers from and finding missing values when you only have say the voltage and current etc
This one https://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Journey-Amplifiers-Randomicity/dp/1449344046/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1P86DOCJID6WO&keywords=make+electronics+2nd+edition&qid=1557865653&s=books&sprefix=make+elec%2Cstripbooks%2C159&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1 which is definitely very good because it includes actual images of breadboards (which are not always intuitive even though very simple to impliment, really that has to do with human error, thats why its all about trying it out/getting yr hands dirty!) and some other stuff. I know there are a TON of people out there why swear by the Ray Wilson websites and books, I bought one and just have been into other things but when I get back into it I know I am going to go back to those Wilson projects...

Another REALLY awesome thing I just remembered: EveryCircuit App, super great becasue it shows live demonstration of signal flows...

u/MatthaeusHarris · 2 pointsr/microcontrollers

I found this to be an excellent intro to the AVR series microcontrollers, and many of the concepts should port over to other families as well: https://smile.amazon.com/AVR-Programming-Learning-Software-Technology/dp/1449355781/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541196283&sr=8-1&keywords=make+avr+programming

u/TRG903 · 2 pointsr/ElectricalEngineering

Make: AVR Programming
This book is specifically written people looking to get started in microcontroller programming. Uses the chip from the Arduino which is cheap, common, and there’s a lot of options in the product line. Teaches C. Explains concepts found in all micro controllers. Designed as a project book. I liked it. Problem is it uses 8 bit micros. The modern micros are 32 bit. But again the concepts are widely applicable.

Patrick Hood Daniel
This guy’s YouTube channel contains long, in depth tutorials on using and programming micro controllers. He even sells the dev boards he uses so you can get the exact parts he uses and not get lost in translation.

I know it’s not resources in the image but other than practical electronics I don’t know how much the others will focus on micro controllers besides the Arduino books. And if you want to go beyond the Arduino platform the make book I-recommended would be better.

u/Truth_Be_Told · 2 pointsr/embedded

Not sure what your budget is (buy used books or South Asia editions), but you may find the following useful :-)

Also, unless required, avoid programming in assembly but use C/C++ exclusively. This allows you to carry over much of your acquired knowledge across various MCU families.

  • Make: AVR Programming This will teach you programming directly-to-the-metal on AVR using C. If you have the Arduino IDE installed, you already have the "avr-gcc" compiler toolchain as part of the package and hence you just need to setup your path and use the the toolchain in your Makefile. The book takes you by hand and shows you everything. Note that you can use the same Arduino board to do both "Arduino language" programming and "AVR C" programming.

  • Designing Embedded Hardware Excellent overview of the hardware aspects of Embedded Systems. As a Software guy, this book is the one which clarified hardware for me.

  • Building Embedded Systems: Programmable Hardware A very good book on all practical aspects of embedded programming. Hard-won knowledge which will make you a "professional" embedded engineer.

  • Introduction to Embedded Systems: Using Microcontrollers and the MSP430 Excellent and comprehensive textbook detailing the hardware and software aspects of embedded systems. Every topic starts with an illustrated overview of the hardware and then shows you how to program for it.

  • Embedded C Introductory book on C programming for 8051. The example code is simple and direct thus enabling you to grasp the concepts clearly.

  • Patterns for Time-Triggered Embedded Systems Comprehensive and full of C code showing how to program all standard peripherals for an 8051. You can translate the code to your favourite MCU family. The book is available for free from the author's company website.

  • ARM System Developer's Guide An oldie but still the best for firmware programming on the ARM microprocessor.

  • Practical Microcontroller Engineering with ARM technology An exhaustive book on programming the Tiva version of the ARM Cortex-M4 MCU. The book reads like a manual but the ARM Cortex is complex enough that there is no easy way to learn it.

  • The Engineering of Reliable Embedded Systems Advanced book showing how to implement industrial quality embedded software on various ARM platforms. The 1st edition of the book was available for free on the web.

    and finally;

  • Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective A must-read textbook to understand the low-level details for a x86/x86-64 system. Many of these details are similar for MCUs and hence you will understand them better.
u/tfogarty · 2 pointsr/Military

Great question! As I'm looking over the comments I'm getting ideas for books I want to read too. A few that I would recommend are as follows:

u/1Bad · 2 pointsr/cpp

To be helpful for your testing, in my experience geometry algorithms often fail in cases where geometries almost have a relation. For example, almost coincident, almost intersects, segment length almost 0, coincident with almost equal points, etc...

Also, checkout http://www.amazon.com/Computational-Geometry-Applications-Mark-Berg/dp/3540779736/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422374000&sr=8-1&keywords=computational+geometry+algorithms+and+applications. It is absolutely the single best book fior advanced geometry algorithms.

u/Born2Math · 2 pointsr/math

There absolutely are geometric algorithms. My class on computational geometry used this book, which was adequate.
Edit: Forgot the link: http://www.amazon.com/Computational-Geometry-Applications-Mark-Berg/dp/3540779736

u/goldayce · 2 pointsr/compgeom

Check out the book by Berg et al.
http://www.amazon.com/Computational-Geometry-Applications-Mark-Berg/dp/3540779736

It's a very comprehensive introductory book on computational geometry with loads of walkthroughs and pseudo codes.

u/palparepa · 2 pointsr/worldnews

Weird. Works for me here and from everywhere I've tried.

It's a short sci-fi story about automation, called Manna. The author is Marshall Brain.

Here it's for the Kindle (costs 99 cents.)

u/flightless_freedom · 1 pointr/robotics

I'm in a similar boat as you and recently picked up Robot Builder's Bonanza, 4th edition (https://www.amazon.com/Robot-Builders-Bonanza-Gordon-McComb-dp-0071750363/dp/0071750363/). It's a couple hundred pages containing a significant amount of information on understanding how to construct a robot start to finish. For the electrical engineering side, the website https://www.allaboutcircuits.com is the way to go when starting out. That site is chock-full of educational material, and it's totally free.

u/timeforscience · 1 pointr/robotics

Hello! I've always liked this website as a quick primer: http://www.societyofrobots.com/

I remember liking this book a lot when I first started: http://www.apress.com/us/book/9781430227540 but it's a little more advanced and there's a beginner book as well: https://www.amazon.com/Robot-Building-Beginners-Technology-Action/dp/1430227486

Those books are pretty electrical focused, but if you want to learn more of the software (especially if you don't know much/any programming) I'd recommend the Lego Mindstorms.

Finally there's this book: https://www.amazon.com/Robot-Builders-Bonanza-Gordon-McComb/dp/0071750363 which is a pretty good overall reference and enjoyable to read through.

Disclaimer: I read these books over a decade ago. While they're still relevant some stuff in them is dated (especially the microchip programming portions)

u/EagleNebula · 1 pointr/robotics

Many years ago i started with this book, it has been updated to keep up with technology and is great for beginners:

http://www.amazon.com/Robot-Builders-Bonanza-4th-Edition/dp/0071750363/ref=pd_sim_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YS0Z9X2H3V1P95JTC9Q

I am the same way as you, i need to be hands on to learn, this book realy helped me.

u/IAmLinsky · 1 pointr/robotics

http://www.amazon.com/JunkBots-Bugbots-Bots-Wheels-Technology/dp/0072226013
great book for simple projects with stuff you can pull out of old broken electronics

u/Sporkborg · 1 pointr/electronics

i recently did a project from this book http://www.amazon.com/JunkBots-Bugbots-Bots-Wheels-Technology/dp/0072226013
it was what i understand to be a simple solar motor. i can follow directions. but as far as understanding why it does what it does, i find myself clueless. i also found this website
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/
it seems to be pretty complete though, as im sure ive mentioned, im no expert.

u/mhornberger · 1 pointr/Futurology

The only people who worry about it are those who are interested in the subject so they go read about it. Those with no curiosity in the subject just follow their intuition, and our intuition is calibrated to model the future like the past. I also know fighter pilots who aren't worried about being beaten or replaced by UAVs, even though Wired For War is actually on their professional reading list.

u/ipaqbxs · 1 pointr/MechanicalEngineering

Sorry, started writing and my power went out, then I kinda forgot to get back to you...
But yeah, There are a few robotics programs out there. At CSM it's an MS in mechanical engineering with the area of study in robotics. CSM has different subsets of mechanical engineering. I found my ME masters to be very helpful but it really depends on what you want to do. Like I mentioned earlier, most of my coworkers at Wolf just finished with a BS. But having a masters will give you a leg up and if you can get funded for it I'd say go for it (teaching assistant, research assistant, or by a company). I'm working towards project engineering and project management but there's also programming, mechanical design, controls, electrical design, and lots of other stuff. Personally, I think most of the advancements in robotics are going to be in the software, more specifically the robot perception.
So as far as what to study now: definitely get good at programming. Mostly C++ and if you get good at one language it's pretty easy to pick up other languages so better to focus and get good at one, and C++ is the most common. Electronics are also huge, circuit design and such. Understanding of voltage, current, motors, etc.
If you're feeling really ambitious and have free time you might look into robot kinematics and SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping). Kinematics is fundamental for industrial and humanoid robots and SLAM is a key concept for mobile robotics and is starting to show in industrial and humanoid robots. These are two of my favorite books on them. There are free digital copies around too.
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Robotics-Mechanics-Control-Edition/dp/0201543613
http://www.amazon.com/Probabilistic-Robotics-Intelligent-Autonomous-Agents/dp/0262201623
But you're probably busy with other stuff. So, focus on programming, math, and yes, electronics. I also have to do 3D modeling and simulations almost every day at work. We use SolidWorks and RobotStudio.

u/jnez71 · 1 pointr/robotics

It definitely depends on the topic. For linear control theory, Hespanha has a good book. Slotine is popular for nonlinear control theory. Thrun has a ridiculously popular book for stochastic control. I've been meaning to finish Crassidis' book on estimation theory in general. As for underactuated systems specifically, like motion planning and such, I have not read any particular book, but the course notes for the MIT class I linked are basically a good book.

u/peoplearefunny · 1 pointr/AskEngineers

For Non-Linear systems I love Khaleel. Though I dont remember if he has much on Sliding Mode.

I learned Kalman Filters from [Thrun] (http://www.amazon.com/Probabilistic-Robotics-Intelligent-Autonomous-Agents/dp/0262201623/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348256381&sr=1-1&keywords=probabilistic+robotics). Though he really approaches it from a software perspective and not necessarily controls (they are merging now!). He also has all different flavors of filters, which is awesome.

u/Anarcho-Totalitarian · 1 pointr/math

You'll find a long list on Amazon. I'm no expert on the subject, but I picked up Optimal Control and Estimation and got through a bit in my spare time. Seems decent enough.

u/DkorpiBSME · 1 pointr/engineering

Yeah, it was a little unsettling. No one really said anything about it. His family came and took his toolbox. They found a gun in one of the drawers, but it wasn't a bad thing. The shop was in a rough part of town and he worked late at night machining precious metals if you know what I mean. The guy was a human CNC machine. It was cool to have such an experienced guy showing me what to do. Invaluable machining experience. That itself led to me landing various jobs.

If you end up making something for this guy, you should make a post about it. A cool book that I really like that might help you with other ideas is this:

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395172215&sr=8-1&keywords=make+electronics

It's written for engineering level students. I have the book myself and I like to build stuff at home when I'm not working.

u/DoomParrot · 1 pointr/electronics

Consider Make Electronics.

It is a full color book with a magazine-like layout that he should find appealing. It walks you through projects from very basic in the beginning to more advanced toward the end. There are also a couple component kits you can buy from Radio Shack or online from makershed.com. Those kits will save a lot of hassle by providing all the parts needed to do the projects.

u/apt2b · 1 pointr/IWantToLearn

I'm in my junior year of highschool, myself, and I know that some extremely basic circuitry is going to pop up later this year in physics, but I don't think it will sate my appetite at all. And you're right, it's the practical part of it that interests me, which is why I haven't bought any kits already - it seems that the entry kits are all things that I have no use for, like pocket VU meters and infrared tripwires, but I guess I'll have to get over that. I'm not a fan of For Dummies books, so I think I'll look into this one, which I found in one of the threads in videoj's link.

Thanks.

u/LisaNeedsBraces666 · 1 pointr/AskMen

There's https://www.adafruit.com/ for DIY kits and what have you. A good book is https://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740 - You can also buy a kit specific to the book that has all the components needed for the projects.

u/Bugos19 · 1 pointr/electronics
  • I can't recommend a better book than this one.
  • Get this resistor kit. Seriously, I bought one of these a year ago and I've never once had to buy more resistors.
  • You're going to need a capacitor set like this one.
  • You're also going to need a breadboard.
  • Make a trip to Maplin and get an assortment pack of LEDs and a few switches. Trust me, this will make your life a tons easier when it comes to making proof of concept or test circuits. And they make circuitry more interactive and fun!
  • Lastly, get a cheap multimeter. You can get one at Maplin or somewhere similar for like <15 pounds.

    Sorry about the links, I'm in the US so the prices will be in USD but that shouldn't be a problem. I really hope you find this hobby as intriguing as I do, I started a year ago making little flashlights and what-not and now I'm making motion detectors and all kinds of cool gadgets. If you'd like some guidance or help, don't think twice about PMing me! Best of luck.
u/F2a · 1 pointr/electronics
u/JosephFaolan · 1 pointr/schizophrenia

I read a lot too, but finding new subjects can be fun.

Last year, I got into locksport (recreational lock picking) because I realized I knew almost nothing about locks.

I am starting studying electronics because I can build computers, program and use them, and hack, but I knew very little about the underlying electronics. And considering that electronics are used in so many different things, I think it is worth having a practical understanding of it all.

I am using this book: http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740

It seems to be a well regarded source for beginners. RadioShack had the kit which had all the stuff for the first chapters (the book actually goes into several areas to expose the reader to what comes next...the kit does not come with the parts for that). It was on sale and I had a coupon which expired this week.

u/nothingWolf · 1 pointr/diyelectronics

Kits are fun but another suggestion would be to grab the Charles Platt book " make: electronics, learning by discovery" and follow the activities there. I think the book has suggestions on where to buy components too.


Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740

u/angstybagels · 1 pointr/raspberry_pi

https://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740

Someone gifted me this book a few years ago and I highly recommend it for getting into basic electronic fun. Doesn't really get into programming (using an arduino) until the end but it is all still applicable to things you might design around a raspberry pi or whatever microcontroller you want to use.

u/i_make_song · 1 pointr/audioengineering

Do you have any background knowledge in electronics? Because I would seriously start there.

I realize you are an adult, but Make: Electronics (Learning by Discovery) was a really great book for me (an adult). It gives you a good foundations in electronics and has fun projects as well.

Make: Analog Synthesizers was particularly fun for me.

Any interest in either of those books? They're both great starting points.

u/Beta_UserName · 1 pointr/arduino

Start with this book. That'll help you spend your money smartly as well as get fundamentals down.

u/TheConsciousness · 1 pointr/arduino
u/sn76477 · 1 pointr/IWantToLearn

This looks like a good book

http://www.amazon.com/MAKE-Electronics-Learning-Through-Discovery/dp/0596153740/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279769926&sr=8-3

This IS a good book but deals with advanced theories.


http://www.amazon.com/Art-Electronics-Paul-Horowitz/dp/0521370957/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279769926&sr=8-16


And this looks pretty good.

http://www.amazon.com/Circuitbuilding-Yourself-Dummies-Ward-Silver/dp/0470173424/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279769941&sr=8-21


Go to the book store, pick up some books. Go the the library and see what they have. Pick up old radios and junk off of the street take them home and pull them apart but be careful of the capacitors, if you dont know what a capacitor is then read one of the above books.

Look on craigslist for free electronics and start taking them apart. Be careful of anything that uses Alternating current, anything that plugs into a wall deals with large voltages so be sure to start small.

u/Chris_Gammell · 1 pointr/electronics

A lot of the Mims books are a good start, such as this one: Getting Started In Electronics

Also in the same vein, the "MAKE:Electronics" book by Charles Platt

My suggestion is to get started building as quickly as possible. That's the key. Also, if you want to hear more about electronics, I can selfishly recommend my podcast, The Amp Hour

u/nightjar123 · 1 pointr/robotics

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Started-Arduino-Make-Projects/dp/0596155514/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1314491889&sr=8-1

Get that book and give it a shot, that book assumes you start knowing abs. nothing.

Arduino is a really cool device which can let you do a whole range of tasks ranging from the simple control of an LED to controlling entire robots. The reason its so popular is not because of anything special with regard to its hardware per say, but in my opinion because there is SO much literature out there to help people with their projects.

u/JS1240 · 1 pointr/robotics

Hello,

I am just beginning to get into robotics but I am a bit confused as where to start. I am 25 years old and I have a degree in Marketing and Data Analytics. I have no background in computer science; however, I have begun to self teach Python and I am finding it very interesting. The language seems to be coming to me a bit natural as well. After weeks of researching, I have come to find out that to build robots, it might be easier for a beginner to learn Arduino first and then get into Raspberry Pi (please correct me if I am mistaken). I have a few questions:

  1. Would it be beneficial to start out with a robotics kit? If so, which one would be most helpful? I have noticed that quite a lot of the kits are catered towards younger kids.

  2. Would it be beneficial to get an Arduino Starter kit instead to learn all the basics beforehand? Would anyone recommend me buying “Arduino Starter Kit” by Arduino (link below). Though there are numerous Arduino kits listed on Amazon, I am not entirely sure if this is the right one or rather more useful one to purchase.

    Link: https://www.amazon.com/Arduino-Starter-Kit-English-Official/dp/B009UKZV0A/ref=sxin_2_ac_d_pm?keywords=arduino+kit&pd_rd_i=B009UKZV0A&pd_rd_r=9e598ad7-4080-4b23-b252-6efd4676fefe&pd_rd_w=ipetL&pd_rd_wg=durVx&pf_rd_p=64aaff2e-3b89-4fee-a107-2469ecbc5733&pf_rd_r=BTX5Q96NT2QPSCJ4FQBW&qid=1562463627&s=gateway


  3. Rather than buying any kits, would it be beneficial to buy “Robot Building For Beginners” book by David Cook? I read a few pages and the book did seem quite comprehensive regarding the basics of a robot building.

    Link: https://www.amazon.com/Robot-Building-Beginners-Technology-Action/dp/1430227486/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=robotics+book&qid=1562463842&s=gateway&sr=8-3

    My goal is to learn robotics from inside and out. I do not wish to simply follow a given template or copy/paste a given code. I would like to learn how the code operates internally and how everything is processed. I also do not wish to spend hundreds of dollars since I would like to start on smaller scale and comprehend all the basics first and then start doing larger projects.

    If anyone could please guide me where to essentially start with robotics, I would greatly appreciate it!! 
u/UndergroundPhoenix · 1 pointr/Random_Acts_Of_Amazon

My SO calls me a "badass nerd" and loves to tease me about being nerdier than him (a hard thing to do). I love sparring (I normally fight with two katanas since I am ambidextrous), cosplaying, reading, playing video games, sculpting and drawing, cooking and baking, teasing people, puzzles (particularly logic puzzles), comics, D&D, and crime shows. Also, pokemon!!!!

I am obsessed with tea, and spend far too much money on it. I love giving more than receiving, and adore animals. Children have an odd liking for me, I don't think I've met a kid who doesn't like me yet. I read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy, but will read anything except for romance novels.

I am going to college to double major in Computer Science and Robotics Engineering, which will be a lot of fun! I love building things! Oh, I also love sewing, and I make a lot of my costumes for cosplay. I'm a die-hard Harry Potter geek, and grew up on the series.


I suppose this describes me most since I am really focusing on everything I need to know for my majors! I hope your move goes smoothly! <3

u/jules0075 · 1 pointr/engineering

If you're looking to get some hands-on experience I recommend getting started with Arduino, building projects.

There's lots of beginner's tutorials online. You can buy your parts from Sparkfun Electronics.

I just ordered myself this book to help with some more advanced concepts!

If you get stuck with anything technical or need any help finding resources, feel free to PM me.

u/kooluoyedam · 1 pointr/robotics

If you're willing to spend $30, this book will teach you everything you need to know.

u/Nick_rp · 1 pointr/electricians

It's a fun hobby. Biggest learning curve is learning how to code. I didnt know a thing when I first started but the arduino community (link below) is really helpful with the process. They will even go over code you've written if your having issues.

Arduino community forum:
https://forum.arduino.cc

Book for learning arduino program language:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1430247762/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_jqgLBbP544HBT

A good starter kit. Comes with alot of goodies like the program used to write the code and compile it, the arduino itself, super sonic sensor, DC motors to name a few as well as data sheets for each piece:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EWNUUUA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_krgLBbN85GPHF

Book recommended to me that helps with the more complex builds: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1259587541/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_UrgLBb7STEDSA

My first project I made/wrote was to make a couple LEDs blink in specific intervals. May not seem like much but like I said, biggest learning curve is learning to program the arduino itself.

Good luck

u/dougclarknc · 1 pointr/arduino

http://www.amazon.com/Beginning-Arduino-Learn-Programming/dp/1430247762

I have this book; I knew nothing about programming and this book really has done a good job so far on teaching me.

I would suggest this book first, to introduce you to C with immediate feedback, then a C++ book or further programming learning if you deem fit.

u/naniani · 1 pointr/arduino

Take a look at the "Arduino Cookbook"

u/FreakGeeked · 1 pointr/arduino

Get an Arduino cookbook and a starter kit

u/Pigboy501 · 1 pointr/arduino

Check out the Arduino Cookbook! Covers just about everything you'll need when writing code.

u/theaddies1 · 1 pointr/avr

This is a great book and it has a section on doing exactly what you propose. UART is the way.

https://www.amazon.com/AVR-Programming-Learning-Software-Hardware/dp/1449355781

u/07CE · 1 pointr/EngineeringStudents

highly recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/AVR-Programming-Learning-Software-Technology/dp/1449355781/

Granted, it's not Arduino (it's AVR, the microcontroller Arduino is based on, but you can still use an Arduino with its lessons with some software tweaks) and implies you know a decent amount of C programming, but it's written well enough so even an idiot like me could understand it.

u/adobeamd · 1 pointr/microcontrollers

the 328p is a great chip to start out with... a lot of tutorials and guides out there. Also they have very good data sheets on everything. I suggest this book if you want a good place to start

https://www.amazon.com/AVR-Programming-Learning-Software-Technology/dp/1449355781/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3MBZS93GX1Q1U&keywords=avr+programming&qid=1566962768&s=gateway&sprefix=avr+pro%2Caps%2C272&sr=8-2

u/sandwichsaregood · 1 pointr/ECE

I agree, for transitioning from Arduino AVR makes a lot of sense. AVR is pretty nice to work with and will teach you a lot of stuff that is useful on other platforms while keeping complexity down. AVR studio is nice for transitioning because it lets you easily include Arduino libraries as well.

Also, I highly recommend the Make book on AVR. It's a very good introduction and one of the few programming books I would actually recommend buying.

u/new--USER · 1 pointr/arduino

I was in a similar situation a little while ago, and I decided to learn to program AVRs directly in C. I bought this book, and I think it's a really good resource.

https://www.amazon.com/AVR-Programming-Learning-Software-Hardware/dp/1449355781/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504786998&sr=8-1&keywords=make+programming+avr

On a Mac, you can use any text editor you like, then flash the code to the AVR from the terminal.

AVRs are really cheap by the way! Here on Digikey, you can get them for $2 each.

https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/microchip-technology/ATMEGA328-PU/ATMEGA328-PU-ND/2271026

u/Blueebi · 1 pointr/embedded

When I switched away from arduino the microcontroller tutorials on https://www.newbiehack.com/MicrocontrollerTutorial.aspx really helped me out. The book make:avr was inexpensive and good too. The i2c library that comes as a download for the book is really easy to understand, too.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1449355781/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1427629852&sr=8-1&keywords=make+avr&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&dpPl=1&dpID=510a6bjDnWL&ref=plSrch


I would recommend using atmel studio and a programmer of some sort - avrisp mk2 if it's still available or the atmel ice. Avrisp is a programmer only and the ice is a debugger as well.


Buy some atmega328p in a dip package and bread board it out so you know how to setup all the connections. The newbiehack tutorials will show you how.

Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions

u/notrot · 1 pointr/arduino

I found Arduino Workshop and Arduino Cookbook to be very helpful resources.

This might be helpful for your gardening project.

u/DuckGod · 1 pointr/norge

Arduino er en veldig god start i min mening, om du ikke mener det er overveldende. Det er jo fort litt elektronikk og kode som må læres før man gjør kule prosjekter, men det er ikke egentlig så ille om man ikke biter av for mye om gangen. En fordel med Arduino er at du bruker et språk veldig likt C++, så hoppet fra Arduino til C++ er ikke så stort.

Er noe mer usikker på det med lærebøker, men det finnes en del hobbybøker med x prosjekter i som kunne vært en god basis, som f.eks denne eller denne.

Skulle han ha mer intresse av koding enn nødvendigvis å lage duppedingser vil jeg derimot peke retning python. Code Academy har et helt greit begynnerkurs (gratis) for nybegynnere.

u/cryogenics12 · 1 pointr/embedded

I already use Linux Mint on a VM for general use. Would you suggest something like a Linux From Scratch or Gentoo setup to learn more about these things?

Any particular book/resource recommendation? Should I start with the arduino libraries (which I know are training wheels in the professional world) or jump straight to bare metal?

I'm looking at these:

https://www.amazon.com/Exploring-Arduino-Techniques-Engineering-Wizardry/dp/1118549368/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1520354917&sr=8-7&keywords=arduino+books

or

https://www.amazon.com/Arduino-Workshop-Hands-Introduction-Projects/dp/1593274483/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1520354917&sr=8-9&keywords=arduino+books

u/eleitl · 1 pointr/Military

See http://www.amazon.com/Wired-War-Robotics-Revolution-Conflict/dp/1594201986

And of course drones will be used in the U.S., and of course drones will be increasingly autonomous, and automation doesn't rebel. Like where this is going?

u/alexgmcm · 1 pointr/Futurology

Non-fiction:

I cannot recommend Beyond Boundaries enough. It is a popular science book on brain-computer interfaces (i.e. cyborgs) by one of the world's leaders in the field.

He doesn't bullshit or sugar-coat but still gives a very readable account. I prefer it infinitely to the many other books typically written by journalists or pop-scientists, not researchers, who feel the need to sensationalise.

I also recommend An Indispensable Truth about Fusion Power, for the same reasons as above.

u/aperrien · 1 pointr/Transhuman

On the science front, try Beyond Boundaries: The New Neuroscience of Connecting Brains with Machines---and How It Will Change Our Lives by Miguel Nicolelis, and Sebastian Seung's Connectome: How the Brain's Wiring Makes Us Who We Are. I'd also suggest looking into the research on biocompatible materials, but I personally don't know of good books in that area.

u/brak42 · 0 pointsr/AskEngineers

I don't know if this is what you are looking for, but it seems pretty cool:
Make: Electronics

u/foggyepigraph · 0 pointsr/math

Python bit:

Download and install pythonxy. Such a great tool. Then if you want to practice coding-as-means-of-solving-math-problems, try one of Paul Nahin's code-oriented books, and just work through a bunch of the chapters. I use his books "Digital Dice" and "Number Crunching" pretty extensively in my teaching.

If you are more advanced as a coder, try implementing the algorithms in this, or implement some code to estimate solutions to your favorite PDE.

u/pslamba · -4 pointsr/electronics

Alligator clips are recommended by Charles Platt in his book Make: Electronics. And he's no amateur. Just because you've discovered micro clips doesn't mean that alligator clips are all of a sudden the worst idea ever.

http://www.amazon.com/Make-Electronics-Discovery-Charles-Platt/dp/0596153740/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1419029216&sr=8-3&keywords=charles+platt