Book Description

The Bestselling Robotics Book–Now with New Projects and Online Tools!

Have fun while learning how to design, construct, and use small robots! This richly illustrated guide offers everything you need to know to construct sophisticated, fully autonomous robots that can be programmed from your computer. Fully updated with the latest technologies and techniques, Robot Builder’s Bonanza, Fourth Edition includes step-by-step plans that take you from building basic motorized platforms to giving the machine a brain–and teaching it to walk, talk, and obey commands.

This robot builder’s paradise is packed with more than 100 affordable projects, including 10 completely new robot designs. The projects are modular and can be combined to create a variety of highly intelligent and workable robots of all shapes and sizes. Mix and match the projects to develop your own unique creations. The only limit is your imagination!

Robot Builder’s Bonanza, Fourth Edition covers:

• Parts, materials, and tools
• Building motorized wooden, plastic, and metal platforms
• Rapid prototyping methods
• Drafting bots with computer-aided design
• Constructing high-tech robots from toys
• Building bots from found parts Download Now »

Book Description

Arduino boards have impressed both hackers and professional engineers. Whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional, it isn’t just a breadboard and a hazy idea that keeps you going. It’s essential to institute a proper design, device instrumentation and, indeed, test your project thoroughly before committing to a particular prototype.

Practical Arduino Engineering begins by outlining the engineering process, from the basic requirements and preliminary design to prototyping and testing. Each and every chapter exemplifies this process and demonstrates how you can profit from the implementation solid engineering principles—regardless of whether you just play in your basement or you want to publicize and sell your devices.

Arduino is a brilliant prototyping platform that allows users to test and iterate design ideas. Imitation by other Arduino makers, hackers and engineers often proves your design’s popularity. Practical Arduino Engineering will teach you to follow the engineering process carefully; over time, you will be able to review and improve this process, and even extend its scope.

Practical Arduino Engineering is not purely theoretical. In addition, you’ll learn the process of hardware engineering as applicable to Arduino projects, and the importance of the process in each and every project presented in this book.

To set the stage, Practical Arduino Engineering begins by reviewing the Arduino software landscape, then shows how to set up an Arduino project for testing. Download Now »

Book Description

With iOS 5, Apple added more than 200 new features to the iPad 2, but there’s still no printed guide to using all its amazing capabilities. That’s where this full-color Missing Manual comes in. You’ll learn how to stuff your iPad with media, organize your personal life, wirelessly stream content to and from your tablet, stay connected to friends, and much more.

The important stuff you need to know:

• Build your media library. Fill your iPad with music, movies, TV shows, eBooks, eMagazines, photos, and more.
• Go wireless. Sync content between your computer and iPad—no wires needed.
• Get online. Connect through WiFi or Wi-Fi + 3G, and surf the Web using the iPad’s new tabbed browser.
• Consolidate email. Read and send messages from any of your email accounts.
• Get social. Use built-in apps like iMessage, Twitter, and Ping to stay in touch.
• Store stuff in iCloud. Stash your content online for free, and sync up all your devices automatically.
• Interact with your iPad. Learn new finger moves and undocumented tips, tricks, and shortcuts.

Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Get to Know Your iPad
Chapter 2. Interact with Your iPad
Chapter 3. Get Online
Chapter 4. Surf the Web Download Now »

Book Description

Performance of Web Services provides innovative techniques to improve the performance of Web Services, as well as QoS (Quality of Service) requirements. This includes Qos performance, reliability and security.

The author presents two levels of Web Services: the “kernel” (ithe SOAP engine which delivers messages from one point to another through various networks), and the “server side” (which processes heavy load / requests). The primary objective of this book is execution of applications delivered in a timely fashion.

Case studies and examples are provided throughout this book.

Table of Contents

• Introduction.
• Background.
• Benchmarking SOAP Bindings.
• The Use of Similarity & Multicast Protocols to Improve Performance.
• Network Traffic Optimisation.
• Scheduling for Heavy Traffic.
• Scheduling with Time Sharing.
• Conclusion.
• WSDL Specification for the Stock Quote Service.
• SMP Message Schema. Download Now »

Book Description

Eager to develop embedded systems? These systems don’t tolerate inefficiency, so you may need a more disciplined approach to programming. This easy-to-read book helps you cultivate a host of good development practices, based on classic software design patterns as well as new patterns unique to embedded programming. You not only learn system architecture, but also specific techniques for dealing with system constraints and manufacturing requirements.

Written by an expert who’s created embedded systems ranging from urban surveillance and DNA scanners to children’s toys, Making Embedded Systems is ideal for intermediate and experienced programmers, no matter what platform you use.

• Develop an architecture that makes your software robust and maintainable
• Understand how to make your code smaller, your processor seem faster, and your system use less power
• Learn how to explore sensors, motors, communications, and other I/O devices
• Explore tasks that are complicated on embedded systems, such as updating the software and using fixed point math to implement complex algorithms

Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 2 Creating a System Architecture
Chapter 3 Getting Your Hands on the Hardware Download Now »

Book Description

Diagnose and solve your PC problems with this easy-to-understand guideWritten by veteran For Dummies author Dan Gookin, this straightforward guide shows you how to diagnose and solve the most common hardware and software problems your PC may encounter. In addition, he presents advice for preventing PC problems in the first placeand clearly explains how to create a safe and secure PC environment.

• Walks you through ways to diagnose the most common PC hardware, software, and operating system problems
• Offers clear and easy-to-understand solutions for confidently handling these problems
• Shares valuable advice about maintaining your system to maximize its lifespan
• Reviews an array of useful tools
• Covers Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Internet Explorer 8

Troubleshooting & Maintaining Your PC All-in-One For Dummies, 2^nd Edition helps you to confidently handle whatever PC problems you may encounter.

From the Back Cover
PC on strike? Let Dan Gookin show you how to fix your PC problems — and prevent new ones!

Dan Gookin helps you get things back on track, and he shows you how different PC problems often have similar origins. He also guides you through proper maintenance steps that can head off future headaches. Discover what makes that magical machine tick and how to keep it happy! Download Now »