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How to Build a Robot Army: Tips on Defending Planet Earth Against Alien Invaders, Ninjas, and Zombies
It goes without saying that robots kill. They hunt, swarm, and fire lasers from their eyes. They even beat humans at chess. So who better to stand with us when the real villains arrive?
Movies instruct us that, whether we like it or not, we will one day be under siege by pirates, ninjas, zombies, aliens, and Godzilla. Also great white sharks. And-let's face it-we're not prepared. But with the advice contained in this brilliantly illustrated, ingenious book, you can build your own robot army to fend off hordes of bloodthirsty foes. From common-sense injunctions ("never approach an unfamiliar robot in a militarized zone") to tactical pointers ("low-power radar beats cameras for detecting mummies in a fog-shrouded crypt") to engineering advice ("passive-dynamic exoskeleton suits will increase sprint speeds but not leg strength"), this book contains all the wisdom you'll need to fend off the coming apocalypse.
Witty, informative, and utterly original, How to Build a Robot Army is the ideal book for readers of any age.
Movies instruct us that, whether we like it or not, we will one day be under siege by pirates, ninjas, zombies, aliens, and Godzilla. Also great white sharks. And-let's face it-we're not prepared. But with the advice contained in this brilliantly illustrated, ingenious book, you can build your own robot army to fend off hordes of bloodthirsty foes. From common-sense injunctions ("never approach an unfamiliar robot in a militarized zone") to tactical pointers ("low-power radar beats cameras for detecting mummies in a fog-shrouded crypt") to engineering advice ("passive-dynamic exoskeleton suits will increase sprint speeds but not leg strength"), this book contains all the wisdom you'll need to fend off the coming apocalypse.
Witty, informative, and utterly original, How to Build a Robot Army is the ideal book for readers of any age.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Daniel H. Wilson
116 books1,916 followersA Cherokee citizen, Daniel H. Wilson grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He earned a Ph.D. in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He lives in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 19, 2019
Perhaps because i do not harbour a fear of zombie invasion ( the zombies are already running things) and im more curious than afraid of aliens with no interest in vampires, but despite its too cleverness and discordent humour, this book failed to excite me. Probably my pacifism has something to do with it. How to turn my hair drier into a fancy weapon? I dont want to know.
The military colour scheme might be appropriate for the theme but it gave the book a grungy comic book feel without the sass and zest. DHW takes himself and his subject very seriously.
In my system? This would be a 3 of 7. I'm being generous with my gr assessment and bumping up to a three
The military colour scheme might be appropriate for the theme but it gave the book a grungy comic book feel without the sass and zest. DHW takes himself and his subject very seriously.
In my system? This would be a 3 of 7. I'm being generous with my gr assessment and bumping up to a three
February 6, 2009
"shark versus robot, may the best predator win
someday sharks and shark-robots will meet in battle and duel to the death. here are some strategies for when that day comes:"
and let me tell you, those were some good strategies. this book is filled with little pearls of wisdom about harnessing the innate, unstoppable killing power of robots and using them to defend the human race. includes tips on facing ninjas, zombie hordes, aliens, extinction level event-sized asteroids, even pirates, "aim for the eyepatch. they'll never see it coming," and is a great read for:
people who fear zombies
people who like robots
people who fear robots
it's clever, funny and good-looking thanks to richard horne's illustrations and diagrams all worked out in a very eyecatching black, grey, green color scheme. i especially enjoy the love-my-robot icon near the back of the book. it shows you how to trick out your roomba for killing, the best living arrangements for you and your fembot and how to effectively command your robot troops in battle.
"work out a priority structure and emphasize commands with priority levels [instead of shouting or emotion], e.g., 'find my severed arm, priority red.'"
this book is very fun and very cool. give this as a gift along with a build-your-own raptor kit from Brainiac Kid Store and you'll forever go down as the raddest gift giver in history.
someday sharks and shark-robots will meet in battle and duel to the death. here are some strategies for when that day comes:"
and let me tell you, those were some good strategies. this book is filled with little pearls of wisdom about harnessing the innate, unstoppable killing power of robots and using them to defend the human race. includes tips on facing ninjas, zombie hordes, aliens, extinction level event-sized asteroids, even pirates, "aim for the eyepatch. they'll never see it coming," and is a great read for:
people who fear zombies
people who like robots
people who fear robots
it's clever, funny and good-looking thanks to richard horne's illustrations and diagrams all worked out in a very eyecatching black, grey, green color scheme. i especially enjoy the love-my-robot icon near the back of the book. it shows you how to trick out your roomba for killing, the best living arrangements for you and your fembot and how to effectively command your robot troops in battle.
"work out a priority structure and emphasize commands with priority levels [instead of shouting or emotion], e.g., 'find my severed arm, priority red.'"
this book is very fun and very cool. give this as a gift along with a build-your-own raptor kit from Brainiac Kid Store and you'll forever go down as the raddest gift giver in history.
October 23, 2023
eponymous sentence:
p47: Put on your thinking cap and a Kevlar vest; it is time to learn how to build a robot army.
It recycled a bit from the previous book at the onset but has more than enough original content. Same brand of whimsy. Too bad I don't have--and consequently haven't read--HtSaRU (2005).
p47: Put on your thinking cap and a Kevlar vest; it is time to learn how to build a robot army.
It recycled a bit from the previous book at the onset but has more than enough original content. Same brand of whimsy. Too bad I don't have--and consequently haven't read--HtSaRU (2005).
January 13, 2011
This book is ment to be a humorous book. In it the author describes how to build an army of robots. He tells you different kinds of robots to make, like micro-robots, humaniod robots, robot pets, and many others. Then he tells you what you can use each robot for and how to train them. An example would be how to deploy robot bugs. Another big topic the author talks about is robotic exoskeletons. It is like elctronic armor that can give you extra strength and speed. Once you make it through the basics of robots then you can get on to how to use them to protect planet earth. It goes through differnt strategies on how to defeat enemies that threaten the human race, like alien invaders, vampires, Godzilla, werewolves, ninjas, pirates, mummies, and zombies. After reading this book and with the right technology you can defeat any of the threats and much more.
November 6, 2011
Are you worried about alien, vampire, or zombie attacks? Well, pick up the book How to Build a Robot Army for the perfect solution. Daniel H. Wilson, who has a Ph.D. in robotics, has written a guide for building your own robot army to defend yourself from monstrous attacks. This is a completely scientific and factual guide to robots that have been thought up in the scientific and entertainment communities and how you can modify them for defensive purposes. For example, Wilson states that CMU Nano Robotics Laboratory have developed STRIDE, or Surface Tension Robot Insect Dynamic Explorer. This robot prototype has 12 legs, weighs a quarter of an ounce, and has the ability to skate across water like the waterstrider bug. Wilson suggests that in the time of a monster attack, you can use these robotic bugs to attack in swarms, relay information, or as a distraction.
February 5, 2013
REVIEW: I felt this book was very interesting and had some really cool fact about robots and how they could be used. For instance it say how robot can be swallow liked pills and perform surgery in the future so it's less painful. Even though this book was good and had some very good facts it wasn't really my taste so I wouldn't recommend it. This book was being told by the author. I feel even though I didn't like this book many people would love to read it for instance people who are interested in the future and robotics I feel would enjoy it . I choose to write a review on this book because even though i didn't like it i learned the most from this book and i felt it was the best none fiction book I read this year over all.
December 13, 2014
A great introduction to current robot technology and research -- also a handy guide for weaponizing your Roomba. The book contains lots of helpful hints for communicating with robots. For instance, because robots have difficulty interpreting emotion, author Daniel Wilson recommends establishing priority rankings ("eg - Find my severed arm. Priority code red.")
Wilson's writing is witty and highly readable, with short, simple definitions and a great one-liner on almost every page. And I love Richard Horne's illustrations, which include tin dog K-9 on page 14 or so.
Wilson's writing is witty and highly readable, with short, simple definitions and a great one-liner on almost every page. And I love Richard Horne's illustrations, which include tin dog K-9 on page 14 or so.
November 21, 2015
This book reminded me a
LOT
of Max Brooks' The Zombie Survival Guide in its wit and style of instruction. The illustrations were darling and very amusing to boot.
The references still feel current even if a tiny bit dated, but the book was very informative. My only criticism was that it took the reader to be a certain kind of mechanically-minded person and failed to clarify some of its terms. Also, it lacked the practical element of Max Brooks' book in that it didn't include instructions on how to do things. I think that would have made it a truly killer read.
The references still feel current even if a tiny bit dated, but the book was very informative. My only criticism was that it took the reader to be a certain kind of mechanically-minded person and failed to clarify some of its terms. Also, it lacked the practical element of Max Brooks' book in that it didn't include instructions on how to do things. I think that would have made it a truly killer read.
April 29, 2009
Come on, Humans, stop kidding yourselves. You know that the robots are growing in strength. The confrontation is inevitable. You are unprepared! Buy this book or die. You pathetic bag of water.
Recommended by Beth, Powells.com
http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=15...
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Recommended by Beth, Powells.com
http://www.powells.com/biblio?isbn=15...
Have you read this book? Add your own review for this or any other book to our website and enter for the chance to win a $20 gift certificate.
October 17, 2011
Wacky and fun. This little faux manual, complete with shiny cover and page edges, contains "tips on defending planet Earth against alien invaders, ninjas, and zombies." And yes, Daniel Wilson really does hold a PhD from the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University. There's a surprisingly large amount of actual scientific/technical information hidden in these ridiculous scenarios, and overall I had a blast reading through it. Pick anywhere to start! Read it aloud to your friends!
April 21, 2009
The future is gonna be robo-tastic!
That is, unless you are a ninja, zombie, werewolf, shark or vampire. Interesting intro to basic robotics and fun exploration of possible robot/villain scenarios. Put it in your emergency kit with pages earmarked for easy to find notes on preparing your domestic robot for savage slicing and dismemberment!
That is, unless you are a ninja, zombie, werewolf, shark or vampire. Interesting intro to basic robotics and fun exploration of possible robot/villain scenarios. Put it in your emergency kit with pages earmarked for easy to find notes on preparing your domestic robot for savage slicing and dismemberment!
August 11, 2008
This book was really good, not quite fiction, not quite serious manual on robotics, it's a quick little read that could get a kid interested in robotics. The only downside is the three page chapter on 'fem-bots' where the author let's his chauvinism show through; cut out the reference to Love Dolls and you'd have a five star book.
January 27, 2009
Not as good as the one about surviving the robot menace. For some reason, working with robots doesn't seem as important of a skill. Still, there were a couple of tips about surviving werewolves and the like that were helpful. Also vampires. Who knew robots would have such a hard time fighting vampires?
August 25, 2014
A somewhat entertaining book about how to use robots to defend yourself against various (possibly fictional) enemies. It was a decent read and funny at times, but I was still left wondering how I was going to get the money to buy these robots or the knowledge to figure out how to reprogram them with my computer. :)
February 5, 2012
Because of this book I was successfully able to defend earth against the onslaught of aliens that have plagued my daily life. Your welcome by the way. I would have rated it higher but having my robotic vacuum kitted out with knives has not been a pleasant experience. But, hey it was helpful. Although my robotic vacuum is giving me odd looks now. Also dead aliens smell bad.
March 3, 2016
Its entertaining and the artwork is fun. Ultimately, the author's humor becomes tiresome and the reader yearns for a more straight forward non-fiction presentation about the fascinating subject of robotics. His earlier books---"How to Survive a Robot Uprising" and "Where's My Jetpack"---fluidly uses a combination of humor and information. This book does it less so.
April 9, 2008
Awesome book.
Read it.
It's partially funny. Well, to me.
I used it against my teacher.
Then he said he had a book called How to be a Villain...
Not so good for me, is it!?
5/5 book. Yeah, I 5/5 it. Want'a fight abouwt it?!
Read it.
It's partially funny. Well, to me.
I used it against my teacher.
Then he said he had a book called How to be a Villain...
Not so good for me, is it!?
5/5 book. Yeah, I 5/5 it. Want'a fight abouwt it?!
May 6, 2014
Well I knew what I was getting myself into when I checked this book out, it's a silly little book that explains how robots can be convertible assets to help mitigate apocalyptic disasters.
yeah...so...it was that, very farcical, funny in some spots, generally passable on the whole.
yeah...so...it was that, very farcical, funny in some spots, generally passable on the whole.
January 7, 2015
This book is exactly what you expect: nerdy and silly and I loved it. It will not win any literary awards but it does make a great gift to nerds in your life.
If you are plotting world domination via robots then this is the book for you.
Bonus: the pictures are silly too!
If you are plotting world domination via robots then this is the book for you.
Bonus: the pictures are silly too!
Want to read
January 3, 2008Daniel H. Wilson is hilarious and absurdly smart. Not to mention very, very attractive (in that nerdy hipster way).
February 11, 2008
Not only entertaining and educational - it could save your life!
Now, where's my killer Rhombusbot?
Now, where's my killer Rhombusbot?
January 26, 2008
A present from Travis :)
June 10, 2008
A fun read, but ultimately too light on real information. Doesn't go in depth enough. Sacrifices substance for style.
March 12, 2008
It's an essay about the state of commercial robotics padded out with illustrations and a few joke.
I think I'd recommend this book for kids, but it's a bit bloody for parents.
I think I'd recommend this book for kids, but it's a bit bloody for parents.
April 2, 2008
resourceful and useful. though i felt he didn't fully address how to avoid a cylon invasion, as in battlestar galactica...in fact i felt the book was almost a pre-curser to that story...
November 30, 2009
Wilson is a wonderful writer. Fantastic with characters. This is way better than WORLD WAR Z.
July 22, 2010
A fun informative read. I'm now ready for the next zombie uprising.
March 21, 2014
Very amusing.
September 30, 2010
It was ok. couple of funny parts
July 28, 2011
It was a super fast skim - not my thing at all. I have no idea who the audience for this book is, but it certainly isn't me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews