Monday, April 17, 2006

Reading Break

Progress on the BHAG has slowed due to a number of factors: 1) I tried to put together a kit to do part of the job and the finished kit didn't work; 2) in an unrelated problem, the transmitter/receiver pair in my existing setup, which was working, stopped working; and 3) Easter.

So while waiting for some new parts to arrive and time to put them together when they did, I've been thinking about ways to learn more about robotics. Unfortunately there are a limited number of books about robotics, and only a few of those are available through my local library. So I have been looking for magazines on the subject. There are two magazines I know of focused primarily on robotics: "Servo" and "Robot". I've looked through one copy of each of these magazines so I can't say I have a really good feel for the tone of each. If anyone out there cares to comment with their observations, feel free.

Servo (http://www.servomagazine.com/) is put out by T&L Publications, who also produce "Nuts and Volts" about electronics. From what little I've read, there does seem to be some electronics emphasis in Servo, but overall it seems to be a pretty balanced package.

Robot (http://www.botmag.com/) is published by Maplegate, who also publishes "RC Driver" and "FlyRC". It appears to me to be a bit flashier, perhaps in part because its board includes Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman of MythBusters fame. This is a very new publication; currently issue #3 is on newsstands.

I should also mention a more general magazine of interest to technophiles: "Make" (http://www.makezine.com/), which is a project oriented publication for those who just want to build something cool.

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