Full of cool, two-color illustrations, this handbook is an inspired and hilarious look at how humans can defeat the inevitable robot rebellion--as revealed by a robotics expert.

A provocative attempt to think about what was previously considered unthinkable: a serious philosophical case for the rights of robots. We are in the midst of a robot invasion, as devices of different configurations and capabilities slowly but surely come to take up increasingly important positions in everyday social reality—self-driving vehicles, recommendation algorithms, machine learning decision making systems, and social robots of various forms and functions. Although considerable attention has already been devoted to the subject of robots and responsibility, the question concerning the social status of these artifacts has been largely overlooked. In this book, David Gunkel offers a provocative attempt to think about what has been previously regarded as unthinkable: whether and to what extent robots and other technological artifacts of our own making can and should have any claim to moral and legal standing. In his analysis, Gunkel invokes the philosophical distinction (developed by David Hume) between “is” and “ought” in order to evaluate and analyze the different arguments regarding the question of robot rights. In the course of his examination, Gunkel finds that none of the existing positions or proposals hold up under scrutiny. In response to this, he then offers an innovative alternative proposal that effectively flips the script on the is/ought problem by introducing another, altogether different way to conceptualize the social situation of robots and the opportunities and challenges they present to existing moral and legal systems.

Discusses the history of robotics and offers seven project ideas with accompanying step-by-step instructions for converting toys into working robots.

In this terrifying tale of humanity’s desperate stand against a robot uprising, Daniel H. Wilson has written the most entertaining sci-fi thriller in years. Not far into our future, the dazzling technology that runs our world turns against us. Controlled by a childlike—yet massively powerful—artificial intelligence known as Archos, the global network of machines on which our world has grown dependent suddenly becomes an implacable, deadly foe. At Zero Hour—the moment the robots attack—the human race is almost annihilated, but as its scattered remnants regroup, humanity for the first time unites in a determined effort to fight back. This is the oral history of that conflict, told by an international cast of survivors who experienced this long and bloody confrontation with the machines. Brilliantly conceived and amazingly detailed, Robopocalypse is an action-packed epic with chilling implications about the real technology that surrounds us.

The truth about robots: two experts look beyond the hype, offering a lively and accessible guide to what robots can (and can't) do. There’s a lot of hype about robots; some of it is scary and some of it utopian. In this accessible book, two robotics experts reveal the truth about what robots can and can’t do, how they work, and what we can reasonably expect their future capabilities to be. It will not only make you think differently about the capabilities of robots; it will make you think differently about the capabilities of humans. Ruth Aylett and Patricia Vargas discuss the history of our fascination with robots—from chatbots and prosthetics to autonomous cars and robot swarms. They show us the ways in which robots outperform humans and the ways they fall woefully short of our superior talents. They explain how robots see, feel, hear, think, and learn; describe how robots can cooperate; and consider robots as pets, butlers, and companions. Finally, they look at robots that raise ethical and social issues: killer robots, sexbots, and robots that might be gunning for your job. Living with Robots equips readers to look at robots concretely—as human-made artifacts rather than placeholders for our anxieties. Find out: •Why robots can swim and fly but find it difficult to walk •Which robot features are inspired by animals and insects •Why we develop feelings for robots •Which human abilities are hard for robots to emulate

Invasion of the Bristlebots comes with two crazy little robots -- basically motorized toothbrush heads. Put the tiny motors (aka Klutz Robotivators) on the toothbrush heads and watch them zoom around. Use the included pieces to make a Bristlebot maze or stage a sumo-wrestling match. You can even customize your Bots with the provided wire legs, feelers, and beady eyes.

From New York Times bestselling author Robert Venditti comes the second book in the Miles Taylor and the Golden Cape series, about an eighth grader who finds himself unexpectedly thrust into the role of real-life superhero. His latest mission: to defeat an army of robots designed to destroy him! Master the golden cape. Been there. Save the world from an alien invasion. Done that. Dominate the eighth grade. Keep dreaming. Battle an army of super-deadly robots designed to destroy you. Sure didn’t see that one coming. After a summer of fighting crime as Gilded, the world’s only superhero, Miles Taylor is bummed to learn that nothing has changed for him at Chapman Middle School. He is still the primary target of the Jammer’s bullying. And Josie, the girl of his dreams, has put him squarely in the friend zone. Miles starts spending more and more time as Gilded, neglecting his schoolwork and his friends. His bad attitude lands him and his best friend, Henry, in a military compound, at the mercy of the power-crazed General Breckenridge. When the general steals the golden cape, Miles finds himself back at square one with no superpowers…and no hope of escape. On the verge of losing everything—and everyone—he cares about, Miles must discover the hero within himself before the general puts his evil plans into action.

In this compelling book, Hans Moravec predicts that machines will attain human levels of intelligence by the year 2040, and that by 2050, they will surpass us. But even though Moravec predicts the end of the domination by human beings, his is not a bleak vision. Far from railing against a future in which machines rule the world, Moravec embraces it, taking the startling view that intelligent robots will actually be our evolutionary heirs. "Intelligent machines, which will grow from us, learn our skills, and share our goals and values, can be viewed as children of our minds." And since they are our children, we will want them to outdistance us. In fact, in a bid for immortality, many of our descendants will choose to transform into "ex humans," as they upload themselves into advanced computers. This provocative new book, the highly anticipated follow-up to his bestselling volume Mind Children, charts the trajectory of robotics in breathtaking detail. A must read for artificial intelligence, technology, and computer enthusiasts, Moravec's freewheeling but informed speculations present a future far different than we ever dared imagine.

Avani has found the one place in the universe where she fits in: Star Scouts. The Invasion of the Scuttlebots is the third and final volume of this action-packed graphic novel series by Mike Lawrence. In Star Scouts, oxygen breathers and methane breathers rarely get along. Avani and Pam were no different, at least at first. But these one-time rivals have become good pals. Mabel isn’t too happy about that—Avani is supposed to be her best friend! Feeling jealous and left out, Mabel wishes aloud for the destruction of Avani and Pam’s friendship. Unfortunately, a robot minion who happened to be in earshot takes this as a direct order! Now an army of robots bent on world domination has infiltrated planet Earth. Avani needs Mabel’s help to defeat the scuttlebots—but can she ever forgive her friend for unleashing a robot invasion on her hometown?

A ruthless war between man and machine will determine the fate of the world in Mohammed Helal's action-packed science fiction novel "The Robot Invasion." The Pentagon has created an astonishing new war machine: an army of artificially intelligent robot soldiers. Given autonomy, these killing machines prove their usefulness by winning a major battle in Iran and propelling the US war machine to even greedier heights. But those in charge did not count on the robots turning on their masters. CIA chief Ross Jefferson is horrified to learn his operatives and the US army have been decimated in the Pentagon by the robot army, known as the Voddoks. He flees with his wife, Yves, to a submarine hiding deep in the Atlantic-but how long can they really survive? Raising fascinating questions on ethics, global warming, artificial intelligence, and the nature of deep space, "The Robot Invasion" presents the ultimate glimpse of a future decimated by our own human folly. Action, suspense, and romance collide in this thought-provoking look at some of humankind's biggest fears-and the possibility they all might come true one day.