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Books > Professional & Technical > Technology: general issues > History of engineering & technology

Invention and Innovation - A Brief History of Hype and Failure (Hardcover): Vaclav Smil Invention and Innovation - A Brief History of Hype and Failure (Hardcover)
Vaclav Smil
R450 R359 Discovery Miles 3 590 Save R91 (20%) Ships in 5 - 10 working days
First Man - The Life of Neil A. Armstrong (Paperback, Reissue ed.): James R. Hansen First Man - The Life of Neil A. Armstrong (Paperback, Reissue ed.)
James R. Hansen
R508 R432 Discovery Miles 4 320 Save R76 (15%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days
Chesapeake Bay Shipwrecks (Paperback): William B. Cogar Chesapeake Bay Shipwrecks (Paperback)
William B. Cogar
R632 R517 Discovery Miles 5 170 Save R115 (18%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days
The Train Book - The Definitive Visual History (Hardcover, 2nd edition): Dk The Train Book - The Definitive Visual History (Hardcover, 2nd edition)
Dk
R715 R571 Discovery Miles 5 710 Save R144 (20%) Ships in 5 - 10 working days

This stunning book is a glorious celebration of all things train and track! Packed with stunning photography, The Train Book catalogues the development of trains from early steam to diesel engines and electric locomotives, explores in detail iconic trains such as the Palace on Wheels and the Orient Express, and chronicles the social, political, and cultural backdrop against which railways were built the world over. Profiling the best-loved railways and rail journeys of all time - from the Union-Pacific Railroad to the Trans-Siberian Railway - and the pioneers of train and track - from "Father of the Railways" George Stephenson to engineering legend Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Métro-maestro Fulgence Bienvenüe, The Train Book has something for every train enthusiast to love! The Train Book further features: - A truly international view of trains through time, from English steam to Japanese electric. - Tells the stories of key innovators, designers, and engineers responsible for advancing rail travel. - Double-page images capture the beauty of the railways and the challenges faced by the people who built them. A must-have gift book for anyone with an interest in trains, locomotives, and the history of the railway, this one-stop train guide is sure to delight.

The Birth of Computer Vision (Paperback): James E. Dobson The Birth of Computer Vision (Paperback)
James E. Dobson
R654 Discovery Miles 6 540 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

A revealing genealogy of image-recognition techniques and technologies   Today’s most advanced neural networks and sophisticated image-analysis methods come from 1950s and ’60s Cold War culture—and many biases and ways of understanding the world from that era persist along with them. Aerial surveillance and reconnaissance shaped all of the technologies that we now refer to as computer vision, including facial recognition. The Birth of Computer Vision uncovers these histories and finds connections between the algorithms, people, and politics at the core of automating perception today. James E. Dobson reveals how new forms of computerized surveillance systems, high-tech policing, and automated decision-making systems have become entangled, functioning together as a new technological apparatus of social control. Tracing the development of a series of important computer-vision algorithms, he uncovers the ideas, worrisome military origins, and lingering goals reproduced within the code and the products based on it, examining how they became linked to one another and repurposed for domestic and commercial uses. Dobson includes analysis of the Shakey Project, which produced the first semi-autonomous robot, and the impact of student protest in the early 1970s at Stanford University, as well as recovering the computer vision–related aspects of Frank Rosenblatt’s Perceptron as the crucial link between machine learning and computer vision. Motivated by the ongoing use of these major algorithms and methods, The Birth of Computer Vision chronicles the foundations of computer vision and artificial intelligence, its major transformations, and the questionable legacy of its origins. Cover alt text: Two overlapping circles in cream and violet, with black background. Top is a printed circuit with camera eye; below a person at a 1977 computer.

Cooke and Wheatstone - And the Invention of the Electric Telegraph (Hardcover): Geoffrey Hubbard Cooke and Wheatstone - And the Invention of the Electric Telegraph (Hardcover)
Geoffrey Hubbard
R5,084 Discovery Miles 50 840 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Originally published in 1965. Charles Wheatstone collaborated with William Cooke in the invention and early exploitation of the Electric Telegraph. This was the first long distance, faster-than-a-horse messenger. This volume gives an account of the earlier work on which the English invention was founded, and the curious route by which it came to England. It discusses the way in which two such antagonistic men were driven into collaboration and sets out the history of the early telegraph lines, including work on the London and Birmingham Railway and the Great Western Railway.

The Perfection of the Paper Clip - Curious Tales of Invention, Accidental Genius, and Stationery Obsession (Paperback): James... The Perfection of the Paper Clip - Curious Tales of Invention, Accidental Genius, and Stationery Obsession (Paperback)
James Ward
R521 R432 Discovery Miles 4 320 Save R89 (17%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days
The Lost Boys of Montauk - The True Story of the Wind Blown, Four Men Who Vanished at Sea, and the Survivors They Left Behind... The Lost Boys of Montauk - The True Story of the Wind Blown, Four Men Who Vanished at Sea, and the Survivors They Left Behind (Paperback)
Amanda M. Fairbanks
R505 R386 Discovery Miles 3 860 Save R119 (24%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

An immersive account of a tragedy at sea whose repercussions haunt its survivors to this day, lauded by New York Times bestselling author Ron Suskind as "an honest and touching book, and a hell of a story." In March of 1984, the commercial fishing boat Wind Blown left Montauk Harbor on what should have been a routine offshore voyage. Its captain, a married father of three young boys, was the boat's owner and leader of the four-man crew, which included two locals and the blue-blooded son of a well-to-do summer family. After a week at sea, the weather suddenly turned, and the foursome collided with a nor'easter. They soon found themselves in the fight of their lives. Tragically, it was a fight they lost. Neither the boat nor the bodies of the men were ever recovered. The downing of the Wind Blown has since become interwoven with the local folklore of the East End's year-round population. Its tragic fate will never be forgotten. In this "riveting man-vs.-nature story and compelling tribute to those who perished" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), journalist Amanda M. Fairbanks seeks out the reasons why an event more than three decades old remains so startlingly vivid in people's minds. She explores the ways in which deep, lasting grief can alter people's memories. And she shines a light on the powerful and sometimes painful dynamics between fathers and sons, as well as the secrets that can haunt families from beyond the grave.

Minuteman - A Technical History of the Missile That Defined American Nuclear Warfare (Hardcover): David Stumpf Minuteman - A Technical History of the Missile That Defined American Nuclear Warfare (Hardcover)
David Stumpf; Foreword by Jay W Kelley
R1,405 R1,143 Discovery Miles 11 430 Save R262 (19%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Minuteman: A Technical History of the Missile That Defined American Nuclear Warfare is a detailed history of the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile program, which has served as a powerful component of US nuclear strategies for over half a century. David K. Stumpf examines breakthroughs in solid propellant, lightweight inertial guidance systems and lightweight reentry vehicle development, the construction of over a thousand launch and launch control facilities, and key flight test and operational flight programs, and places the Minuteman program in context with world events.

The Secret of Life - Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick, and the Discovery of DNA's Double Helix (Paperback):... The Secret of Life - Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick, and the Discovery of DNA's Double Helix (Paperback)
Howard Markel
R552 R454 Discovery Miles 4 540 Save R98 (18%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Biologist James Watson and physicist Francis Crick’s 1953 revelation about the double helix structure of DNA is the foundation of virtually every advance in our modern understanding of genetics and molecular biology. But how did Watson and Crick do it—and why were they the ones who succeeded? In truth, the discovery of DNA’s structure is the story of a race among five scientists for advancement, fame and immortality: Watson, Crick, Rosalind Franklin, Maurice Wilkins and Linus Pauling. They were fascinating and brilliant, with strong personalities that often clashed. But it is Rosalind Franklin who becomes a focal point for Howard Markel. The Secret of Life is a story of genius and perseverance but also a saga of cronyism, misogyny, anti-Semitism and misconduct. Markel brilliantly recounts the intense intellectual journey—and the fraught personal relationships—that resulted in the discovery of DNA.

The Forth Bridge - A Picture History (Paperback): Sheila Mackay The Forth Bridge - A Picture History (Paperback)
Sheila Mackay
R480 R439 Discovery Miles 4 390 Save R41 (9%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

At the time of its construction, the Forth Bridge was the largest bridge in the world, and to this day it remains a breathtaking monument to the vision and confidence of the Victorian age which created it. For seven years, thousands of men from all over Europe worked beneath the waters of the Forth and hundreds of feet in the sky on what was widely regarded as the eighth wonder of the modern world. Sheila Mackay vividly recounts the story of the bridge from its inception to the opening ceremony in 1890. Featuring more than a hundred archive photographs which detail every stage of the project, this book is a magnificent celebration of one of humankind’s most impressive engineering achievements.

Land Drainage and Irrigation (Hardcover, New Ed): Salvatore Ciriacono Land Drainage and Irrigation (Hardcover, New Ed)
Salvatore Ciriacono
R5,997 Discovery Miles 59 970 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Man's control over the elements of land and water for the purposes of agriculture was fundamental to the development of civilisations in the past, and remains so today. This volume deals with the processes of irrigation, and land drainage and reclamation, and illustrates the variety of technological and engineering solutions in a wide chronological and geographical perspective. The sophistication of many pre-modern systems is clear, as is the impact of modern technologies. Important points that emerge are that there was no steady or linear progression in techniques across time - instances of the transfer of ideas are balanced by cases of independent development - and that the correlations between irrigation systems and social structures demand more complex explanations than often proposed.

The Pre-Industrial Cities and Technology Reader (Hardcover): Colin Chant The Pre-Industrial Cities and Technology Reader (Hardcover)
Colin Chant
R5,245 Discovery Miles 52 450 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The Pre-Industrial Cities Reader is designed to be used on its own or as a companion volume to the accompanying Pre-Industrial Cities: Open University textbook, in the same series. Compiled as a reference source for students, this reader is divided into three main sections, presenting key readings on: Ancient Cities, Medieval and Early Modern Cities, and Pre-Industrial Cities in China and Africa. Among the technologies discussed are: agricaultural innovations such as the heavy plough, water transport, the medieval road revolution, the first urban public transport, aqueducts, building materials such as brick and Roman concrete, weaponry and fortifications, water clocks, street lighting, and fire-fighting. Among the cities covered are: Uruk, Babylon, Thebes, Athens, Rome, Constantinople, Baghdad, Siena, Florence, Antwerp, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Mexico City, Hangzhou, Beijing and Hankou.

Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology (Paperback, New Ed): Lance Day, Ian McNeil Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology (Paperback, New Ed)
Lance Day, Ian McNeil
R3,849 Discovery Miles 38 490 Ships in 12 - 17 working days


This Biographical Dictionary seeks to put the world of technology in the context of those who have made the most important contribution to it.
For the first time information has been gathered on the people who have made the most significant advances in technology. From ancient times to the present day, the major inventors, discoverers and entrepreneurs from around the world are profiled, and their contribution to society explained and assessed.

Structure
The Dictionary presents descriptive and analytical biographies of its subjects in alphabetical order for ease of reference. Each entry provides detailed information on the individual's life, work and relevance to their particular field.
* in the first part of the entry, the information will include the dates and places of the subject's birth and death, together with their nationality and their field of activity
* in the main body of the entry there follows an account of their principal achievements and their significance in the history of technology, along with full details of appointments and honours
* finally an annotated bibliography will direct the reader to the subject's principal writings and publications and to the most important secondary works which the reader can consult for further information.

Special Features:

* The first work in existence to examine technologists in detail
* Contains over 1,500 entries giving detailed information
* Extensive cross-references enable the reader to compare subjects and build up a picture of technological advance^ * Figures drawn from fields such as Aeronautics, Telecommunications, Architecture, Photography and Textiles

eBook available with sample pages: 0203028295

The Last Years of the General - London Buses, 1930-33 (Hardcover): Ken Glazier The Last Years of the General - London Buses, 1930-33 (Hardcover)
Ken Glazier
R579 Discovery Miles 5 790 Ships in 12 - 17 working days
The Technical Development of Roads in Britain (Paperback): Graham West The Technical Development of Roads in Britain (Paperback)
Graham West
R947 Discovery Miles 9 470 Ships in 9 - 15 working days

This title was first published in 2003. The history of roads in Great Britain has not been one of steady development, but rather, one that has waxed and waned in response to social, military and economic needs, and also as to whether there have been alternative methods of transport available. Paralleling this, the technical aspects of road construction - with the one great exception of Roman roads - can be seen as a fitful progression of improvement followed by neglect as the roadmaker has responded, albeit tardily on occasion, to the needs of the road user. This text describes the technical development of British roads in relation to the needs of the time, and thereby touches upon its relation to the history of the country more generally.

Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology (Hardcover, Annotated Ed): Lance Day, Ian McNeil Biographical Dictionary of the History of Technology (Hardcover, Annotated Ed)
Lance Day, Ian McNeil
R6,354 Discovery Miles 63 540 Ships in 12 - 17 working days




eBook available with sample pages: PD:0415193990

Guide to Electro-Motive E and F Units (Paperback): Jeff Wilson Guide to Electro-Motive E and F Units (Paperback)
Jeff Wilson
R766 R645 Discovery Miles 6 450 Save R121 (16%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days
Auto-Opium - A Social History of American Automobile Design (Hardcover, Enlarged): David Gartman Auto-Opium - A Social History of American Automobile Design (Hardcover, Enlarged)
David Gartman
R3,913 Discovery Miles 39 130 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The automobile continues to be the privileged product of the culture of mass consumption, yet there has been little scholarly attention to what concerns consumers most-- the appearance of cars. "Auto-Opium" is the first comprehensive history of the profession and aesthetics of American automobile design. David Gartman reveals how the appearance of vehicles became an integral part of the system of mass production and mass consumption forged in the struggles of American society.
The book traces the development of automobile design, from the first utilitarian cars around the turn of the century to the most modern of symbol-laden cultural icons. The author shows that the aesthetic qualities of vehicles were shaped by the social conflicts generated by the process of mass production. These conflicts became channeled into the realm of mass consumption, where working Americans demanded beautiful, stylish, and constantly improving cars to compensate them for the deprivations of mass production. Combining a unique blend of business, social, and cultural history, "Auto-Opium" connects the social struggles of designers within firms and the marketplace struggles between auto firms.

Tremors in the Blood - Murder, Obsession and the Birth of the Lie Detector (Hardcover): Amit Katwala Tremors in the Blood - Murder, Obsession and the Birth of the Lie Detector (Hardcover)
Amit Katwala
R468 Discovery Miles 4 680 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

'A wonderful book' - Guardian Truth, murder and the birth of the lie detector Henry Wilkens burst through the doors of the emergency room covered in his wife's blood. But was he a grieving husband, or a ruthless killer who'd conspired with bandits to have her murdered? To find out, the San Francisco police turned to technology, and a new machine that had just been invented in Berkeley by a rookie detective, a visionary police chief, and a teenage magician with a showman's touch. John Larson, Gus Vollmer and Leonarde Keeler hoped the lie detector would make the justice system fairer - but the flawed device soon grew too powerful for them to control. It poisoned their lives, turned fast friends into bitter enemies, and as it conquered America and the world, it transformed our relationship with the truth in ways that are still being felt. As new forms of lie detection gain momentum in the present day, Tremors in the Blood reveals the incredible truth behind the creation of the polygraph, through gripping true crime cases featuring explosive gunfights, shocking twists and high-stakes courtroom drama. Touching on psychology, technology and the science of the truth, Tremors in the Blood is a vibrant, atmospheric thriller, and a warning from history: be careful what you believe.

My Life at Apple - And the Steve I Knew (Hardcover): John Couch My Life at Apple - And the Steve I Knew (Hardcover)
John Couch; Contributions by Jason Towne
R522 Discovery Miles 5 220 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

In 1978, John Couch was working as a software engineer at Hewlett-Packard when a young, ambitious entrepreneur named Steve Jobs unexpectedly showed up on his doorstep. It was Steve's second time trying to persuade John to join him at his promising startup, Apple Computer, where he needed help building a "revolutionary computer." John was one of UC Berkeley's first fifty computer science graduates and a leader at HP, working under the tutelage of its iconic founder, Bill Hewlett, so Steve knew he was one of the few people in the world capable of achieving such a task. He was thrilled when John agreed to help, becoming Apple's 54th employee and, ultimately, its first VP of Software and first VP of Education. Over time, John and Steve's business relationship would grow into an unbreakable, decades-long friendship.

Video Recording Technology - Its Impact on Media and Home Entertainment (Hardcover): Aaron Foisi Nmungwun Video Recording Technology - Its Impact on Media and Home Entertainment (Hardcover)
Aaron Foisi Nmungwun
R3,928 Discovery Miles 39 280 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Video recording has recently become an important phenomenon. Although the majority of American homes have at least one video recording set, not much is known about video recording's past and about its continual effect on affiliated industries. This text documents the history of magnetic recording, stressing its importance in consumer as well as commercial applications from the advent of magnetism through the invention of such new technologies as Digital Audio Tape (DAT), High Definition Television (HDTV), and a multitude of sophisicated Digital Video Cassette Recorders.

Railway Nation - Tales of Canadian Pacific, the Worlds Greatest Travel System (Paperback): David Laurence Jones Railway Nation - Tales of Canadian Pacific, the Worlds Greatest Travel System (Paperback)
David Laurence Jones
R977 R811 Discovery Miles 8 110 Save R166 (17%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days
Technological Change and the Evolution of Corporate Innovation - The Structure of Patenting 1890-1990 (Hardcover): Birgitte... Technological Change and the Evolution of Corporate Innovation - The Structure of Patenting 1890-1990 (Hardcover)
Birgitte Andersen
R3,310 Discovery Miles 33 100 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

This book represents an original study of long term patterns in technological development and innovation in large corporations. The author is primarily concerned with understanding open-ended transformation processes in the evolution of industrialised societies. US patent data from 1890 to 1990 is employed within an evolutionary framework. The book offers an overview of an intellectual agenda associated with a highly important and pervasive set of phenomena and challenges several dogmas currently alive within economic reasoning including: * technological paradigms governing trajectories of opportunity * the S-shaped image of the technological growth cycle and technological dynamics * long waves * industrial dynamics * the variety of firms' technological profiles and corporate trajectories * corporate technological leadership * socio-economic transformation processes and underpinning 'rules'. Technological Change and the Evolution of Corporate Innovation details historically how the innovative and competitive landscapes within industrialised societies have become increasingly complex. This book will appeal to industrial and business economists, technology historians, researchers, students, policymakers and business analysts.

Truth, Lies and O-Rings - Inside the Space Shuttle 'Challenger' Disaster (Paperback): Allan J. McDonald, James R.... Truth, Lies and O-Rings - Inside the Space Shuttle 'Challenger' Disaster (Paperback)
Allan J. McDonald, James R. Hansen
R875 R741 Discovery Miles 7 410 Save R134 (15%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

What they didn't want you to know

"We all watched in shock and disbelief when "Challenger "was lost. Probably no one felt more disappointment and regret than Allan McDonald, who had warned us not to launch that day. His story tells of loss, grief, and the eventual rebuilding and recovery."--Robert "Hoot" Gibson, former Space Shuttle pilot and commander

"A major contribution to a difficult episode in the history of human spaceflight."--Roger D. Launius, Division of Space History, Smithsonian Institution

"McDonald tells the heartbreaking tale of how he saw his words of warning ignored, and the fateful consequences of that decision."--Donald C. Elder III, Eastern New Mexico University

On a cold January morning in 1986, NASA launched the Space Shuttle "Challenger," despite warnings against doing so by many individuals, including Allan McDonald. The fiery destruction of "Challenger" on live television moments after launch remains an indelible image in the nation's collective memory.

In "Truth, Lies, and O-Rings," McDonald, a skilled engineer and executive, relives the tragedy from where he stood at Launch Control Center. As he fought to draw attention to the real reasons behind the disaster, he was the only one targeted for retribution by both NASA and his employer, Morton Thiokol, Inc., makers of the shuttle's solid rocket boosters. In this whistle-blowing yet rigorous and fair-minded book, McDonald, with the assistance of internationally distinguished aerospace historian James R. Hansen, addresses "all" of the factors that led to the accident, some of which were never included in NASA's Failure Team report submitted to the Presidential Commission.

"Truth, Lies, and O-Rings" is the first look at the "Challenger" tragedy and its aftermath from someone who was on the inside, recognized the potential disaster, and tried to prevent it. It also addresses the early warnings of very severe debris issues from the first two post-"Challenger" flights, which ultimately resulted in the loss of "Columbia" some fifteen years later.

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