Through the use of a fictional story, this book details how to build and design robots. Max, the story's main character, is part of an archaeological expedition investigating a newly discovered Mayan pyramid. During the expedition, the team encounters various problems, each solved with the help of a unique robot that Max creates using the Lego Mindstorms NXT kit. Although the book reveals possible robotic solutions and offers detailed information on how to build and program each robot, readers are encouraged to come up with their own. The book includes complete building theory information and provides worksheets for brainstorming.

Printing in Plastic: Build Your Own 3D Printer is your gateway into the exciting world of personal fabrication. The printer that you'll build from this book is a personal fabricator capable of creating small parts and other objects from drops of molten plastic. Design a part using a modeling tool such as Google SketchUp. Then, watch while the fabricator headsweeps back and forth and upwards, depositingplastic in all the right places.You can build anything from a replacement tab to hold a bookshelf in place, to a small art project, to a bashguard for your bicycle. If you can conceive it and design it, you can build it, and you'll have fun doing it Printing in Plastic is aimed at creative people comfortable using power tools such as a table saw, circular saw, and drill press. Authors James Kelly and Patrick Hood-Daniel lead you through building a personal fabrication machine based upon a set of blueprints downloaded from their website.Example projects get you started in designing and fabricating your own parts. Bring your handyman skills, andapply patience during the build process. You too can be the proud owner of a personal fabricatora three-dimensional printer. Leads you through building a personal fabrication machine capable of creating small parts and objects from plastic Provides example projects to get you started on the road to designing and fabricating your own parts Provides an excellent parent/child, or small group project What you'll learn How to assemble your own 3D printer The ins and outs ofdesign software How to design and produce three-dimensional parts made from plastic How to replace small plastic parts in household objects How to create art objects Who this book is for

Printing in Plastic is aimed at creative people comfortable using power tools, such as a table saw, circular saw, drill press, and so forth. The book is aimed at those who want to create and fabricate tangible objects from plastic. Crafters, carpenters, electronics hobbyists, and others comfortable working with their hands will find the instructions easy to follow and the projects rewarding. Table of Contents What to Expect Hardware and Tools Tips & Advice Cutting the Parts I Cutting the Parts II Advanced Cuts and Drilling I Advanced Cuts and Drilling II Advanced Cuts and Drilling III Advanced Cuts and Drilling IV Beginning Assembly Sub-Assembly Work Adding Structure Motors and Movement The Extruder The Filament Feeding Mechanism Mounting Electronics Final Assembly Check Software I Software II Trial Run I Trial Run II Self-Replication Troubleshooting

Follow the adventures of Evan and his archaeologist uncle as they explore for treasure from an ancient kingdom. Help them succeed by building a series of five robots using LEGO's popular MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 robotics kit. Without your robots, Evan and his uncle are doomed to failure and in grave danger. Your robots are the key to their success in unlocking the secret of The King's Treasure

In this sequel to the immensely popular book, LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT: The Mayan Adventure, you get both an engaging story and a personal tutorial on robotics programming. You'll learn about the motors and sensors in your NXT 2.0 kit. You'll learn to constructively brainstorm solutions to problems. And you'll follow clear, photo-illustrated instructions that help you build, test, and operate a series of five robots corresponding to the five challenges Evan and his uncle must overcome in their search for lost treasure.Provides an excellent series of parent/child projects Builds creative and problem-solving skills Lays a foundation for success and fun with LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0

Please note: the print version of this title is black & white; the eBook is full color. What you'll learn Build working robots using the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 kit Constructively brainstorm solutions to challenging problems Troubleshoot when your robots do not work as you expect Design with a repeatable method, not randomly Document your designs using the Design Journal Worksheet Program your robots using the NXT-G graphical programming language Who this book is for

LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0: The King's Treasure is written for children ages 10 and up who want to learn to design, build, and operate robots using LEGO's immensely popular MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 robotics kit. The book leads readers through a series of five projects centered on an engaging story line. It can be read by kids alone, or it can provide the spark for a wonderful series of parent/child activities. Teachers and FIRST LEGO League leaders can use the book teach NXT 2.0 programming, and will find complete instructions for building five sample robots and creating five programs. Table of Contents Turns and Tricks MazerunnerPlanning and Design MazeBotBuild It MazeRunnerProgram It Swing and Switch RopeSwingerDesign and Planning RopeSwingerBuild It RopeSwingerProgram It Hook and Pull RingTosserDesign and Planning RingTosserBuild It RingTosserProgram It Rock and Roll RampRiderDesign and Planning RampRiderBuild It RampRiderProgram It Grab and Release ZipLinerDesign and Planning ZipLinerBuild It ZipLinerProgram It Treasure and Discovery

James Kelly's LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT-G Programming Guide, Second Edition is a fountain of wisdom and ideas for those looking to master the art of programming LEGO's MINDSTORMS NXT robotics kits. This second edition is fully-updated to cover all the latest features and parts in the NXT 2.0 series. It also includes exercises at the end of each chapter and other content suggestions from educators and other readers of the first edition. LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT-G Programming Guide, Second Edition focuses on the NXT-G programming language. Readers 10 years old and up learn to apply NXT-G to real-life problems such as moving and turning, locating objects based upon their color, making decisions, and much more. Perfect for for those who are new to programming, the book covers the language, the underlying mathematics, and explains how to calibrate and adjust robots for best execution of their programming. Provides programming techniques and easy-to-follow examples for each and every programming block Includes homework-style exercises for use by educators Gives clear instructions on how to build a test robot for use in running the example programs Please note: the print version of this title is black & white; the eBook is full color.

Windows Live Movie Maker is a small but powerful movie editing application from Microsoft. It is a complete rewrite of the old Movie Maker software with a new audience in mind. The focus of this new edition is on giving you the power to quickly create movies and slideshows to share with your friends and family. The movies can be a combination of your favorite pictures and home movies set to your own soundtrack. You can add cool effects to transition between scenes, and captions to add a narrative to your movie. With Movie Maker, users can: * Edit digital video and photos, including adding music and narration * Apply animation effects to videos and photos * Create DVDs for personal use, including menu systems for navigation What you'll learn* Learn what's new and different with the Live version of Movie Maker; find out where to download it and view an installation walkthrough.* Discover the basics of importing pictures and video, how to use AutoMovie and perform some easy tweaks on it, and how to save projects.*Experiment with trimming, splitting, and rotating video, fading-in/out, using the View menu to zoom in/out and switch between aspect ratios, arranging storyboard items, and previewing movies. * Learn how to import, trim, and fade music in/out; use start/end points; control volume; and edit audio in a movie clip.* Use formatting, color, size, transparency, and start/end times to add text animation, titles, captions, and credits to your movies.* Learn about DVD formats, creating menu systems, HD (720 and 1080) vs. standard formats, portable devices, e-mail attachments, and IM formats.* Learn tips for enhancing movie and sound quality, file management, menu organization, and creating interesting DVD movies to share.Who this book is for Most digital video editing applications have a steep learning curve and a thick manual. Windows Live Movie Maker is not difficult to learn, but it does not come with a manual. This book is for readers who want to quickly and easily edit their digital movies and create DVDs for viewing, but doni' t want to sift through a lot of technical mumbo jumbo.

Stop paying for software. A world full of highquality software is out there that you don't have to spend a dime for. If you've just spent your entire computing budget on a PC only to find that you need software to do anything interesting, this is the book that will show you how to get what you need without wreaking havoc on your finances. Install the right software to make a great work computer for no extra cost.

Packed with the practical, handson guidance and technical knowhow that you've come to expect from Apress, Don't Spend A Dime: The Path to LowCost Computing takes you on a tour of the very best zerocost software in each of the many categories that matter to the typical PC user. Learn to edit photos on the Internet without having to install any software at all. Find out where to get a free office suite for word processing and spreadsheet work. Whatever your need, James Kelly, bestselling technology author, guides you through the exciting and often confusing world of zerocost computing. This bookTells you what you need to install to have a fantastic work computer without spending a dime Saves you money by showing you how to meet your computing needs Saves you time by pointing you directly to the best free software Saves you work by illustrating the most commonly performed tasks with each zerocost software Gives you choices and the ability to make your own decisions for your own needs and requirements

Before you go buy that $400.00 office suiteor worse, before you borrow it from workstop Let this book show you how to save hundreds of dollars in expensive software. Learn all about the free tools that the digerati use to make their lives better, and stop paying out the nose for software. Don't spend a dime What you'll learn Find and install the best zerocost software available. Learn about software as a service and take advantage of photo editing, calendaring, email, and other functionality delivered at no cost via the Web. Manage your money using the Quicken killera rocksolid, fullfeatured, zerocost finance application that puts your finances in order with just a few clicks. Harness the power of OpenOffice and Google Apps for your word processing and spreadsheet (and presentation too ) needs. Communicate with your friends through zerocost voice calls, email, and instant messaging. Establish a presence on the Web through blogs and social networking sites such as Facebook. Who this book is for

Don't Spend a Dime: Never Pay for Software Again is aimed at students, smallbusiness owners, retirees, educators, and just plain regular folk who aren't blessed with large budgets and who must squeeze a dime's worth of value from every penny they earn. You might also be a computer genius who just wants a convenient list of all the best software and easy links to downloading all you need quickly.

Buy this book ifYou're tired of spending hundreds of dollars on commercial software only to end up paying all over again as you get caught in the upgrade treadmill. You're a computer whiz who has to set up other people's machines. You are a student or retiree on a budget. You are a smallbusiness owner needing the power of technology without the expense. You want to save money and have fun at the same time.

Arduino Adventures: Escape from Gemini Station provides a fun introduction to the Arduino microcontroller by putting you (the reader) into the action of a science fiction adventure story. You'll find yourself following along as Cade and Elle explore Gemini Station--an orbiting museum dedicated to preserving and sharing technology throughout the centuries. Trouble ensues. The station is evacuated, including Cade and Elle's class that was visiting the station on a field trip. Cade and Elle don't make it aboard their shuttle and are trapped on the station along with a friendly artificial intelligence named Andrew who wants to help them get off the damaged station. Using some old hardware, a laptop, and some toolboxes full of electronics parts, you will follow along and build eight gizmos with Cade and Elle that will help them escape from Gemini Station. The hardware is Arduino. Each new challenge opens a new area of Arduino and basic electronics knowledge. You'll be taken incrementally from a simple task such as turning on a light through to a complex combination of microcontroller, electronic components, and software programming.By the end of the book you'll be well on your way towards being able to create and implement any sort of electronically controlled device you can imagine, using the stunningly popular Arduino microcontroller. * Provides eight challenges, each challenge increasing in complexity * Builds around a fictional storyline that keeps the learning fun * Leaves you on a solid foundation of electronic skills and knowledge What you'll learn * Install and configure Arduino's programming environment * Build understanding of LEDs, Resisters, and other basic components * Build and test electronic circuits involving breadboarding and basic wiring * Program behavior using the Arduino Programming Language * Interface and influence the physical world through motors and sensors Who this book is for Escape from Gemini Station: An Arduino Hands-On Adventure is suitable for ages 8 and up. No experience is required, and complete instructions are provided on using the Arduino microcontroller. Teachers will find the book useful for the downloadable teacher handouts available from the authors' website. The book is perfect for anyone learning Arduino, or preparing to teach it to first-time users.Table of ContentsIntroduction Challenge #1: Potentiometer 1. Trouble at Gemini Station 2. Challenge 1: Fun Stuff to now 3. Challenge 1: Examining the Hardware 4. Challenge 1: Examining the Software Challenge 2: LED Flashlight 5. Damage Assessment 6. Challenge 2: Fun Stuff to Know 7. Challenge 2: Gathering Hardware 8. Challenge 2: Examining Software Challenge 3: Temperature 9. Feeling the Heat 10. Challenge 3: Fun Stuff to Know 11. Challenge 3: Examining the Hardware 12. Challenge 3: Examining the Software Challenge 4: Bucket Mover 13. Uninvited Guest 14. Challenge 4: Fun Stuff to Know 15. Challenge 4: Gathering Hardware 16. Challenge 4: Examining the Software Challenge 5: Motion Detector 17. Hide and Seek 18. Challenge 5: Fun Stuff to Know 19. Challenge 5: Examining the Hardware 20. Challenge 5: Examining the Software Challenge 6: Servo Motor 21. Carousel Ride 22. Challenge 6: Fun Stuff to Know 23. Challenge 6: Gathering Hardware 24. Challenge 6: Examining Software Challenge 7: Remote Control 25. Push the Button 26. Challenge 7: Fun Stuff to Know 27. Challenge 7: Gathering Hardware 28. Challenge 7: Examining Software Challenge 8: Robot 29.Off the Station 30. Challenge 8: Fun Stuff to Know 31. Challenge 8: Gathering Hardware 32. Challenge 8: Examining Software 33. Epilogue Appendix A: Parts List

Congratulations! You're on Mars Base Alpha, the first human outpost on the red planet. Don't relax, though. It's not all roses and unicorns up here. Mars isn't called "The Bringer of War" for nothing! You've just been rained on by a meteor shower and it's up to you-you!-to put your LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robotics skills to work to save the day, and the base! And that's only the beginning of the challenges that lie ahead. LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT: Mars Base Command is a book of challenge. It's about challenging yourself to design and build robots to solve problems, tough problems. Taking a similar approach to best-selling LEGO author James Kelly's other books, this book presents a series of four challenges in the setting of mankind's first-ever manned base on the planet Mars. Each challenge begins with a backstory to set the scene. You're given instructions for constructing a playing field, including devices that your eventual robot must manipulate. Your job is to build a robot that will execute the challenge and garner you the most points. The book requires the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Education Resource Set. Scoring sheets are included that allow for the book's use in educational and group settings. Teachers can base lesson plans around the different concepts taught in each challenge. Groups and clubs can choose to run mini-competitions in which teams or individuals compete against each other in a race to save the base. LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT: Mars Base Command is an excellent choice for an individual, a group, or a teacher wishing to learn about and have more fun with LEGO's best-selling robotics platform. Please note: the print version of this title is black & white; the eBook is full color.

Netbooks are breaking all the ruleslonger battery life, lightweight, and easy to use. And best of all is the low price. Whether you already own a netbook or are considering purchasing one, the good news doesn't end there, however. Throw in some free open source and cloud computing software and you've got yourself a powerful little computer at a fraction of the cost of the bigger laptops and desktops. This book is all about finding the best netbook for your needs and then keeping the cost of netbook ownership down. You can choose to spend some of your savings on a few must have extras such as a CD/DVD burner and a nice carrying case or save even more money by installing some (or all) of the 100% free software covered in the chapters of this book.

Windows Netbooks: The Path to Low-Cost Computing is your guide to pushing a netbook to its maximum potential and keeping spending to an absolute minimum. Learn how to protect your netbook with 100% free antivirus applications and then get to work with 100% free word processing, spreadsheet, email, calendar, and presentation applications. You'll find these and many more applications, along with helpful discussions on netbook hardware and maintenance, that will super-charge your netbook, your productivity, and your Internet time. What you'll learn How to optimize your netbook's performance How to make the most of a small screen How to secure your netbook How to dual-boot Linux and Windows How to upgrade your netbook's hardware How to install new applications on your netbook Who this book is for

All netbook users who want to know the nifty features and experience the power hidden in netbooks. Table of Contents The Netbook Netbook Hardware Options Netbook Maintenance Netbook Software Options Netbook and Google Docs Netbook Malware Protection Netbook Web Browsers Netbook Email Netbook Calendar Netbooks and OpenOffice.org

Even if you've never touched a 3D printer, these projects will excite and empower you to learn new skills, extend your current abilities, and awaken your creative impulses. Each project uses a unique combination of electronics, hand assembly techniques, custom 3D-printed parts, and software, while teaching you how to think through and execute your own ideas. Written by the founder of Printrbot, his staff, and veteran DIY authors, this book of projects exemplifies the broad range of highly personalized, limit-pushing project possibilities of 3D printing when combined with affordable electronic components and materials. In Make: 3D Printing Projects, you'll: Print and assemble a modular lamp that's suitable for beginners--and quickly gets you incorporating electronics into 3D-printed structures. Learn about RC vehicles by fabricating--and driving--your own sleek, shiny, and fast Inverted Trike. Model a 1950s-style Raygun Pen through a step-by-step primer on how to augment an existing object through rapid prototyping. Fabricate a fully functional, battery-powered screwdriver, while learning how to tear down and reconstruct your own tools. Get hands-on with animatronics by building your own set of life-like mechanical eyes. Make a Raspberry Pi robot that rides a monorail of string, can turn corners, runs its own web server, streams video, and is remote-controlled from your phone. Build and customize a bubble-blowing robot, flower watering contraption, and a DIY camera gimbal.

You know that Ubuntu software costs nothing. Now you want the PC system that costs as little as possible and runs Ubuntu and OS applications without complaints and calls to tech support.

So you spent your hardearned dollars on the hardware only, and have your own optimized Ubuntu PC. This is the book that will show you how to get what you need without wreaking havoc on your finances. Put together the parts to make a great work computer for little cost.

Packed with the practical, handson guidance and technical knowhow that you've come to expect from Apress, Ubuntu on a Dime takes you on a tour of the very best lowcost hardware, while only using zerocost software in each of the many categories that matter to the typical PC user.

You'll learn how to find the best and cheapest hardware, and how to put it together to make a working PC. Learn to edit photos on the Internet without having to install any software at all. Find out where to get a free office suite for word processing and spreadsheet work. Whatever your need, James Kelly, bestselling technology author, guides you through the exciting and often confusing world of zerocost computing.

This bookTakes you stepbystep through a PC build Tells you what you need to install to have a fantastic work computer without spending a dime Saves you money by showing you how to meet your computing needs Saves you time by pointing you directly to the best free software Saves you work by illustrating the most commonly performed tasks with each zerocost software Gives you choices and the ability to make your own decisions for your own needs and requirements

Before you go buy that $900 dollar computer and that $400 office suiteor worse, before you borrow it from workstop Let this inexpensive book show you how to save hundreds of dollars in expensive software, and never depend on the big PC providers and their tech support again. Learn all about cheap, fast hardware, find out about the free tools that the digerati use to make their lives better, and stop paying out the nose. Don't spend a dime Table of Contents The Hardware The Ubuntu Operating System Free Software Defined E-mail Revolution Word Processing with Writer Spreadsheets with Calc Presentations with Impress Photo Management with Picasa Web Browsing with Firefox Google E-mail and Calendar Google Documents More Apps to Consider