Everything Robotics
by Jennifer Swanson, with Shah Selbe
64 pages; ages 8-12
National Geographic Kids, 2016
Think you know robots? You might be surprised to find out there are robots that look nothing like what you'd expect - and do things you never thought a robot would do. So open the pages of this book and delve into the world of robotics - accompanied by lots of photos.
First stop: determining what is a robot and what isn't. After a quick introduction it's an around-the-world tour of robotics innovations (did you know robots can ski and play hockey?).
There's a section on history, and lots of info about building robots and what kind of parts they need. There's an entire chapter devoted to "Robo-Helpers": robots that clean floors, build cars, explore distant planets, mow your lawn. There are a whole slew of rescue robots, too.
Here's a cool fact: researchers are designing a "maggot robot" to find brain tumors! Since it'll be moving about in the brain, it's got to be small and flexible. [Remember that movie, "Fantastic Voyage"?] Maybe one day surgeons will use tiny robots to destroy cancer tissue.
Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by
STEM Friday blog for more science books and
resources.
Review copy provided by publisher.
