Flying Robots

Gr 5–8—This outstanding collection offers readers an intimate look at the fascinating world of robotics. Each entry explains the various functions and facets of these amazing machines in appropriately informative and engrossing passages that burst with details and tech-speak, such as effectors, actuators, and telepresence. Numerous sidebars, shaded in yellows and oranges, appear throughout as do time lines and other helpful charts and diagrams that provide visual interest and valuable data for the reader. The striking photos of completed robots at work and of their internal wires and electronics let readers see just how complex the technology involved is. Images of MIT's RoboTuna and scenes from the TV show BattleBots show the fun, playful side of these machines and remind the audience of the all-too-important human element involved in each robot's development.