Reviews (11)

A non-commonly found textbook on Digital Image Processing
I've been a senior researcher in Image Processing for more than 20 years, and my opinion of the book Digital Image Processing of Gonzalez and Woods, is that it is significantly superior to current books on image processing. The contents of the books are in the mainstream of work in this field, and the level of coverage is complete and written at a level that makes it an ideal textbook for seniors and first-year graduate students. The experience of the authors shows through in the way the material is presented and illustrated. The complementary web site is an outstanding teaching aid.

A good text book in image processing class
A good book, clear and easy to understand, and it is also easy to implement the algorithms mentioned in the book into a real world program. I used it as a text book in image processing class. Compared to other books in image processing, this book is a clear winner. The only drawback is the price. Other thing to remember is that this book is old enough in the ever-progressed image processing and computer graphic field.

Needs some enhncements
The book is fairly good but it lacks of examples

Low Price Edition
On this site, there are already good reviews of this book.
So I would like to post only a comment on the "Low Price" or "International" or "Indian" edition:

IT IS VERY VERY CHEAP and LOW QUALITY

The pages are almost transparent. While reading a face of a page, you can guess what is written on the other face. Definitely annoying.

Serious Image Processing for Students and Practitioners
This volume covers the waterfront of image processing from a reasonable introductory level. Refreshingly, it is much more than a cookbook. The authors pay attention to the physical principles that imaging and image manipulation are based on. With many quality images and examples, there is much for the less mathematically inclined to cut their teeth on while brushing up on their advanced math skills. The inclusion of many well chosen problems makes the book a valuable volume in a student's library. The book's associated web-site is a major bonus for the reader. I did find that some of the figure captions were challenging to interpret but the problem does not seem pervasive. Overall, I liked the book. It is a valuable addition to the image processing literature and to the image processing textbook selection. ... Read more

Book Description

Get comprehensive coverage of fiber optics, next generation SONET architecture, deployment, equipment, and services with this practical guide. Including details on SDH,advanced payload pointers, ring configuration, customer and carrier advantages, and more, this book thoroughly explains this emerging method of high speed data transmission. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

this is not your book if you want hardcore technical details
I can recommend this book to everyone who wants to get an overview on SDH/SONET capabilities and/or products but does not care for the protocol itself.

But if you're looking for a good and correct description of the inner workings of the protocol you'd better not waste your time with this book. Check out the SDH/SONET bible: Broadband Networking: ATM, SDH and SONET by Mike Sexton and Andy Reid. It's expensive, but it's really worth the money.

Goralski's book doesn't keep up with the promises of it's blurb. it has, like every book, some technical errors in it; errors which are IMHO worse enough not to buy this book. i wonder how this pointer-processing-example came into this book - horrors!

...

Easily read - full of historical and technical information !
Goralski certainly did his research. He presents the SONET architecture in a way that most would find comfortable. I found myself knee deep in an FOA for DSL technologies beyond the NGDLC and needed SONET information FAST ! ! The book reads almost like a great novel, I can't put it down! Most books of it's size are rarely organized well, and serve mostly for technical references. Bravo for an excellant effort Mr. Goralski ! !

Good Book To Start Sonet Studies
This is very good book for beginners, and for those who wants to understand Sonet basics, but still it very general and lacks from some shallowness.
So for designers and network operators it will be not so useful since it's not detailed enough.

Don't buy e-books...
The content of the book, "SONET" is rather good: it covers history, architecture, equipment, lots of technical and implementation details. However, don't buy the e-book, consider the printed version. The rating really should be 0 stars, but 0 is not allowed...

The e-book version is difficult to read, and the reader is cantankerous, lacks ALL of the advantages of a printed book, and has NO electronic advantages: it's bound to the PC it's loaded to, and cannot be moved. If your PC crashes, you're cooked. Plus, you can't return it if you find it's not the right book for you. I'll never buy another e-book!

An accurate, well-aimed work
As an author of technical books myself, I am always looking for titles that tell the story of a particular technology in a comprehensive, clearly-written and standards-oriented fashion. Walter Goralski's books do this and do it well. I own all of his titles, and the reason I like them (besides the author's sense of humor) is the fact that they are written around the standards that govern the telecommunications industry. Many companies interpret the standards and the terminology in different ways, which is fine - that's how they are designed. Unfortunately, this sometimes leads to differences of opinion about meanings or interpretations. Walter sticks to the standards, however, always ensuring the availability of a literary technological benchmark.

I strongly recommend the book. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive treatment of the analysis and design of continuous-time control systems provides a gradual development of control theory—and shows how to solve all computational problems with MATLAB. It avoids highly mathematical arguments, and features an abundance of examples and worked problems throughout the book.Chapter topics include the Laplace transform; mathematical modeling of mechanical systems, electrical systems, fluid systems, and thermal systems; transient and steady-state-response analyses, root-locus analysis and control systems design by the root-locus method; frequency-response analysis and control systems design by the frequency-response; two-degrees-of-freedom control; state space analysis of control systems and design of control systems in state space. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Formulas done right
This book is very good. I really like the way the formulas are given, with all the variables immediatelly defined. When reading it was amazing. As the questions arose in my mind as to what something meant, the next sentence or two satisfied my curiosity.
While other books tend claim that a piece of information is "beyond the scope of this text" (yet then expect knowledge of the topic), Ogota takes a couple of extra paragraphs to explain the basics of what is needed for better understanding.

Control system design the way it was meant to be!
This is an excellent controls text. All concepts are beautifully explained and developed. The examples in the book are clear and concise and the exercises cover a broad range of control system design applications. One of the greatest perks of this book is the extensive coverage of MATLAB applications to control system design. Not only do you learn how to do it mathematically but you learn how to program and let MATLAB aid you. You get double the learning for the price of one text!

Art of modern control in one masterpiece!!!
First of all, the book is written by an extraordinary authority in the field, one of few such professionals in the world. It covers the whole subject of modern control engineering, so if You know most of it, what is in the book, You know a lot of the subject. There are many clear and precise physical models, block diagrams, MatLab instructions, the results given by a computer, the problems solved or/and explained by the language of mathematics and theory of control. ALL IN ONE. The book is The Art of Modern Control Engineering. However, You have to have at least some physical and mathematical bases to learn and see the beauty and art of it all.

Feedback Analysis & Design
I used this book for two semesters. The only downside is that this book is too thick, but the new edition looks better. I found the MATLAB program(s) very useful, in addition to a bunch of solved sample problems at the end of each Chapter. I have been told that the latest edition has information on Signal Flow Graphs (Mason's Rule), which is very critical if you are analysing the topic of Controls from an Electrical Engineer's point of view.

One of the best books in control theory
The most comprehensive textbook in control theory.very well explained and each chapter has at least a dozen of solved excersices. MATLAB is being used extensively to learn control applications.It can be used also as an introduction to advanced control. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. ... Read more

Book Description

Emphasizing the practical application of control systems engineering, the new Fourth Edition shows how to analyze and design real-world feedback control systems. Readers learn how to create control systems that support today's advanced technology and apply the latest computer methods to the analysis and design of control systems.
* A methodology with clearly defined steps is presented for each type of design problem.
* Continuous design examples give a realistic view of each stage in the control systems design process.
* A complete tutorial on using MATLAB Version 5 in designing control systems prepares readers to use this important software tool. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

very good book
I have the pleasure to be taking professor Nise's control systems engineering class at Cal Poly Pomona. I have to say that this is an excellent book for control systems. there is a lot of material that is covered by this book. the examples are well presented and they really help you when working on the problems at the end of each chapter. Another plus is the powerpoint slides and the matlab supplementary material included in the CD-ROM. there are nice tutorials on MATLAB and Simulink. this is a definite must have. Highly recommended

Well presented and easy to understand
This book is excellent!!. It is well presented and easy to understand. It did not assume that the reader knows the basic and explains the essence that is needed to follow through the subject. Control System is a subject that I had problem grasping while doing my undergraduates because I was thrown with all the mathematical formulas and left to make sense out of them. In short I did not learn much from school. Control system was a dark side for me until I discovered this book. Now I understand more than before and I am read it like a story book. This book made me helped so much that I am compelled to write this review. I wish I had this book earlier. This is the kind of book that I have been searching for all this while

The best book in the field.
This is the best book explaining Matlab in control engineering. With this book and "The Student Edition of Simulink" you can do any simulations in control engineering. A must.

Best for Undergraduate level
As a contract engineer, I designed a brushless DC motor controller and my company needed a good reference for them to understand the control system. This was far better than all the books I read.
Most people deal with low order control systems and don't want the math to get in the way of understanding the concept. But control systems is a big topic and not typically well explained.
This book is first rate from begining to end; It derives clearly and consisely all math. Builds a good tool set of common place real world examples. And, explians concepts clearly with good illustration.
.

Control Systems Made Easy
This is the best book I have read on Control systems and It is for anyone who has been confused by other undergraduate Control System books. It explains everything in great detail. Every topic has been "thoroughly" dealt with and has simple to follow examples.

It does not cover State Space design and Digital Controls extensively, (offcourse you need another volume to cover these topics). However whatever is covered on these two topics is very clear and would be a good bouncing board for someone who wants to pursue control systems in depth.

Probably Mr. Norman would try to write a book or two on State-Space design and digital control systems in the near future ... EXCELLENT JOB MR. NORMAN S. NISE... :) ... Read more

Book Description

To understand the power of Geographical Information Systems and Geographical Positioning Systems today, it is essential to understand their background and history, and the needs they were designed to answer .This is the first comprehensive history of GIS for both practitioners and students.From GPS systems that help you find your destination in a rented car, to satellite imaging for locating new petroleum reserves, GIS technology is changing the world. This book brings together for the first time the expert testimonies of the pioneers, key scientists and entrepreneurs who created the GIS field and made it what it is today. It covers both the raster and vector sides of GIS development. From remote sensing to PC-based systems; from Land Information Systems to defense applications, this is the definitive history of GIS.For all GIS and GPS professional practitioners, developers and students. ... Read more

Book Description

Real-world applications--Integrates real-world analysis and design applications throughout the text. Examples include: the sun-seeker system, the liquid-level control, dc-motor control, and space-vehicle payload control.
* Examples and problems--Includes an abundance of illustrative examples and problems.
* Marginal notes throughout the text highlight important points. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Control Systems made understandable
This book is definitely one of the best introductory texts on linear Control Systems. Every item is theorically well explained without loosing the practical aspect on each subject. Highly recommended for people who started to study linear Control Systems at an undergraduate level.

Excelent Reference
One of the best books I have read. My students love It

Great for beginners and experts alike
Like all of Kuo's other books, this one is good reading. It covers all the important topics involved in Control system theory, time and frequency domain analysis and graph techniques, amongst other topics. Good question-and-answer section. Kuo has this style of writing where you feel he can read your mind and know what you are thinking as you read the book. It's a great book for beginners and experts alike. I think this is one of the best books on Control systems theory. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides a synoptic introduction to the key fundamental and operational principles of MRI for medical physicists, radiologists,biochemists, and students. It addresses basic NMR principles, basic imaging concepts, Fourier transform concepts and fundamental applications such as chemical shift imaging, rf pulse design, fast imaging, motion and flow, MR angiography, diffusion, sequence design, and coil concepts. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An excellent intro for readers with some math background
This book is a welcome introduction for readers who are comfortable with basic differential equations and vector calculus. As an applied mathematician interested in learning the fundamentals of MRI, I had grown quite frustrated with the simplified literature on one hand ("MRI for technologists", "MRI for medical people", "MRI for dummies"...) and the professional literature on the other, which is directed at people already immersed in the study of MR technology. In contrast, this book is an excellent introduction to the subject for applied mathematicians (though this may not have been the intended audience), as it makes no assumptions regarding reader's science background and thus explains thoroughly all relevant E+M, physics and signal processing. But most importantly, it does so without cutting mathematical corners. This results in a far more lucid and logical exposition than books which try to protect the reader for his/her own good. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Practical approach to non-linear control
This is a good entry point for learning non-linear control. It is at the advanced undergraduate level, and does not require an advanced background. As an applied textbook, it provides tools for analyzing non-linear system. For a more rigourous theoretical development of non-linear control theory, try Nonlinear Control Design by Marino and Patrizio.

easy and illustrated
This book is written in a simple way and makes the subject easy to understand.a very good book. this book is used as the textbook for my nonlinear control course. But still i have to find some supplementary materials fron Khalil's book as there is not much information concerning about the backstepping

This is a well-constructed controls text.
As a graduate student, I've been exposed to several books on control theory and Applied Nonlinear Control may be my favorite. This book does a good job at presenting control solutions for a rich class of systems. I specifically enjoyed learning about sliding control and on-line parameter estimation for adaptive contol. At times the book is difficult to follow for it frequently refers to specific equations and theorems of previous sections, but that is unavoidable considering the nature of the topic.

A good book on non-linear controls
As a student, I've found this book very useful in the areas of sliding control and linearization. It is easy to read and well written. ... Read more

Book Description

A cookbook of the hottest new algorithms and cutting-edge techniques in image processing and computer vision

This amazing book/CD package puts the power of all the hottest new image processing techniques and algorithms in your hands. Based on J. R. Parker's exhaustive survey of Internet newsgroups worldwide, Algorithms for Image Processing and Computer Vision answers the most frequently asked questions with practical solutions.

Parker uses dozens of real-life examples taken from fields such as robotics, space exploration, forensic analysis, cartography, and medical diagnostics, to clearly describe the latest techniques for morphing, advanced edge detection, wavelets, texture classification, image restoration, symbol recognition, and genetic algorithms, to name just a few. And, best of all, he implements each method covered in C and provides all the source code on the CD.

For the first time, you're rescued from the hours of mind-numbing mathematical calculations it would ordinarily take to program these state-of-the-art image processing capabilities into software. At last, nonmathematicians get all the shortcuts they need for sophisticated image recognition and processing applications.

On the CD-ROM you'll find:
* Complete code for examples in the book
* A gallery of images illustrating the results of advanced techniques
* A free GNU compiler that lets you run source code on any platform
* A system for restoring damaged or blurred images
* A genetic algorithms package ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I like this book
It has source C code available, which I found is very helpful. It would be better if its code is written in C++.

Muy buena referencia
Recomiendo este libro a todos aquellos que estén trabajando en procesamiento digital de imágenes. Requiere conocimiento previo dado que el análisis matemático asociado no está descrito con suficiente profundidad en todos los temas, sin embargo describe muy bien las técnicas y alcances de las las diferentes teorías relacionadas con el procesamiento de señales. El CD que lo acompaña es de gran valor y permite fijar con mucha rapidez los logros descritos en el libro.

A great Scope
This book is very helpfull. Not only for image processing. An unsuspected use that I do to this book was use an algorithm for correct blurred images to revert effect of movil mean that produce a strain gage when one sense an compresion wave traveling throw an iron bar, and work very well. This book has an "honor place" in my library.

Eugenio Simao
Um otimo livro. Atende as expectativas teoricas e de implementacao. Os exemplos encontram-se um linguagem C. A biblioteca de algoritmos idealizada preve a utilizacao do compilador C GNU. Mas, com poucas modificacoes pode-se utilizar estes algoritmos para outros compiladores. Recomendo este livro para estudantes de graduacao como acompanhamento de disciplinas de processamento de imagens, os quais, como eu, geralmente anseiam por ver realizadas as explanacoes teoricas.

Excellent cook book of advanced IP techniques
At its best, this book is a wonderful cookbook of image processing techniques. For example the author's presentation of the Canny and Shen-Castan methods of edge detection is clear and detailed. Full C source is provided for this and all the other techniques discussed in the book. The book does not pretend to be a basic introduction to image processing -- if you do not have Castleman or Pratt or something similar on your bookshelf, you probably should not start by acquiring this book. A possible source of irritation for some readers will be the variation in depth of coverage of topics. For example, when the author discusses wavelets, the coverage is very scant and qualitative. It is well done, but quite different in kind from the aforementioned coverage of advanced edge detection techniques. Similarly, the author will cover specific aspects of image processing, such as motion blur for an image, in the context of a rather general discussion of image restoration. In short, the book seems to reflect the author's interests more than attempting to be an objective coverage of the current state of the art in image processing. Nonetheless, the high quality of the information that the author provides and the bibliography to further coverage of the given topics are well worth the price of the book. You just need to approach it on the author's terms rather than on a preconceived notion of what you should get out of the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Written by technology management pioneer Fredrick Betz, this updated edition introduces technology management and illustrates the importance of managing information technologies, as well as how MOT is carried out with todays physical technologies. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Verbose, dull, and utterly uninspiring
This textbook was a requirement for a graduate-level course taught by (guess who?) Dr. Betz. I had read the entire book before the class even started (thank god for coffee), and I re-read every chapter as the semester progressed. I received an 'A' on every assignment, which is good, considering that I was bored out of my mind with the material. The book has a few interesting anecdotes, and a lot of page-filler anecdotes. It is more concerned with scientifically correct vocabulary than giving context to concept in plain English (e.g. endless ranting about physical morphologies, schematic logic, and different flavors of paradigms -- YAAAWN). Overall, this forgettable piece of work is reflective of an uninspiring academic.

The Big Picture on Management of Technology
Betz's book qualifies as a "seminal work" on the subject of the Management of Technology. The book is concise and well-written.
It gives the needed historical perspective on technology issues.

To give you an idea of the scope and clarity of Betz's vision I note that he aptly summarizes the technological history of the world in a few paragraphs of his introduction. These most pithy sentences present a Big Picture that will serve as the backdrop to his cogent exploration of contemporary management of technology issues (a sample):

"The gun ended the ancient dominance of the feudal warrior, and the printing press secularized knowledge. The combination of the rise of the mercantile class and the secularization of knowledge are hallmarks of modern societies."

Betz brings together a lot of good research and presents it in a concise and stimulating format. He doesn't present the research as if the thinking had already been done. He ends each chapter with some questions for reflection.

Having written myself on the subject of intellectual property law [in the International Media Encyclopedia Academic Press 2002, 2003], I was amazed to find illuminating case studies on the subject that I had overlooked. For example, Betz explains that the drug Penacillin was not developed commercially until WWII because companies did not want to undertake development costs without a patent.

I highly recommend Betz's book both for Managers of Technology and for classroom use in Undergraduate and Graduate Business schools and perhaps even in Econ departments. While not an economics textbook it serves as a good introduction to technology issues for economists as well. Economists of course need to read the original papers by Schumpeter and Kondratieff, Sah and Stiglitz, but they will find important clues to the significance of those works here. I recommend the reader follow up this book by reading Hal Varian's Internet Economics or Paula Samuelson's publications on Intellectual Property along with Eric Reymond's
The Cathedral and the Bazaar.

I find the book's case studies well written and very thought provoking. I literally couldn't put the book down. At the first reading I skipped the main text to read the case studies on Apple, RCA and Ford.

Too simple and too much introductory -not for grad student
This book is too simple to use as a textbook. It's a nice book for undergrad class in business school or introductory class of management in engineering fields. Again, this is not the book that can be used as a textbook at all. Too simple and spend half book just for "roughly talking". Reader can found more reviews in "Interfaces, Vol.29, (2), 1999", in Book review section. The economic of technology is the more important is ignored in this book. Not recommend. ... Read more

Book Description

A thoroughly updated edition of a bestselling guide to digital image processing, this book covers cutting-edge techniques for enhancing and interpreting digital images from different sources--scanners, radar systems, and digital cameras. A PIKS image processing library of executable files as well as digital versions of many of the pictures are provided via ftp to help apply the techniques discussed in the book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Classic text book. Good content, but buggy.
It's a classic. Pratt put a lot of work and detail into it, and it does contains the basics. It also has typo's on some (bunches) of the formula's, transforms, etc. that are annoying if you know about them (hazardous if you don't). Due to the bugs, this would not be my first choice in a DIP book, but I don't know which one would, either. If you are forced into it, find an errata for this book and mark it up, then the book will serve you well. ... Read more

Book Description

• Many companies have asked suppliers to begin using RFID (radio frequency identification) tags by 2006
• RFID allows pallets and products to be scanned at a greater distance and with less effort than barcode scanning, offering superior supply-chain management efficiencies
• This unique plain-English resource explains RFID and shows CIOs, warehouse managers, and supply-chain managers how to implement RFID tagging in products and deploy RFID scanning at a warehouse or distribution center
• Covers the business case for RFID, pilot programs, timelines and strategies for site assessments and deployments, testing guidelines, privacy and regulatory issues, and more

Book Description

The use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) represents a new era in remote sensing technology. A complete handbook for anyone who must design an SAR system capable of reliably producing high quality image data products, free from image artifacts and calibrated in terms of the target backscatter coefficient. Combines fundamentals underlying the SAR imaging process and the practical system engineering required to produce quality images from a real SAR system. Beginning with a broad overview of SAR technology, it goes on to examine SAR system capabilities and components and detail the techniques required for design and development of the SAR ground data system with emphasis on the correlation processing. Intended for SAR system engineers and researchers, it is generously illustrated for maximum clarity. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Marcus Monteiro
This book is for people with some knowledge on SAR who likes to know mathematical theory behind SAR processing. The authors focused their attention on satellite boarded radars, leaving in second plan problems faced on aircraft boarded SAR systems. ... Read more

Book Description

This book offers guided access to a collection of algorithms for the digital manipulation and analysis of images. Written in classic "cookbook" style, it reflects the authors' long experience as users and developers of image analysis algorithms and software.For each task, they present a description and implementation of the most suitable procedure in easy-to-use form.The algorithms range from the simplest steps to advanced functions not commonly available for Windows users. Each self-contained section treats a single operation (histogram evaluation, low-pass filtering, and edge detection, among others).The coverage includes typical situations requiring that operation and then discusses the algorithm and implementation.Sections start with a header illustrating the nature of the procedure through a "before" and "after" pictorial example and a ready-reference that lists typical applications, keywords, and related procedures.Annotated references can be found at the end of each section. An accompanying CD-ROM contains a collection of C programs for carrying out the book's procedures. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

It's just great
The book is just great! I used the source code from the CD-ROM for various image processing projects. The algorithms are also very practical if you have to deal with images. The code is neat and ready to compile and run.

Also this book is good on the description of image process and image analysis algorithms. I read the whole book and use it as a reference during my programming. It sits in my bookshelf and I use it almost everyday.

I recommend anybody who wishes to do serious image programming to have this book. It's just great!

Luis J Gutierrez
Excelente libro. hace un tiempo que he estado estudiando y desarrollando estrategias para la implementación de sistemas de vision computarizada. Este libro es de una gran claridad práctica sin abandonar la necesaria base teorica. Muy buenos ejemplo, información adicional, ejemplos y aplicaciones. Para cualquier investigador en el área debe ser considerado como un recurso indispensable. (if you want my comments in english please send me an e-mail to innovacl@vtr.net)

Practical is the Word
The title says it all. This book was meant to be used. It is organized around a series of transformations that are performed on an image in going from the raw, captured form to usable result. Each step is well identified so you can go directly to the part you need. The methods and routines used are the author's choices, but they give enough information so you can dig deeper if you suspect you may have special needs.

I particularly liked the illustrations. They aren't fancy coffee table illustrations but they are very clear and pointed to what is being discussed. There are many illustrations that show the effect of the procedures on actual images from a variety of fields.

There is a CD-ROM of the executable programs.

A comprehensive book, with good examples
The authors use clear easy-to-understand algorithms to explain difficult concepts. Carefully selected examples make it very a comprehensive and insightful book. It is a good cookbook for beginning as well as advanced machine vision people. The text is supported by an abundance of figures and graphics. The full C source companion software on CD ROM enables the reader to quickly apply the theory. Altogether indispensable for the researcher and innovator, who will return to this remarkable book again and again. ... Read more

Book Description

Provides complete coverage of both the Lyapunov and Input-Output stability theories, ina readable, concise manner.
* Supplies an introduction to the popular backstepping approach to nonlinear control design
* Gives a thorough discussion of the concept of input-to-state stability
* Includes a discussion of the fundamentals of feedback linearization and related results.
* Details complete coverage of the fundamentals of dissipative system's theory and its application in the so-called L2gain control prooblem, for the first time in an introductory level textbook.
* Contains a thorough discussion of nonlinear observers, a very important problem, not commonly encountered in textbooksat this level. ... Read more

Book Description

The emerging technology of multisensor data fusion has a wide range of applications, both in Department of Defense (DoD) areas and in the civilian arena. The techniques of multisensor data fusion draw from an equally broad range of disciplines, including artificial intelligence, pattern recognition, and statistical estimation. With the rapid evolution of computers and the maturation of data fusion technology, the door to using data fusion in everyday applications is now wide open and presenting great opportunities.The Handbook of Multisensor Data Fusion provides a unique, comprehensive, and up-to-date resource for data fusion systems designers and researchers. Divided into five parts, it:ooffers a thorough introduction to data fusion terminology and modelsodescribes advanced techniques for data association, target tracking, and identificationopresents practical information on system development, including requirements analysis, systems engineering, algorithm selection, database design, human-computer interfaces, and performance assessmentointroduces applications from the DoD, NASA, DARPA, and condition-based monitoring of complex machineryosupplies data fusion resources and Web sitesThe contributing authors are all recognized leaders in data fusion and have collaborated to provide what promises to be the definitive reference for this rapidly developing field. Whether you are a researcher, system designer, implementer, or student, in the Handbook of Multisensor Data Fusion you'll find everything you need, from a basic introduction and survey of data fusion technology to advanced mathematics and theory, including very practical advice on data fusion system development and implementation. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This Book is the Authorative Handbook - Highly Recommended!!
Related quotes from Bass, T., Intrusion Detection Systems & Multisensor Data Fusion, Communications of the ACM, pp. 99-105, Vol. 43, No. 4, April 2000:

Multisensor data fusion or distributed sensing, is a relatively new engineering discipline used to combine data from multiple and diverse sensors and sources in order to make inferences about events, activities, and situations. These systems are often compared to the human cognitive process where the brain fuses sensory information from the various sensory organs, evaluates situations, makes decisions, and directs action.

Data fusion technology has been applied most prominently to military applications such as battlefield surveillance and tactical situation assessment. Data fusion has also emerged in commercial applications such as robotics, manufacturing, medical diagnosis, and remote sensing.

The application of data fusion in technical systems requires mathematical and heuristic techniques from fields such as statistics, artificial intelligence, operations research, digital signal processing, pattern recognition, cognitive psychology, information theory and decision theory.

In a typical military command and control (C2) system, data fusion sensors are used to observe electromagnetic radiation, acoustic and thermal energy, nuclear particles, infrared radiation, noise and other signals. Multisensor data fusion provides an important functional framework for building next generation information fusion and cyberspace situational awareness systems.

There exist significant opportunities and numerous technical challenges for the commercial application of data fusion theory into the art and science of modern decision support systems. This handbook provides the absolute best possible overview of the art and science of multisensor data fusion technology.

Congratulations to David Hall and James Llinas for great editorial work on this handbook. I strongly recommend this book to anyone working in this wonderful and rapidly evolving field. ... Read more

Book Description

Learning robotics by yourself isn't easy, but it helps when the encouragement comes from an expert who's spent years in the field. Not only does Author David Cook assist you in understanding the component parts of robot development, but he also presents valuable techniques that prepare you to achieve new discoveries on your own.

Cook begins with the anatomy of a homemade robot and gives you the best advice on how to proceed successfully. General sources for tools and parts are provided in a consolidated list, and specific parts are recommended throughout the book. Also, basic safety precautions and essential measuring and numbering systems are promoted throughout.

Specific tools and parts covered include digital multimeters, motors, wheels, resistors, LEDs, photoresistors, transistors, chips, gears, nut drivers, batteries, and more. Robot Building for Beginners is an inspiring book that provides an essential base of practical knowledge for anyone getting started in amateur robotics.

Reviews (23)

Awesome book for begining "robotists"
I would give Mr. Cook's book 6 stars if I could. It blew me away. It provides excellent diagrams, pictures, and ideas, as well as manufacturers and part numbers for all of the neccessary components. It assumes no background whatsoever in electronics or robotics.

Electronics have always piqued my interest, though I have never really been able to get into them. Some of the books I have bought previously have been absurdly complicated, requiring backgrounds in fields such as linear calculus. I have a head for numbers, but being only a high school freshmen taking Geometry can be limiting.

Robot Building for Beginners really brings the art of constructing autonomous creations down to the basic, hands on level. It starts with the basics, down to what one's workspace should include, etc. You won't find any cryptic series of equations, graphs, or complex diagrams in this book. All of the electrical components are explained on a "what-they-do and how-to-use-them" basis.

For instance, I picked up another book, Teach Yourself Electricity and Electronics, and attempted to teach myself about simple things like how a circuit works, and what resistors do. The book immediatly overwhelmed me with so-and-so's laws, this rule of physics, this logarithmic equation, etc.

Mr. Cook's book , on the other hand, explained resistors simply, essentially saying that they were devices to limit the amount of current to a place in the circuit, because too much current simply fries your components. No fancy equations, no graphs, just simple - like it is.

It is for all of the above reasons that I highly recomend this book to anyone who's ever considered dabbeling in electronics (for robots or not).

Great Book for the Beginning to Intermediate robot builder
I wish I would have had this book when I started out! The author has made a large complex subject very easy to digest with a variety of chapters on each possible subject.

As the title implies, this is a book intended for "Beginners". You won't find advanced path-finding algorithms nor will you find advanced distance sensor building. It's about _beginning_ robotics. But that doesn't keep some serious electronics theory from getting put into the book. There is plenty of in depth explanations of transistors, comparators, LEDs and other useful components for the robot builder. I learned several useful "rules of thumb" about choosing resistors that I didn't know before opening this book.

I particularly like the concept of this book being an instruction manual for building a robot. If you are a beginner, you can have a reasonably "intelligent" line following robot built by the end of the book that uses many of the mechanical, electrical and logical concepts introduced in each chapter.

Unlike several other books out there, the author isn't selling you a kit at the end of the book, which I liked. Mr. Cook also gives you the source for each part he uses and its respective part number. This is immensely helpful if you would like to build the robot in the book since you can easily obtain each part needed.

In sum, this book is a great value and a great text for the robotics community! Thank you David Cook!

Robot Building for Beginners
Robot Building for Beginners - What a great beginners book!
When I ordered this book I wasn't too sure about what I was going to get but I did know that the author's web site www.robotroom.com is a robot builders paradise, so what the heck. What a great book!!!!! This book covers so much material based on early electronic theory, concepts, components, and breadboard configurations that you feel like you are sitting in an electronics class just soaking it all up! His text is broken into major sections covering electronic basics, equipment you will need to use, then he talks about the major components that will be used in the sandwich project "A line following robot". He lets you build each section of the robot in modules on an electric breadboard, which is great because you can see the circuit work, plus learn how the circuit functions, and make modifications to the circuit while not having to solder or unsolder components. He steps you through each section of the line following robot building each modules in order till you have the whole robot circuitry on the breadboard for testing. Later he shows you have to make the final robot product and put everything together soldered on a single circuit board. There is truly so much information here that the readers get way more than he pays for. It is easy to understand and humorous at the same time. He even covers calculations concerning voltage drops, load drops within the circuit, and power consumption. By the end of this book you will have completed the building of a real, authentic line following robot and have the knowledge to go onto bigger and better robot projects. After this book I recommend buying the Intermediate Robot builder book!! This is another great book from David Cook!

The definitive beginner's book!
As a beginner and someone who has gone through several "beginner" robot building books, I cannot recommend this book enough. Not only does the book give step by step instructions on building a line-following robot, but it will also explain what each part does, why it was picked, where to get it, etc. This will be extremely useful later, when building your own robots. Other books will either assume you know something you don't, or give you step-by-step instructions without the rationale behind them. If you have to get only one book, then Robot Building for Beginners is the one (a cliche, but true nonetheless).

He wrote a 2nd Book!!!
I've been sitting around here waiting to see my review show up that I just wrote (no luck yet) and went back to David Cook's website to look at his other robots again. MY WISH CAME TRUE--HE WROTE ANOTHER BOOK! For those of you returning to look at this book's reviews again, check out the web site: (...) I really am excited. To those of you who haven't made the sandwhich yet, you can check this project out on that site too. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the most popular books available today, Technician's Guide to Programmable Controllers, 4th Edition includes complete explanations, examples readers can relate to, plus a writing style well-suited to electrical students as well as journeyman and apprentice technicians, make. Its systematic approach enables readers without prior knowledge to gain a comprehensive understanding of what a programmable logic controller is, how it works, plus how it is programmed and installed. Numerous and varied troubleshooting techniques are also introduced, making this book a valuable reference for professional maintenance electricians and plant engineers. Fully updated, the fourth edition now reflects use of personal computers for programming devices, including detailed programming information on both the Allen-Bradley SLC-500 and the MicroLogix family of programmable logic controllers. Supplemental information on logic gates has also been added to assist readers in gaining an understanding of programming and the symbols used. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A good reference for PLC beginners.
I used this book with great success in the course, Introduction to Programmable Logic Controllers, which I developed for a leading aircraft manufacturer. This book was recommended reading prior to attending other PLC courses offered in my training business.

Clear and concise with practical information for beginners
I used this book to train industrial electricians and recommended it in the PLC course I designed at Coyne American Institute in Chicago in 1989. They still use the book along with a lab manual and Allen Bradley PLC's in the electrical maintenance course. I reviewed other books and felt this one was the right choice for the length of course, training level and content. It is clearly written with hardware and instruction set examples from various PLC manufacturers, troubleshooting, number systems, start-up hints and some useful general computer information. Also included is a chapter on understanding MS-DOS commands-very handy for people (a lot of them around) with no computer background except a point-and-click once in a while. The soft cover format, number of pages (372) and size make it easy to carry and throw in a brief case. If you are learning PLC's for the first time, this is a good place to start. If I was going to add anything to it for the next edition, I would include things like data highway, serial communications, remote displays and PID loop. Maybe a little more about programming details involving analog I/O would be nice. ... Read more

Book Description

Now in its third edition, Introduction to Robotics by John J. Craig provides readers with real-world practicality with underlying theory presented. With one half of the material from traditional mechanical engineering material, one fourth control theoretical material, and one fourth computer science, the book covers rigid-body transformations, forward and inverse positional kinematics, velocities and Jacobians of linkages, dynamics, linear control, non-linear control, force control methodologies, mechanical design aspects and programming of robots. For engineers.

Reviews (3)

Great book for beginners!
Yes...it is a good book! No doubts about that. For the basics that is. There will be a limit if you would like to pursue more on this topic.

All in all, the chapters are well presented and the assigments welldocumented.

Great introduction to robotics.
As the title says, it's an introduction.And a good one at that.The basics are covered with just the right amount of detail to be useful.The book also provides good references for more advanced work.

All the basics
It teaches you all you need to know to begin with Robotics. It's a bit old-fashioned though. ... Read more

Book Description

This broad introduction to the fundamental concepts of digital imaging shows how the various techniques can be applied to solve real-world problems (e.g., in biology, astronomy, forensics, etc.). It helps readers develop the insight required to use the tools of digital imaging to solve new problems. Discusses color, image compression, user interfaces, software development project management, 2-D graphs of Fourier Transforms, analysis of digital imaging systems performance, optics, pattern recognition, image recording and display, CCD cameras. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very solid on math, very expensive in price.
This book covers most of the elements you will ever need or want to know about image processing. It presents the algorithms, mathematics, and logic behind all major techniques. It has enough math to scare off any casual reader, in enough detail to satisfy anyone seriously interested in image processing. The only bad thing about the book is the cost. If it were priced slashed to $60 or less, I'd have given it 5 stars. If you plan on doing any serious image processing in your career, it is worth the money. If you only need it for a class and not your career, then you are probably better off reading it with a formerly-wealthy classmate.

One of the best for Learning the Material
I used Ken Castleman's first edition in 1979 that same year to get a thorough and fast mastery of digital image processing. The book is highly recommended, because I feel that if a book is easy to read and gets the job done of educating the reader as quickly as possible, and it is actually a pleasure to go through, then it is a winner. This book is one of the rare technical books I can recommend this way. The price tag of 105 is hefty, but many books today are outlandishly priced. Even so, if the budget allows only one or two Digital Imaging texts, this would be one I would definitely pick.

a good book with a broad coverage in the image processing
This book helped me gain the basic knowledge in digital image processing. Although it doesn't have any sample programming code, the description and the math functions in the book are good enough for me to understand the different imaging processing techniques and finish my image processing programming projects at work. ... Read more