Reviews (7)

Easy read and a good introduction
The book is easy to read and a good introducion to behavior based programming. I always like it when the author uses some humor to turn a book that could have been a boring "must read" into an entertaining experience.

Accessible guide to behavior-based robotics
Behavior-based robotics is quite simply the design of robots where there are no internal "models" of the environment. Instead, the robot's action is state-machine driven via inputs gleaned from the robot's sensors. This book gives very practical advice on building and programming such a robot. Some mathematics is involved, so the reader who knows trigonometry, algebra, and the basics of computer programming would be best prepared to make good use of this book.
Great book!
I have many robot books and this is the best and most informative book of all. It is easy to understand and read; I personally couldn't put it down. I wish it was twice as long while still marinating the high info density... Most authors just babble and every few pages actually tell you something; this is not the case with this book!
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Subjects:  1. Automation    2. Programming    3. Robotics    4. Robots    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Technology    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Computer Programming    9. Technology / Robotics   

Reviews (9)

Unsynthesizable
This is the WORST VHDL book there is.Don't buy this book if you plan to synthesize your code.The book looks good, but many examples are just plain wrong.This book is flamed in the industry. I appreciate Mr. Bhasker's book.
I am a graduate student doing my Major in digital VLSI design. I strongly urge people to read the book written by Mr. Jayaram Bhasker on VHDL.I feel that there are no prerequisites for reading this. The main highlight of the book is the simplicity with whichits written. The author has really taken pains to make students understanddifficult ideas with ease.The other most striking feature are ample signal wave diagrams which YOU DONT FIND IN ANY OTHER BOOKS. My favorite chapter is the tutorial in Chapter2 and the last chapter on STATE MACHINES. Nicely Organized for a "Kick Start Learning."
This book nicely starts with the simple code writing and progresses to more complex topics in VHDL.The good thing is the author explained almost every topic with good clarity and has well connected different topics.I hope the next edition comes with more examples on test bench. A very keen information about the different types of modelling also helps to have a good attacking style for a sound digital designing. I would recommend this book to any beginner and there is no doubt this book is well fragmented with techniques about VHDL coding almost in every page. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chdl (Computer Hardware Descriptive Language)    2. Computer Books: Languages    3. Computer Engineering    4. Computers    5. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    6. Programming Languages - General    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. VHDL (Computer hardware descri    9. VHDL (Computer hardware description language)    10. Computer modelling & simulation    11. Systems analysis & design    12. Technology / Electronics / General   

Reviews (1)

Of vast importance
This collection of articles has its origin in the work of one of the editors (Daniel Kahneman) and Amos Tversky (now deceased) in the 1970's. The first article in the book gives an introduction to this work and a brief historical survey. This work, along with current developments, is extremely important, for it sheds light on the differences (if any) between "intuitive judgment" and judgment that is based on more quantitative, mathematical, or algorithmic reasoning. If human judgment in uncertain environments is based on a limited number of simplifying heuristics, and not on extensive algorithmic processing, this would be very important for someone who is attempting to implement or simulate human reasoning in a machine. Economics, finance, and political decision-making are other areas that need a more accurate view of human judgment. Indeed, the "rational agent" assumption in classical economics, wherein the person makes choices by assessing the probability of each possible outcome and then assigning a utility to each, is considered to be fundamental, even axiomatic. It is therefore of great interest to examine challenges to this assumption.
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Subjects:  1. Cognitive Psychology    2. Critical thinking    3. Judgment    4. Psychology    5. Reasoning (Psychology)    6. Philosophy & theory of psychology    7. Psychology & Psychiatry / General   

Reviews (6)

Worthwhile Insight into Mental Shortcuts
People aren't computers. Human beings live in a real world of scarcity and constraint. Even though time and information may be scarce, human beings must make high-stakes decisions. Probability and logic offer models for the thought process of choosing between alternatives, but decision makers often do not have enough hours, data and skill to use these sophisticated approaches. Fortunately, some rough and ready cognitive shortcuts perform as well as or better than the most elaborately sophisticated models - at least in the real world context of limited information and time. Working with the ABC Research Group, authors Gerd Gigerenzer and Peter M. Todd explore some of those shortcuts, called "heuristics." They discuss in length and depth a series of experiments that demonstrate the value of heuristics. This is not light reading. It requires a level of comfort with academic style, mathematics and symbolic logic. Readers unfamiliar with cognition literature may find it a struggle - but we believes that those who persevere will find enough new insight to make the effort worthwhile.

Gigerenzer's clearesttext - very inspiring.
Gerd Gigerenzer is probably THE guru in heuristics - the art of picking a few shorthand rules to help us make complex decisions - but I found other works of his (Adaptive Thinking, Bounded Rationality) pretty dry going. By contrast this volume - a collection of stimulating, sometimes provocative essays by members of the ABC Research group (the centrer for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition) explores many facets of Heuristics and even puts heuristics to the test against other more computationally complex techniques to pick the outcomes for several complicated problems. Time and again, the simple rules of thumb out-perform the grindingly thorough statistical routines. For anyone researching human behaviour, the implicit challenge is to stop asking huge batteries of questions - and to look instead for the little telltale rules by which people navigate their complicated environments.
Well, i liked it anyway
Whether you like a book depends on what information you're looking for. i make computer models of human behavior so this book, which is easy to read but filled with concrete solutions and lots of supporting dat, was near-perfect for meRead more

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence - General    2. Cognitive Psychology    3. Logic    4. Psychology    5. Artificial intelligence    6. Cognition & cognitive psychology    7. Cognitive theory    8. Economics    9. Psychology & Psychiatry / Cognitive Psychology    10. Psychology | Cognitive    11. Psychology & Psychiatry   

Reviews (1)

Two small guides in one (with minimal pix and info)
I understand that guides are for multiple platforms, but this is silly. Prima did the whole SC:DA guide twice. Once for PS2/GC and again for XBOX 360/PC. Its two small books in one. But for about the price of two (retail of $20 rather than $12 which is the usual price for the skinny guides).
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Subjects:  1. Computer Games    2. Computers - Games    3. Games    4. Games/Puzzles    5. Video & Electronic - General    6. Games / Video & Electronic   

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computers    3. Computers - General Information    4. Machine Theory    5. Supervised learning (Machine learning)    6. Computers / Machine Theory    7. Machine learning   

Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Aims & Objectives    3. Education    4. Education / Teaching    5. Grading and marking (Students)    6. School reports    7. Testing & Measurement    8. United States    9. Education / Testing & Measurement   

Reviews (8)

READ IT BEFORE REVIEWING PLEASE
my five stars are just to counteract the single star from the idiotic reviewer who gave the book one star w/o even bothering to read it. i haven't read this volume yet either, but i just ordered it and it's on its way; i'm certain i won't be disapointed. i'm a programmer and an artist and i use GP effectively to evolve forms both sonic and visual. just because you know your field(s) doesn't mean you can't benefit from a knowledge of evolutionary algorithms, quite the contrary. we have koza and friends to thank for a lot of inspirational work. i for one enjoy the interaction that i have with my algorithms, and since i'm the fitness function, forms crop up which never would have if either i or the machine were working alone. apologies for being guilty of the same crime as said reviewer but i feel in this case it's justified.

And the future is...
Genetic programming is like a new Big Bang in computer universe. Why Should You Buy This Book???
Why this book, when there are several shorter books on GP, and its principle author, John Koza, has written two other, more general and equally voluminous books on GP? This book addresses how to evolve program architecture, that's why! Living organisms didn't grow arms and eyes through simple mutation. It required more subtle genetic operators. Traditional genetic operators (as used in genetic algorithms) may be sufficient for evolving solutions to optimization problems where the structure if not the specifics of each solution is pretty much the same. But to effectively evolve program structures, you need architecture altering genetic operators. This book provides motivations in computer science, foundations in biology, and explanations in English. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence - General    2. Computer Books: General    3. Computers    4. Computers - Languages / Programming    5. Genetic Algorithms    6. Genetic programming (Computer    7. Genetic programming (Computer science)    8. Life Sciences - Genetics & Genomics    9. Circuits & components    10. Computers / Artificial Intelligence    11. Machine learning   

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence - General    2. Computer Books: General    3. Computers    4. Computers - General Information    5. General    6. AI logics    7. Artificial intelligence    8. Computers / Artificial Intelligence    9. algorithmic learning    10. computational intelligence    11. evolutionary computing    12. intelligent agents    13. intelligent information processing    14. knowledge processing    15. machine learning    16. natural language processing    17. neural computing   

Reviews (2)

Thorough coverage of MPI programming in Fortran, C, and C++
This book is an excellent introduction to programming with the MPI. It gradually introduces concepts from the simple to the complex. This is done with examples that illustrate the use of different techniques. The examples include the code to implement them. The programming examples alternate between Fortran 90, C, and C++. However, after giving the example in one language, the bindings for the MPI functions in the other two languages are presented. In addition, the programming examples in either language are easily understood. Although my first choice of programming language is Fortran (and I have very basic knowledge or C), I was able to follow the examples in C and C++ and to write their equivalents in Fortran so I could test them on our computers.

good reference but short on C examples
I liked the reference as an introduction to MPI, but it switched between fortran and C so often that I spent a fair amount of my time just trying to interpret the code samples and synchronize to the syntax of the languagethey were using.You shouldnt have that problem if you have used Fortranin the last ten years but i havnt touched it since college.You have to beable to work with both languages though because many of the key conceptsare only demonstrated in one language.Also the examples were usaullyspread out into mini snipets as opposed to a larger block that might show amore complete picture. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence - General    2. Computer Books: Languages    3. Computer Interfaces    4. Computer Science    5. Computers    6. Computers - Languages / Programming    7. Data Processing - Parallel Processing    8. Data Transmission Systems - General    9. Parallel Processing    10. Parallel computers    11. Parallel programming (Computer    12. Parallel programming (Computer science)    13. Programming    14. Programming - Parallel Programming    15. Computers / Computer Science    16. Networking packages   

Editorial Review

A game has to be able to think, or at least imitate thought sufficiently to render a convincing representation of some character or phenomenon. This sort of logic requires planning on the part of the programmer: A swordfighter not only has to find his enemy and engage him in combat, but know how to react if the opponent runs away, dies, or summons his buddies. The better the game designer is at endowing characters with behaviors, capabilities, and reactions, the more realistic and exciting his or her games will be. A soldier that can shoot at targets in the distance is okay, but a soldier that can also lay an ambush, shoot around corners, and fight with a knife is a lot more exciting. Read more

Reviews (3)

"Ok, let us not try to get bogged down into semantics?"
Honestly, I just had to submit a review to comment on this line from a reviewer of this book. "Ok, let us not try to get bogged down into semantics." What the heck does this mean? I think he/she meant, "Okay, let us not get bogged down in semantics."
Another useful addition to the game developers shelf
All of the books in the Game Programming Gems and AI Wisdom series have been quite useful to me as a game programmer. AI Game Programming Wisdom 2 is a continuation of the Charles River Media series devoted to gaming issues. As with the rest of the series the articles are of varying lengths and detail. Many of the articles simply reference other articles in the series rather than basic or classic works in AI. So, this series is less useful as a bibliographic source. The topics covered in the articles are usually short and written at a high-level, but nonetheless very interesting and worth further research. And therein lies some of the frustration. It is often difficult to find more information about a particular subject since most of the references simply refer to articles in other books in the series, which are themselves are rather vague. Downplay AI and just extract what you need
Has Artificial Intelligence just become a catchall phrase for any advanced algorithmic programming? Because if you peruse this book, you may consider some methods it describes as just being sophisticated algorithms, and not necessarily anything to do with AI per se.Read more

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence - General    2. Artificial intelligence    3. Computer Books And Software    4. Computer Graphics - Game Programming    5. Computer games    6. Computer graphics    7. Computers    8. Computers - General Information    9. Design    10. Programming    11. Programming - General    12. Video & Electronic - General    13. Computer Programming    14. Computers / Entertainment & Games / General   

Reviews (10)

Good book for the basics of information theory
I give this book five stars because it succeeds brilliantly at what it sets out to do - to introduce the field of information theory in an accessible non-mathematical way to the completely uninitiated. Information theory is that branch of mathematics that deals with the information content of messages. The theory addresses two aspects of communication: "How can we define and measure information?" and "What is the maximum information that can be sent through a communications channel?". No other book I know of can explain these concepts of information, bits, entropy, and data encoding without getting bogged down in proofs and mathematics. The book even manages to equate the concept of language with the information it inherently transmits in a conversational and accessible style. The book rounds out its discussion with chapters on information theory from the perspectives of physics, psychology, and art. The only math necessary to understand what's going on in this book is high school algebra and the concept of logarithms. If you are an engineer or engineering student who knows anything about information theory, you probably will not find this book helpful. Instead you would do better to start off with a more advanced book like "An Introduction To Information Theory" by Reza, which introduces concepts from a more mathematical perspective.

Layman's Introduction to Information Theory
This is a good introduction to the concepts of information theory: entropy, stationarity, ergodic sources, efficient coding, error detection, error correction and geometrical modelling.It is aimed at the layman, so there is plenty of explanatory text for each equation presented.If you know basic algebra, probability and logarithms (especially logarithms of base 2), you would get more out this book.
Best Beginners Book EVER!Pierce is Great.
First off, I am a very tough grade.I never give more than 3 stars unless a book is exceptional.This book is THE FINEST introductory book every written on information theory!! ... (Lemme explain briefly: In the golden era of information theory, there were many people who sought to "jump on the information theory bandwagon".In fact Claude Shannon actually wrote a brief paper about that.You had all kinds of people trying to apply information theory to the fields of investments and even psychology, ad nauseum.This book has chapters that deal with that...With respect to Pierce, it's junk bogus science... and he really shouldn't have sunk to that level.... even thought there continue to be many Thesis and Dissertations today which still try to use information theory to justify economics and group psychology... Believe that stuff if it makes you happy).Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. Information Theory    3. Mathematics    4. Probability & Statistics - General    5. Questions & Answers    6. Science/Mathematics    7. Artificial intelligence    8. Science / General   

Reviews (16)

make sure you are right audience
It's not that this is a bad book, but you have to make sure you are right audience.The book offers very high-level overviews on various techniques of data mining, but it is almost impossible to learn how to really implement them.Since there are no exercises after each chapter you probably already know who the target audience of the book are.

It shows me many examples
Even if it is bad as all the gentlemen said, I think at least it gives me many examples which are not mentioned in other books before.

Very, Very, Very Bad Book !
I am a professional in the field of data mining (over 10 years experience). I am always taking classes and reading on the subject. This book was a required text in a grad class I was taking in the evenings. I was excited because I had heard so many good things about it.
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Subjects:  1. Algorithms (Computer Programming)    2. Artificial Intelligence - General    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computers    5. Computers - Data Base Management    6. Data mining    7. Database Engineering    8. Database Management - Database Mining    9. Database Management - General    10. Programming - General    11. Algorithms & procedures    12. Computers / Artificial Intelligence    13. Databases & data structures    14. Mathematical theory of computation   

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence    2. Artificial Intelligence - General    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computer Programming    5. Computers    6. General    7. Genetic programming (Computer    8. Genetic programming (Computer science)    9. Programming - General    10. Science    11. Computers / Artificial Intelligence    12. Machine learning   

Reviews (1)

Good overview ... a bit thin on some subjects
Good power electronics textbook.I use it for my power electronics courseat Worcester Polytechnic Institute.It covers a lot of material well,including switching power converters, thermal and magnetics design.It's abit thin in some important subjects, such as current mode control.Read more

Subjects:  1. Electric current converters    2. Electronics - General    3. Electronics - Semiconductors    4. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    5. Power Resources    6. Power electronics    7. Power semiconductors    8. Semiconductors    9. Technology    10. Technology & Industrial Arts    11. Circuits & components    12. Computer modelling & simulation   

Subjects:  1. Business Software - General    2. Computers    3. Counseling - Vocational Guidance    4. Electronics - Circuits - Integrated    5. Engineering - Electrical & Electronic    6. Integrated circuits    7. Integrated circuits, Very larg    8. Linear integrated circuits    9. Logic Design    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Signal Processing (Communication Engineering)    12. Technology & Industrial Arts    13. Very large scale integration    14. Very-Large-Scale Integration (Vlsi)    15. Artificial intelligence    16. Computers / Computer Science    17. General Theory of Computing   

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence    2. Artificial Intelligence - General    3. Business Enterprise    4. Computer Books: Database    5. Computers    6. Computers - Data Base Management    7. Computers - Languages / Programming    8. Database Management - General    9. Database Management - SQL Server    10. New Business Enterprises    11. Programming Languages - C#    12. Computers / Database Management / General    13. Database software    14. SQL   

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence - General    2. Computer Books: General    3. Computers    4. Mathematics    5. Probability & Statistics - General    6. Artificial intelligence    7. Computing and Information Technology    8. Mathematics / Statistics    9. Probability & statistics   

Subjects:  1. Computer Simulation    2. Engineering - Industrial    3. Science/Mathematics    4. Technology    5. Technology & Industrial Arts    6. Computer modelling & simulation    7. Technology / Engineering / Industrial   

Subjects:  1. Artificial Intelligence - General    2. Computer Books: Languages    3. Computers    4. Computers - Languages / Programming    5. Information Technology    6. Programming - Software Development    7. Artificial intelligence    8. Computers / Programming / Software Development    9. DAML    10. MDA    11. ODM    12. OWL    13. Ontology Definition Metamodel    14. Programming languages    15. RDF    16. Semantic Web    17. Software engineering    18. UML    19. XML