Library

Books We Love

1. Junkbots, Bugbots, and Bots on Wheels is a classic text on building robots from items at hand. It's a great introduction to robotics and electronics for both beginners and advanced robot builders who are looking to work with hands-on projects. Most significantly, this book emphasizes ways to reuse parts from old electronics, and presents projects in the wonderful BEAM robotics (biology, electronics, aesthetics and mechanics) style.
2. Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius is filled with advanced electronics projects that are at the very minimum a source of inspiration for the wide range of things that can be built at a hobbyist level.
3. Robot Builder's Bonanza is the most comprehensive introduction to robotics that we've come across. It covers everything from basic electronics to advanced robotics concepts. It's a great resource for beginners and experienced builders alike.

Software and Engineering

1. What does "The Art of the Catapult" have to do with building robots? Possibly more than you might expect. While this text is filled with awesome designs for ancient armatures of war an seige, some of these simple yet ingenious principles of engineering can be useful for many other applications. Perhaps you'll be apply the twisted rope torsion spring used in the design of a ballista to provide tension to the arm supports of your next robot.
2. Continuous Delivery is worth reading for anyone working in software development. It offers foundational concepts on the practice of releasing software in a reliable and repeatable manner. This is especially valuable to those interested or involved in DevOps, CI/CD, and software delivery.
3. The Laboratory Notebook is high quality journal with numbered pages, a space for a table of contents, and grid-lined pages. This book is ideal for recording notes, experiments, and ideas for your projects. As opposed to spiral bound notebooks, solid bound books like these are preferred by serious entrepreneurs who need to date and validate their records for legal purposes.

Electronics

1. More Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius maintains the excellent reputation of its predecessor. With new projects but many of the same qualities, this book continues to be a great resource for hobbyists and engineers alike.
2. This book is the ultimate reference guide for an extensive range of topics. When the power goes out and you need conversion tables, formulas, or other information, this book has you covered.

Fiction

1. Isaac Asimov's I, Robot is probably one of the most classic pieces in robotics's science fiction. Setting forth the principle of the 3 laws of robotics, Asimov's work continues to be relevant in discussions within the field of robotics and AI today.

Movies and Music

1. If you're a fan of any of these classics, you might also enjoy the upcoming exhibit we're going to be adding to the Robotics wing of the Gunther Cox Digital Museum: museum.gunthercox.com/science/technology/robotics/. Keep an eye out for the new exhibit featuring some of our favorite robots in film and television history.