ISBN:0201543613Book 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./p>
Reviews From AMAZON.COM
Book poorly written 3rd edition
Many of the example problems take short cuts while trying to explain the material through practical problems. When reading the book one is forced to constantly, turn the pages backward for previous references in order to understand the short cuts. The book is in need of some serious editing. Nevertheless, not all engineering books get better with editing. Spotts, machine design, for example in the 6th edition is a Great Book! In the 8th edition, it is useless. This book has the potential to be a good textbook. However, in this form it is just about 3 pounds of paper and cardboard with a fancy cover. Not the worst textbook ever, but it made the list.
Typo ridden clunker...
The textbook attempts to cover basic kinematics, forward and backward chaining through the Euclidean approach to describe DH conventions, torque, and so forth. The first three chapters would lead one to expect an excellent textbook, and then the textbook descends into a nightmare.
The notation is cobbled together from so many different disciplines, we had to make study sheets to figure out what was said. There is no summary of formula or notation. Once there are a dozen notations in play, the typos begin. In chapter six alone, we counted over a dozen formulas with the wrong symbols or missing terms.
Even with these flaws, the book fails to deliver. The first half of the book has a theme: using transforms on DH conventions to derive position, accelleration, force and torque. Chapter seven covers a number of trajectory planning algorithms. The rest of the book adopts new notation and slowly explores control methods, stretching out simple solutions over many chapters. At the end, the reader still has no idea how to evaluate between the various control methods presented, aside from learning that more modeling is better. No alternatives are presented to the author's single thread, and the book misses concepts such as variable gains, force field collision avoidence, calibration, and Keynes notation.
There is a good topic in here screaming to get out. If you delve past the first four chapters, you will be screaming to get out.