Author(s): Paul Beck

Miscellaneous

Past meets Future in this fascinating book on robotic animals and Biomimetics - the field of science that attempts to create machines or materials by copying nature. Just some of the great ideas from nature include how non-skid shoes were designed from the textured surface of a dog's padded paws and the Eiffel Tower might never have been built if the designer hadn't noticed the inner structure of the human thighbone. This unique book combines in-depth information on the uses of robots today, how the tyrannosaurus rex's inspires designers to create robots for the future and then provides kids with an opportunity to build their own walking dinosaur, complete with light-up eyes and moving tail! Real robots have been around for more than half a century and used for a variety of purposes. Some dinosaur robots are at the cutting edge of robot research. For years, experimental dinobots have been helping scientists and engineers test out different ways of walking. This 'rexbot' will have two legs for walking and a tail to keep it balanced, just like the real T-Rex. Also in existence is Banryu, a real, working dinosaur robot. This Japanese robot is about as big as a medium-size dog and is able to patrol the house like a guard dog and using its infrared sensors that can listen for noises and sniff for smoke. From fossil bones in museums to special-effects monsters in movies, T-Rex is probably the most well-known and fascinating dinosaur of all. This all encompassing book gives kids an up close learning experience and the chance to build their own walking T-Rex!