Robot Building (NAPSA)—Gift givers and recipients may no longer dread the phrase “some assembly required,” especially when the item being put together is as fun and versatile as a robot. Television programs such as “BattleBots” and “Robot Wars” have ne brought personal robotics to the edtae) masses, and two Lie. new books can DUNMIES help people get started in buildA Reference ing their own the, : Rest of Us! (Ton tomes } ’bots. In Robot Building for Dummies (Wiley, $21.99), Roger Arrick, founder of Arrick Robotics, shows how readers can start with a kit and create their own personal machine, and then program it for real-world applications. Kickin’ ’Bot: An Illustrated Guide to Building Combat Robots (Wiley, $24.99), by veteran robot builder Grant create ond progearn ya om ‘Imahara, is packed with easy-to-follow diagrams and ay illustrations, so eaeC TS) readers can get ied (4 work right away, and build their very own fighting robot, quickly and easily. It is the only construction guide that takes visual approach to robot construction. In addition, these tomes have practical applications: In an effort to get students excited about technology, many schools have begun instituting and competing in robot-building competitions. More than 85 major personal robot competitions have taken place over the past year. Both Robot Building for Dummies and Kickin’ Bot are available at bookstores, www.wiley.com. or online at
