How to Survive a Robot Uprising

Listen up. Robots are among us, plotting to overthrow humanity for our own good. This comical, though factually based, guide to the latest advances in robotics provides listeners with a variety of tactics to avoid android Armageddon. Stefan Rudnicki's deep, serious tone emphasizes the immediacy of the situation as he maps out escape routes and strategies for saving humankind. At times, his foreboding voice hints of bemusement. Listeners will laugh at Wilson's suggestions for defeating the rising robotic rebels, but at the same time be awed by the fantastic advances in technology described. Provided that CD players or computers don't revolt just yet, this audiobook proves to be an excellent listen. L.E. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine

October 31, 2005
In this uncomfortably humorous survival guide, Wilson, a Ph.D. candidate at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University, reminds readers that "any machine could rebel, from a toaster to a Terminator," and though the forms our future robot enemies may take are manifold, they each have exploitable weaknesses that, fortuitously, match our natural human strengths. So, if a two-legged android gives chase, seek out a body of water, as "most robots will sink in water or mud and fall through ice." It also may be a good idea to carry around a pair of welder's goggles, as lasers will likely be robot attackers' weapons of choice, and even a weak laser can cause blindness. Options for fighting back are plentiful, though not everyone will be relieved to learn the standard kitchen microwave can be retrofitted into a radiation gun that can destroy electronics and "cook human flesh." (Instructions for such a project are not included.) Humorous and informative-Wilson drops robotics history trivia nuggets and includes brief descriptions of current robot research-this nifty little guide to surviving the inevitable robot apocalypse may have you reconsidering purchasing that "smart" (read: insidious) refrigerator.