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18 MTR November/December 2010 is going to become an instant classic.” Drew Michel, chair of the Marine Technology Society’s ROV Committee says, “This is the book that underwater robotics educators have been waiting for.” Underwater Robotics: Science, Design & Fabrication is written for advanced high school classes, college and uni- versity entry-level courses, and the underwater technolo- gy enthusiast. Each chapter begins with a true scenario (called Stories From Real Life) that sets the stage for the ocean science, physics, math, electronics, and engineering concepts that follow. All chapters include an outline, learning outcomes, and summary. The range of chapter subject matter is as follows: CHAPTER 1: Underwater Vehicles CHAPTER 2: Design Toolkit CHAPTER 3: Working in Water CHAPTER 4: Structure and Materials CHAPTER 5: Pressure Hulls and Canisters CHAPTER 6: Buoyancy, Stability, and Ballast CHAPTER 7: Moving and Maneuvering CHAPTER 8: Power Systems CHAPTER 9: Navigation and Control CHAPTER 10: Payloads CHAPTER 11: Operations CHAPTER 12: SeaMATE • Chapters 1-2 provide an introductory overview of manned and unmanned underwater craft (from earliest times to modern day) and suggest pragmatic strategies for designing underwater robots (particularly ROVs). • Chapters 3-10 introduce the limitations and chal- lenges of working in water then focus on specific techni- cal issues, ranging from structure and materials to power systems and payloads. In each of these topics, the relevant science is paired with practical robotics. The chapters are filled with visual and textual examples, ranging from basic home-built vehicles to complex, commercial craft. • Chapter 11 and 12 move from theory into hands-on learning. Chapter 11 details how to prepare and carry out missions, particularly those conducted by smaller ROVs. Chapter 12 provides complete plans and instructions for SeaMATE, a build-as-you-learn ROV, then discusses ideas and strategies for more advanced projects. This 770-page resource features over 500 color photo- graphs and illustrations. The wealth of photographs help readers connect with actual examples of commercial and scientific subsea robotic craft. The straight-forward illus- trations are designed to expand and explain textual con-
