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Could the robots in Howard S. Smith's I,robot exist? For example, Boston Dynamics, has a working prototype of a four-legged robot designed to haul supplies. A bit more engineering, and you'd have the eight-legged Beta robot shown in Howard S. Smith's I,robot. Click here to see the YouTube video of the robotic prelude to Beta -- Boston Dynamic's 'Big Dog'. Click here for a prelude of robots to the Alpha robot shown in Howard S. Smith's I,robot. Some of these robots are equipped with machine guns. (Yup... it's getting scary.) While the robots shown in this video don't have a fraction of the intelligence of the Alpha, the trend has already started, and will increase. (Indeed, the artificial neural networks that power Alpha's intelligence are real -- they were presented by Howard S. Smith at a neurosciences conference in 2000.) While these first-generation military robots do not walk on two legs, the latter does in fact exist. Click here for a nicer application of robots -- the two legged Asimo conducting the Detroit Symphony. Armed robots started operating in Iraq in 2007. Click here for news and video. This is just the start. Click here to see a press release or article (links change with time) regarding hundreds of billions of dollars the US Department of Defense will be spending on robotic soldiers. Robots will emerge... but unlike in the Jetsons, they will not be there to organize our houses or take the dog for a walk.
Click here to see how well current android robots do at duplicating human expressions. Why review this book? Why stock this book? -Well-written, entertaining story. A whole new story. In a pre-pub review, ForeWord Magazine writes: “This I,robot is honestly better than both of those stories [Isaac Asimov's book or Will Smith's movie] put together.” -Asimov wrote his sci-fi classic in the 1940s, before computers even existed. (The ENIAC, for example, appeared only in 1946.) It’s time to update to a more realistic technology that could emerge, as well as to a more realistic reason for the emergence of these expensive machines. (The 2004 film, while entertaining, did neither.) -The emergence of robots is actually happening now… but unlike in the Jetsons, they will not be there to organize our houses or take the dog for a walk. As noted above, robots are emerging as military robots. Armed robots started operating in Iraq in 2007. The US DOD has allocated hundreds of billions of dollars for future purchases. - Author expert in robotics and artificial intelligence (eg, all automated self-checkout machines based on his work) - Strong book launch - Trade distribution set up: AtlasBooks, Ingram, Baker&Taylor, Scholarly (Canada) & Gazelle (U.K., Europe)
Book Launch: I,robot Upcoming Launch Publicity: October 2008 -- -- 445,000 circulation in bookstore and libraries
October 2
Flyer - IBPA (PMA) Public Library Mailing - Aug 10 receipt -- 4000 librarians Bookstore Mailing - IBPA (PMA) Catalog - Aug 15 receipt -- 3000 bookstores and reviewers Flyer - IBPA (PMA) K12 Library Mailing - Aug 15 receipt -- 4000 librarians Banner Ad - Aug 20 -- Shelf Awareness -- views by 10,000+ booklovers Banner Ad - Aug 21 -- Shelf Awareness -- views by 10,000+ booklovers
Banner Ad - Aug 25 -- Shelf Awareness -- views by 10,000+ booklovers Drop-in Title - Aug 26 -- Shelf Awareness -- views by 10,000 + booklovers Drop-in Title - Aug 26 -- Unshelved -- views by 40,000+ booklovers
Inside Cover Ad - Aug 25 -- Publishers Weekly -- views by 10,000s booklovers first week of September after receipt of magazine Baker & Taylor Advance Reading Copy Program -- Distribution of approximately 300 ARCs of I,robot to major library systems by the first week of September Ad - Shelf-Awareness &/or Drop-in Title -- Week of Sept 2 Ad - Shelf-Awareness &/or Drop-in Title -- Week of Sept 8 Ad - Shelf-Awareness &/or Drop-in Title -- Week of Sept 15 Reviewer Mailing - IBPA (PMA) Catalog - Sept 15 receipt -- 3000 reviewers Ad - Shelf-Awareness &/or Drop-in Title -- Week of Sept 22 Ad - Shelf-Awareness &/or Drop-in Title -- Week of Sept 29 Flyer - IBPA (PMA) Public Library Mailing - Oct 1 receipt -- 4000 librarians Flyer - IBPA (PMA) College Library Mailing - Oct 1 receipt -- 3200 librarians Bookstore Mailing - IBPA (PMA) Catalog - Oct 1 receipt -- 3000 bookstores and reviewers
Ad - Oct 1 -- BookPage -- distributed to 440,000+ booklovers
See Alpha live!! Click here for appearances of the robot.
I, robot book will be on exhibit at the PMA booth at PLA 2008 Public Library Association Annual Conference
Alpha wowed the crowd with his dancing. I, robot book will also be on exhibit at the BEA New Title Showcase exhibition area at Book Expo America 2008.
I, robot will be on exhibit at the AtlasBooks/Quanta booth #215 at
Dr. Howard Smith will be autographing ARCs June 28, June 29 and June 30. For exact hours, please check "Meet the Authors" section of the Exhibit Guide Book
I, robot book will be on exhibit at the PMA booth at Frankfurt Book Fair 2008
Dr. Howard Smith will be at Denvention 3. Wed 14:30 -- Reading from Howard S. Smith's I,robot
I,robot will be at the MPIBA show in Colorado Springs, CO, 9/19-20/08
I,robot will be at the NAIBA show in Cherry Hill, NJ, 9/21-22/08
I,robot will be at the MBA show in St. Paul, MN, 9/27/08
I,robot will be at the NCIBA show in Oakland, CA, 10/4-5/08 |
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Copyright Robot Binaries & Press Corp -- www.robotpress.net -- 2008
Disclaimer: The website link robotpress.net is a contraction of the legal corporate name and is not associated with any other tradenames related to robotpress or roboticspress.
Disclaimer: Howard S. Smith's I,robot is not associated with the 20th Century Fox Film I,Robot or the 1950 Asimov book I,Robot or many other products of similar name.