Technology: general issues Books

Book SynopsisStephen Witt is the author of How Music Got Free, which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, and the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Financial Times, New York magazine, Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone and GQ. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

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Book SynopsisMustafa Suleyman (Author) Mustafa Suleyman is the CEO of Microsoft AI. Previously he was CEO and co-founder of Inflection AI. Before that he co-founded DeepMind, one of the world's leading AI companies, and after a decade there, he became vice president of AI product management and AI policy at Google. When he was an undergraduate at Oxford, Suleyman dropped out to help start a non-profit telephone counselling service. He lives in Palo Alto, California.He tweets @MustafaSuleyman.Michael Bhaskar (Author) Michael Bhaskar is a writer and publisher based in the UK. He is the author of The Content Machine, Curation and Human Frontiers.

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Book SynopsisEliezer Yudkowsky (Author) Eliezer Yudkowsky is a founding researcher of the field of AI alignment, with influential work spanning more than twenty years. As co-founder of the non-profit Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), Yudkowsky sparked early scientific research on the problem and has played a major role in shaping the public conversation about smarter-than-human AI. He appeared on Time magazine's 2023 list of the 100 Most Influential People In AI, and has been discussed or interviewed in the New York Times, New Yorker, Newsweek, Forbes, Wired, Bloomberg, The Atlantic, The Economist, Washington Post, and elsewhere.Nate Soares (Author) Nate Soares is the president of the non-profit Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI). He has been working in the field for over a decade, after previous experience at Microsoft and Google. Soares is the author of a large body of technical and semi-technical writing on AI alignment, including foundational work on value learning, decision theory, and power-seeking incentives in smarter-than-human AIs.

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Book Synopsis*As heard on Steven Bartlett's Diary of a CEO* 'A must-read' Mark Manson We are living through a crisis of distraction. Plans get sidetracked, friends are ignored, work never seems to get done. Why does it feel like we're distracting our lives away? In Indistractable, behavioural designer Nir Eyal reveals the hidden psychology driving you to distraction. Empowering and optimistic, this is the book that will help you design your time, realise your ambitions, and live the life you really want. 'If you value your time, your focus or your relationships, this book is essential reading' Jonathan Haidt, author of The Righteous Mind 'A guide to staying focused in an age of constant distraction' Guardian ‘Exactly what most of us need in order to focus on what is important, rather than the dazzling, illuminated, unsatisfying distractions of modern life' Matt Haig 'Does exactly as it promises. Amazing' Chris Evans 'The best guide I've read for reclaiming our attention, our focus and our lives' Arianna HuffingtonTrade ReviewIndistractable zeroes in on one of the biggest challenges of our time: managing our attention. Nir Eyal provides the most practical and realistic approach yet to balancing technology with well-being -- Mark Manson, author of 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck'Nir Eyal understands the modern technologies of attention from the inside, and in this practical and timely book, he shares the secrets to regaining, and sustaining, the capacity to focus on what matters. Your brain (not to mention your spouse, your kids, and your friends) will thank you for reading it -- Oliver BurkemanEyal argues with impeccable logic * The Times *Now there’s a way we can regain our ability to focus * Red *Part self-help guide and part-explainer for the ways in which technology can worm its way into our daily lives * i *This book is full of insights, stories, cutting-edge research and – most helpful – concrete, manageable strategies for becoming indistractable -- Gretchen Rubin, author of 'The Happiness Project'A masterclass in understanding the root cause of distraction -- Cal Newport, author of 'Digital Minimalism'Masses of really useful arsenal and some very interesting studies about how to be less distracted in this world -- Pandora SykesIn a world filled with noise, Indistractable provides a framework that will deliver the focus you need to get results -- James Clear, author of 'Atomic Habits'This book has done more to change the way I see the world than anything I've read in the past several years -- Shane Snow, author of 'Dream Teams' and 'Smartcuts'Exactly what most of us need in order to focus on what is important, rather than the dazzling, illuminated, unsatisfying distractions of modern life -- Matt HaigThis book is essential reading for anyone who wants to preserve islands of focused attention – and good personal relationships – at a time when digital devices pull us away from our priorities and our loved ones. I’m putting many of Eyal’s ideas into practice -- Jonathan Haidt, author of 'The Coddling of the American Mind' and the 'The Righteous Mind'The best guide I've read for reclaiming our attention, our focus and our lives -- Arianna HuffingtonBeing indistractable is the essential skill for our time. Skip this book at your peril. My advice is this: Read it. Live it. Repeat -- Greg McKeown, author of 'Essentialism'As a lifelong procrastinator, I'm painfully aware of how much productivity-related advice there is out there and how little of it is actually helpful. Indistractable is an exception -- Tim Urban, author of WaitButWhy.comI can think of no more important skill than focus and no better teacher than Nir Eyal. Being Indistractable is the skill of the century -- Shane Parrish, founder of Farnham StreetIndistractable will help you make the most of your time and find peace and productivity in an increasingly distracting world -- Charlotte Blank, Chief Behavioural Officer, MaritzIndistractable puts humans back where we belong when it comes to distraction: in the cockpit of our own lives -- Anya Kamenetz, author of 'The Art of Screen Time'Dive head-first into this book. Indistractable is a fascinating, visual and profoundly helpful guide to overcoming distraction. The deeper you dig into this book, the more productive you'll become -- Chris Bailey, author of 'Hyperfocus' and 'The Productivity Project'Indistractable is filled with both wisdom and humour. This is a valuable read for anyone navigating our modern world -- Dr. Richard M. Ryan, co-founder of self-determination theoryIn the future, there will be two kinds of people in the world. Those who read and apply the principles in Indistractable and those who wish they had read it sooner -- Kintan Brahmbhatt, Global Head of Product, Amazon MusicHooked gives you the blueprint for the next generation of products. Read Hooked or the company that replaces you will -- Praise for 'Hooked', Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordpressThe book everyone in Silicon Valley is talking about -- Praise for 'Hooked', Stephen P. Anderson, author of 'Seductive Interaction Design'

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Book SynopsisFrom the No. 1 bestselling author of What If? - the man who created xkcd and explained the laws of science with cartoons - comes a series of brilliantly simple diagrams (''blueprints'' if you want to be complicated about it) that show how important things work: from the nuclear bomb to the biro. It''s good to know what the parts of a thing are called, but it''s much more interesting to know what they do. Richard Feynman once said that if you can''t explain something to a first-year student, you don''t really get it. In Thing Explainer, Randall Munroe takes a quantum leap past this: he explains things using only drawings and a vocabulary of just our 1,000 (or the ten hundred) most common words.Many of the things we use every day - like our food-heating radio boxes (''microwaves''), our very tall roads (''bridges''), and our computer rooms (''datacentres'') - are strange to us. So are the other worlds around our sun (the solar system), the big flatTrade ReviewA brilliant concept. If you can't explain something simply, you don't really understand it. And Randall Munroe is the perfect guy to take on a project like this . . . If you know Munroe's previous work, it will come as no surprise that parts of Thing Explainer are laugh-out-loud funny . . . filled with cool basic knowledge about how the world works. If one of Munroe's drawings inspires you to go learn more about a subject - including a few extra terms - then he will have done his job. He has written a wonderful guide for curious minds * BILL GATES *Wonderful * Neil Gaiman *In the crowded field of trivia, nothing beats Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe, the physicist-turned-comic-artist, a sequel to What If ? . . . It is very funny and has something quite serious to say about our misplaced faith in long words * Daily Telegraph *Thing Explainer gets to the real essence of things * New Scientist *Like any good work of science writing, [Thing Explainer] is equal parts lucid, funny, and startling * NewYorker.com *In just over a decade Randall Munroe has become firmly established and it's safe to say adored as the author of xkcd. Now, Munroe has produced a book - and Thing Explainer isn't just any book. It's beautiful, packed with facts, figures and richly and simply presented diagrams * Register *Reliably amusing and often enlightening * The Times, Books of the Year *

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Book SynopsisThis book explores ethical issues at the interfaces of science, policy, religion and technology. Through case studies and in-depth analyses, this book cultivates skills of critical thinking, cogent argument and informed judgement and explores ethical issues at the interfaces of science, policy and technology.Trade Review'[Ethics and Science] examines science, and engineering and technology, both internally - the research process - and externally - the socio-political context in which it is institutionally set and where its influence will be felt, for the ethical issues entailed in this central twenty-first-century area of study. Revealing case studies frame the issues, which the authors then complement with judicious questions designed to stimulate serious reflection. This volume should be widely adopted, finding an enthusiastic student audience in a wide range of science, engineering, policy, and philosophy courses. Briggle and Mitcham have provided science, technology and society instructors with a very usable classroom text, one that should also be of interest to a wider, engaged public readership as well.' Stephen Cutcliffe, Lehigh UniversityTable of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction and overview; 2. Ethical concepts and theories; 3. Science and its norms; 4. Research ethics I: misconduct and the responsible conduct of research; 5. Research ethics II: science involving humans; 6. Research ethics III: science involving animals; 7. The science of ethics; 8. Transition: from ethics to politics and policy; 9. Science and politics I: policy for science; 10. Science and politics II: science for policy; 11. Science and ideational culture; 12. Science applied: ethics and engineering; Appendix: influential ethics codes and declarations; Works cited; Index.

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Book SynopsisCengel's Thermodynamics is known to be student friendly, self-instructive, and easy to read and understand even for the most challenging topics with the help of attractive illustrations, examples, and real-world applications. The authors' philosophy is that the best way to learn is by practice. Special effort is made throughout the book to reinforce material that was presented earlier and to appeal to students' natural curiosity and intuition. For instructors looking to engage students and enhance their problem-solving skills, Connect offers student-friendly, accessible content, tools, and resources that develop high-level problem-solving and critical thinking skills, including New Application-Based Activities.Table of Contents1) Introduction and Basic Concepts2) Energy, Energy Transfer, and General Energy Analysis3) Properties of Pure Substances4) Energy Analysis of Closed Systems5) Mass and Energy Analysis of Control Volumes6) The Second Law of Thermodynamics7) Entropy8) Entropy Analysis9) Exergy10) Gas Power Cycles11) Vapor and Combined Power Cycles12) Refrigeration Cycles13) Thermodynamic Property Relations14) Gas Mixtures15) Gas-Vapor Mixtures and Air-Conditioning16) Chemical Reactions17) Chemical and Phase Equilibrium18) Compressible Flow

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Book SynopsisDigitization is the biggest disruption for business as usual at any major corporation. Trusted mindsets and existing business models are collapsing, corporations are struggling to react to the Fourth Industrial Revolution by risking too little transformation too slowly - and your industry is up next! It's time to wake up, act and really shape digital change. We need to take up responsibility for digitization and Europe might well be the center stage for this change. "Fightback" delivers a stunning and convincing blueprint that will enable business leaders to use the digital economy to their advantage by leveraging three powerful, but little understood, strategic tools - platform business models, digital ventures and the special skills of tech entrepreneurs. Based on a sophisticated analysis, the book is a hands-on playbook for corporate renewal in an age of digitization and makes a convincing case for Europe leading the way in changing minds and business around the world.Trade ReviewThe Fourth Industrial Revolution is creating a rapid, comprehensive transformation - technologically, economically, socially and politically. To shape this transformation, we must take collective responsibility. Fightback showcases how to embrace digitalization and how to overcome disruption." Klaus Schwab Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum "There are so many opportunities for traditional industry to benefit from digitization - we have just scratched the surface. Fightback provides food for thought and inspiration as to how such opportunities could be realized."Marcus Wallenberg Vice Chair, Investor AB "We need to harness the ingenuity of tech entrepreneurs to solve pressing global issues. Fightback fosters readers' entrepreneurial spirit, sharing learnings on how to create significant sources of growth with positive impacts." Nicolas Brusson Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, BlaBlaCar

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Book Synopsis2020 independent Press Award Winner--Green Book CategoryRainwater Harvesting for? Drylands and Beyond, Volume 2? is a how-to guide enabling you to plant the rain by creating water-harvesting earthworks?or rain gardens. Earthworks? are simple, inexpensive strategies and landforms that passively harvest multiple sources of free on-site water including rainfall, stormwater runoff, air conditioning condensate, and greywater within living tanks of soil and vegetation. The plants then pump the water back out? in the form of beauty, food, shelter, wildlife habitat, timber and forage, while controlling erosion, reducing down-stream flooding, dropping utility costs, increasing soil fertility, and improving water and air quality.This revised and expanded full-color second edition builds on the information in Volume 1 by showing you how to turn your yard, school, business, park, and neighborhood into lively, regenerative producers of resources. Conditions at home will improve as you simultaneously enrich the ecosystem and inspire the surrounding community.Learn to select, place, size, construct, and plant your chosen earthworks. All is made easier and more effective by the illustrations of natural patterns of water and sediment flow with which you can collaborate or mimic. Detailed step-by-step instructions with over 550 images show you how to do it, and plentiful stories of success motivate you so you will do it!Trade Review“Harvesting rainwater was once a worldwide technology, but was replaced by pipes, canals, and sprinklers: an inefficient and wasteful strategy that results in running dry. In Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, Volume 2 Brad uses the concept of ‘planting water’ as a guiding principle in designing landscapes that passively harvest resources to grow more resources. Such brilliant, low-tech, regenerative systems are vital to hydrating the land and maximizing the benefit that water brings to plants, animals and people. Thus, this book is an excellent and comprehensive tool for all bucket and shovel ‘engineers’ to maximize the hydrological resource, reduce energy use and transform their once erosive landscapes into ones of stability, botanical diversity, and abundance.”—Arty Mangan, Bioneers Food and Farming Program Director“The original edition was a great book, and this edition is even better! The clear prose and illustrations, the consistently well-organized chapters, the themes and variations, the case studies, the practical design and construction information, the fun can-do attitude—these combine into a manual that is greater than the sum of its parts. Like my copy, you’ll have yours dog-eared with successful use!”—Dave Jacke, ecological designer, educator, and co-author of Edible Forest Gardens“The cheapest and sanest way to meet our growing need for water is to squeeze (or cycle) more out of the water we already have, especially rainwater and used household water. Lancaster approaches these unsung streams as a farmer might, cultivating them in order to nourish dry landscapes. He has produced a water-farming guide that will inspire both the casual gardener and the card-carrying permaculturalist. With step-by-step instructions and clear illustrations, he guides the reader through simple techniques -berms, curbcuts, greywater plumbing – which in turn guide water into your soil and landscape. Lancaster is clearly determined to save the world. And he’s determined to make it easy for the rest of us to help.”—Hannah Holmes author of Suburban Safari: A Year on the Lawn“As mayor of a city in the desert southwest, this book is a critical resource to me for implementing strategies that support ecological restoration and community resiliency.”—Emily S. Niehaus, founder of Community Rebuilds and Mayor of Moab City, Utah“Brad’s work is a labor of love for water and life. The breadth, depth, and clarity of this book goes far beyond the usual technical manual. Its deep heart allows these ideas to stick and makes this book a compelling invitation to actively participate. This is a philosophy of life, an offering, made practical in a way that renews life and expands our co-evolutionary engagement.”—Bill Reed, AIA, principal in Regenesis. A founding Board of Director of the US Green Building Council, co-founder of LEED Green Building Rating System, and leader in Integrative Systems Design“I highly recommend this book to those working hard to be good living ancestors and to those who truly care about the next generations.”—Lilian Hill, Executive Director, Hopi Tutskwa Permaculture“This is the right book at the right time for a world where water security is one of the most important socio-ecosystemic challenges humanity faces.”—Delfín Montañana, Urban Biologist, Bio·Logica·Urbana consultancy; Director, Socioecological Education, Isla Urbana“There is nothing like this comprehensive and well-illustrated book about capturing and repurposing rain and other free on-site waters. It’s a must-have for every household, policy maker, and professional interested in making their homes, communities, and world more sustainable, self-sufficient, and vibrant.”—Betsy Damon, Founder of Keepers of the Waters“From Rajasthan to Arizona, Brad learns and teaches, showing how it can be done and why it should be done. Hugely practical and genuinely inspirational.”—Fred Pearce, journalist and author of When the Rivers Run Dry“This very informative book, based on real-life successes, has a very wide application even across the seas. What touches us most are Brad’s friendly narration and the ‘tell-tale’ illustrations that have an eye for detail.”—Shree Padre, Messenger of Rainwater Harvesting, India“With this book anyone, at any scale of project, can harvest the rain.”—Judy Mielke, landscape architect and author of Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes“As someone working along with others to directly help refugees and other displaced populations grow more of their own food—often in dryland situations—this book gives us the tools to create lasting change. I carry it in my travel bag wherever I go.”—Thomas Cole, Resilience Design and Agroecology Consultant“Bridging the gap between DIY and savvy professional work, this is the book everyone should own if they get rainfall in their climate….that means YOU!”—Matt Powers, educator and author of The Permaculture Student 2“Brad Lancaster has written the definitive how-to guide for harvesting rainwater. Much of this information has been near impossible to find, and we owe Brad a huge debt for assembling it so lucidly. These universal principles work not just in drylands, but in wetter climates too. This is by far the best resource for designing and building Earth-friendly, low-cost solutions to help us save our most precious resource: water.”–Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture“Everyone wants to ‘go green’ lately and, usually, the expression is followed by a plug for a new product. Brad offers a shovel instead, and directs you, literally, not figuratively, to your own back yard. We’ve tried some of the methods explained in this book, and they work. Even if you’re a lazy, mediocre, vagabond gardener, like we are, they still work. And if you don’t take the time to understand every technical detail so thoroughly outlined in this bible of rainwater– these methods still will work.”–Shay Salomon and Nigel Valdez, author and photographer, Little House on a Small Planet“Get out your shovels and dance in the rain! That is what Brad Lancaster’s second volume in his trilogy on rainwater harvesting, will make you want to do. This outstanding book provides an abundance of well-documented ideas and tools for sustainable living in your watershed. You don’t have to let wasteful, polluting large-scale water systems get you down! Get out, get wet, and become a positive part of the hydrological cycle!”–David A. Cleveland, U of California, Santa Barbara (www.es.ucsb.edu/faculty/cleveland) and Center for People, Food and Environment; co-author of Food from Dryland Gardens“Many approach water as a problem: there’s too much, too little, or it’s in the wrong place. Brad Lancaster’s indispensable book demonstrates the myriad ways that no matter where you live, water is an opportunity to create more beauty in our cities and landscapes, to grow more food, to build community resilience and reduce infrastructure costs, and to mitigate climate change—since climate is largely driven by hydrology. Brad’s book is filled with essential information ranging from general insights on how water moves to detailed instructions for professionals and homeowners on how to implement water harvesting.”—Judith D. Schwartz, author of Water In Plain Sight: Hope for a Thirsty WorldKirkus Reviews– "This comprehensive second edition includes Lancaster’s revised tactics for rainwater harvesting, new anecdotes, a host of visually pleasing images by debut illustrator Marshall, and many colorful photographs by the author and others. Much of the book extols the virtues of various earthworks—like berms that capture runoff and spread water over a broad area. Using earthworks can also flush out bad salts from the soil over time, reducing the loss of precious farmland. Lancaster’s smooth prose is easy to read, and it’s not necessary to have a scientific mind in order to understand his eight common-sense principles for rainwater harvesting. For example, he suggests that potential water farmers begin by studying the land to learn its patterns of rain and sediment flow and determine the best type of earthworks needed. Practical tools are included, such as illustrated, boxed instructions for measuring the slope of the land. Presenting many choices of earthworks—such as mulching, digging basins and trenches, planting vegetation, and building terraces—this expansive volume provides inspiration for harvesting rain and runoff in many types of yards and farmland. The author also delivers inspiration and advice for ways to harvest and reuse wastewater from appliances like washing machines. Readers who enjoy real-life success stories will find plenty of memorable ones here. For example, Chris Meuli of Albuquerque, New Mexico, fills trenches with junk mail, creating a “sponge” for watering trees. A valuable wellspring of hands-on advice for effective watershed stewardship."

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Book SynopsisAn important examination of our digital world, how it harms us and how we can change it for the better.

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Book SynopsisPut your entry-level electrical knowledge to use and build elegant hardware that works on the first try. A uniquely practical guide, this book teaches you the things most engineers learn only through experience - with an emphasis on explaining the reasoning behind each method in order to ensure your designs are driven by insight, not blind rule-following. It''s also packed with hundreds of highly useful tricks and techniques that speed up workflow and save hardware designers time and money. You''ll learn the entire process for developing a device - from conceiving an idea to the final schematic, including prototyping, selecting components, layout, fabrication, assembly, working with suppliers, cost-engineering, regulatory testing, and even troubleshooting when things go wrong.

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Book SynopsisMeet Cordelia Gray: twenty-two, tough, intelligent and now sole inheritor of the Pryde Detective Agency. Her first assignment finds her hired by Sir Ronald Callender to investigate the death of his son Mark, a young Cambridge student found hanged in mysterious circumstances. Required to delve into the hidden secrets of the Callender family, Cordelia soon realises it is not a case of suicide, and that the truth is entirely more sinister.

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Book SynopsisMaster the technology reshaping our world today.In a series of 50 accessible essays, Keith Mansfield introduces and explains the essential concepts, ideas and key thinkers behind artificial intelligence.From Alan Turing asking ''can machines think?'' and the best prompting techniques for generative AI, to Superintelligence and the Singularity, 50 AI Ideas You Really Need to Know is a complete introduction to the most important AI concepts: past, present and future.

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Book SynopsisTechnology: The Game Changer presents the case that technology should be seen as an essential feature of the human condition.

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Book SynopsisRay Kurzweil is the field of AI's longest-serving expert, the inventor of numerous world-changing technologies and the author of several best-selling books. The Age of Spiritual Machines (1999) and The Singularity is Near (2005), in which he first predicted that computers would reach human level intelligence by 2029 and outlined his vision of the merging of human and artificial intelligence, have together inspired several major films, hundreds of books and thousands of articles. Many of his inventions, such as text and speech recognition, and vocal and musical synthesizers, have enabled breakthroughs in communication between humans and computers. He is a Principal Researcher and AI Visionary at Google, the recipient of the US National Medal of Technology and Innovation, one of the nation's highest honours, and a member of the US National Inventors Hall of Fame.

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Book SynopsisFor most of human history the rules of power were clear: power was something to be seized, and then jealously guarded. Under this 'Old Power' we lived in a world of rulers and subjects.Now, we all sense that something has changed. From #MeToo to Harvey Weinstein; Corbyn to Trump; from YouTube sensations to darker phenomena such as the emergence of ISIS – in our new hyper-connected world, ideas and movements can spread and flourish with astonishing force and speed.In New Power, Jeremy Heimans and Henry Timms confront the biggest story of our age and trace how New Power is the key to understanding where we are and will prosper in the 21st Century.Drawing on examples from business, politics, popular culture and social justice, as well as case studies of organisations like LEGO and TED, they explain the forces that are changing the course of our age.In a world increasingly shaped by New Power, this book will show you how to shape your future.Trade ReviewClever, witty and creative, Henry Timms and Jeremy Heimans are baby-faced wunderkinds of digital activism. -- Decca Aitkenhead * The Guardian *A vital book. New Power can light a flame bright enough to outshine the glinting fangs and tiki torches' -- Russell BrandAn essential lens to use when thinking about how the world has changed, how to spread ideas or start a movement, or create change -- Richard BransonThe Networked Age has revolutionized the way the public engages with institutions and organizations. New Power is an essential and extremely insightful guide for anyone who wants to maximize the opportunities for progress and impact in today's new tightly connected world. -- Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn and co-author of the #1 NYT bestsellers The Alliance and The Startup of You.Jeremy Heimans has been working to change the world from a very young age, and with remarkable impact. Here with his co-author Henry Timms he distils a lifetime of experience into a fantastic primer on how the rules of the game have changed. It’s packed with vivid examples that show how organisations as diverse the Pentagon, Uber, Kickstarters and Black Lives Matter are trying to shape our world, and gives vital insights into who will succeed. * Geoff Mulgan *Power is shifting as never before, so New Power is addressing a vital issue for our times: how to make the voices and choices of all, not just a few, count for something. Plaudits to the authors for their determination to help shape the future. * David Milliband *Understanding the concept of 'new power' and how that differs to 'old power' is essential for any leader in politics, business or nonprofits. This book will inform and inspire all those wanting to make change in the world today. It will help citizens to understand the power we have as individuals to influence others, and the collective power of many to achieve a goal against all odds. -- Jane Goodall PhD, DBE, Founder - the Jane Goodall institute & UN Messenger of PeaceA wonderfully incisive contribution that not only explains how the dynamics of power are changing, but also provides the tools - and, importantly, the confidence - to harness those changes to spread our ideas and make a better world. -- Paul Polman, CEO of UnileverIf you do not understand new power, you will not fare well in the new networked world of the 21st Century. It's that simple. -- Annie-Marie Slaughter, President & CEO, New AmericaNew Power masterfully draws out the big battle of our times - whether all this new power will end up being used for good or bad. -- Craig Newmark, founder of CraiglistA must-read, New Power is a gift to our movements. It's not just about going viral - it's about connecting millions of people * Alicia Garza, co-founder, Black Lives Matter *We all feel like life is spinning out of control, in our lives and in our politics - and it’s hard to to know where our power has gone, or how to get it back. This brilliant book is where the answer begins. * Johann Hari *A thought-provoking and eye-opening book. * Booklist *Heimans and Timms provide fascinating examples of new power at work: how NASA enlisted the crowd (nonexperts) to foster open innovation; the heightened participatory experience of worship at Denver's House of All Sinners and Saints, where whoever shows up is in charge; and how crowdsourcing of ideas rejuvenated the Lego brand. The authors also offer a cogent analysis of the contrasting campaigning styles of Barack Obama (participatory) and Donald Trump ("leader of a vast, decentralized social media army" via Twitter). Their accounts of how diverse groups like the National Rifle Association and TED use both old and new power approaches with great success may well inspire many. These ideas—first introduced in the Harvard Business Review­­—will intrigue anyone who wants to channel the new power of the crowd. * Kirkus Review *A good place to start understanding a world in which you have to 'occupy yourself' before the hashtags start coming for you. -- Miranda Green * Financial Times *A window to a whole new world. -- David Brooks * New York Times *There is a potent new force to be reckoned with, it is called New Power and it is causing a seismic wave in politics and workplaces. -- Katie Strict * Evening Standard *Table of ContentsChapter - 1: Welcome to the New Power World Chapter - 2: Thinking Old Power, Thinking New Power Chapter - 3: From Sound Bites to Meme Drops: How Ideas Spread Chapter - 4: How to Build a Crowd Chapter - 5: What Makes New Power Communities Work (and Why They Sometimes Don't) Chapter - 6: What Makes New Power Communities Work (and How They Fuse with the Wider World) Chapter - 7: The Participation Premium Chapter - 8: Taking the Turn from Old to New Power Chapter - 9 : Leadership Chapter - 10: The Art of Blending Power Chapter - 11: New Power at Work Chapter - 12 : The Future: A Full-Stack Society Section - i: Glossary: How to Speak New Power Acknowledgements - ii: Acknowledgements Section - iii: Notes Index - iv: Index

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Book SynopsisAn expansive discussion of the mechanics, framework, and implications of the metaverse In Understanding the Metaverse: A Business and Ethical Guide, expert product and customer experience strategist Nick Rosa delivers a timely exploration of what is bound to be one of the most important technologies of our time. The author explains the technology that underpins the metaverse as it exists today and that will form the basis for its rapid evolution in the future. He also describes the commercial, ethical, and sociological implications of this technology, showing you the threats and opportunities that individuals and businesses are likely to encounter as they approach the metaverse for the first time. In the book, you''ll discover: How the technology is shaping the human evolution and society How game mechanics and experience design are key to unlock the full potential of the Metaverse unlocking a new frontier for social interaction Table of ContentsAcknowledgments and Dedication ix Foreword xi Introduction xv 1 Technology and Human Evolution 1 2 Digital Primitives and Emergence -- A Case for Digital Selection 23 3 From Dystopia to Utopia -- Enter the Metaverse 39 4 From Gaming to Metaverse -- How Game Mechanics and Technology are Going to Change the World 57 5 An Unhackable and Decentralised Revolution -- Enter Blockchain and Crypto 79 6 A Brave New World 103 7 Sociology of the Metaverse 127 8 Suggestions for a Strategic Approach to the Metaverse for Businesses 153 9 The Key Role of Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning for the Metaverse 177 Closing Thoughts 191 About the Author 201 Index 203

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Book SynopsisMATLAB for Engineering Applications is a simple, concise book designed to be useful for beginners and to be kept as a reference. MATLAB is a globally available standard computational tool for engineers and scientists. This text is intended as a stand-alone introduction to MATLAB and can be used in an introductory course, as a self-study text, or as a supplementary text. The text's material is based on the author's experience in teaching a required two-credit semester course devoted to MATLAB for engineering freshmen.This title will be available in Connect, but is not available with SmartBook. Instructor Resources available for this title include: Solutions Manual, Presentation Tools Table (includes Lecture PowerPoints and Image Bank), MATLAB Files, MATLAB Live Scripts.Table of Contents1 An Overview of MATLAB2 Numeric, Cell, and Structure Arrays3 Functions4 Programming with MATLAB5 Advanced Plotting6 Model Building and Regression7 Statistics, Probability, and Interpolation8 Linear Algebraic Equations9 Numerical Methods for Calculus and Differential Equations10 Simulink11 Symbolic Processing with MATLAB12 Projects with MATLAB

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Book SynopsisPalaeolithic hunters who learnt how to kill two mammoths instead of one had made progress. Those who learnt how to kill 200 by driving a whole herd over a cliff had made too much. Many of the great ruins that grace the deserts and jungles of the earth are monuments to progress traps, the headstones of civilisations which fell victim to their own success. The twentieth-century´s runaway growth has placed a murderous burden on the planet. A Short History of Progress argues that this modern predicament is as old as civilisation. Only by understanding the patterns of progress and disaster that humanity has repeated since the Stone Age can we recognise the inherent dangers, and, with luck, and wisdom, shape its outcome.Trade ReviewThe author sifts the findings of archaeology and anthropology with thoughtful grace to build a potent argument. * * Guardian * *A compelling work of distilled wisdom. * * The Times * *Rarely have I read a book that is so gripping, so immediate and so important to our times. Jared Diamond will be jealous. -- Robyn WilliamsRonald Wright is both trained academic and an acclaimed novelist and he has used these skills to page-turning effect in this work of non-fiction. * * Morning Star * *

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Book SynopsisDistrust That Particular Flavor - an acclaimed nonfiction collection by William Gibson, bestselling author of Neuromancer''The future''s already here: it''s just not evenly distributed''William Gibson was writing fiction when he predicted the internet. And as his stories bled into reality so he became one of the first to report on the real-world consequences of cyberspace''s growth and development.Now, with the dust settling on the first internet revolution, comes Gibson''s first collection of non-fiction - essays from the technological and cultural frontiers of this new world. Covering a variety of subjects, they include:- Metrophagy - the Art and Science of Digesting Great Cities- An account of obsession in ''the world''s attic'' - eBay- Reasons why ''The Net is a Waste of Time''- Singapore as ''Disneyland with the Death Penalty'' - A primer on Japan, our default setting for the future Trade ReviewA terrific writer. Gibson is a prophet and a satirist, a black comedian and an astounding architect of cool. He's also responsible for much of the world we live in * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisGo behind the TV screen to explore what is changing, why it is changing, and why the changes mattersMany proclaimed the end of television in the early years of the twenty-first century, as capabilities and features of the boxes that occupied a central space in American living rooms for the preceding fifty years were radically remade. In this revised, second edition of her definitive book, Amanda D. Lotz proves that rumors of the death of television were greatly exaggerated and explores how new distribution and viewing technologies have resurrected the medium. Shifts in the basic practices of making and distributing television have not been hastening its demise, but are redefining what we can do with television, what we expect from it, how we use itin short, revolutionizing it.Television, as both a technology and a tool for cultural storytelling, remains as important today as ever, but it has changed in fundamental ways. The Television Will Be Revolutionized providTrade Review"In thissecond edition, Lotz not only updates us on developments over the past seven years; she digs deeper and thinks harder about the revolutionary changes taking place in the television today. An outstanding contribution to television studies and an invaluable guide for students, scholars, and professionals." -- Michael Curtin,co-director, Media Industries Project"Television is anything but dead, but we are now fully into the post-network era that Amanda D. Lotz projected when this book was first published. An incredibly prescient book, setting many of the terms through which television studies has understood these changes, the revised edition updates its account to reflect an age when Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon are now competing for Emmy and Peabody Awards, when television content is being funded through Kickstarter, and where web series are diversifying whose stories get told." -- Henry Jenkins,co-author of Spreadable Media: Creating Meaning and Value in a Networked CultureTable of ContentsContents Preface ix Acknowledgments xv Introduction 1 1 Understanding Television at the Beginning of the Post-Network Era 21 2 Television Outside the Box: The Technological Revolution of Television 53 3 Making Television: Changes in the Practices of Creating Television 95 4 Revolutionizing Distribution: Breaking Open the Network Bottleneck 131 5 The New Economics of Television 167 6 Recounting the Audience: Measurement in the Age of Broadband 207 7 Television Storytelling Possibilities at the Beginning of the PostNetwork Era: Five Cases 233 Conclusion: Still Watching Television 263 Notes 279 Selected Bibliography 307 Index 321 About the Author 331

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Book SynopsisThe LEGO Boost is an introductory robotics product that introduces young kids to robotics and programming. With this guide, readers will learn the ins-and-outs of building and programming robots, including fun stuff like using sensors to trigger events which react to light and colour, building a tool that allows their creation to lift and move objects, and how to shoot darts at a target! After learning the basics, readers will build a Brick-Sorting Bird and program it to sort LEGO bricks by colour, a turtle that walks, and a machine that draws and writes on paper using a pen.

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Book Synopsis''An excellent starter for those who want to gain an insight into how AI works and why it''s likely to shape our lives'' - The Daily Telegraph Artificial intelligence will shake up our lives as thoroughly as the arrival of the internet. This popular, up-to-date book charts AI’s rise from its Cold War origins to its explosive growth in the 2020s. Tech journalist Chris Stokel-Walker (TikTok Boom and YouTubers) goes into the laboratories of the Silicon Valley innovators making rapid advances in ‘large language models’ of machine learning. He meets the insiders at Google and OpenAI who built Gemini and ChatGPT and reveals the extraordinary plans they have for them. Along the way, he explores AI’s dark side by talking to workers who have lost their jobs to bots and engages with futurologists worried that a man-made super-intelligence could threaten humankind. He answers critical questions about the AI revolu

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Book SynopsisGet more out of your coding with GitHub For today's coders, GitHub is a must. The world's largest software development platform, GitHub helps developers store, track, and collaborate on software projects. In this easy-to-follow Dummies guide, you'll find insight into creating repositories, establishing projects, collaborating, incorporating open-source resources, and establishing yourself as a valued member of the GitHub community. With a working knowledge of GitHub, you'll be a better, more employable programmer. The simple instructions and interactive examples in this book will get you there quickly. Get the instructions you need for using GitHub to collaborate on software projectsBecome more attractive to employers with knowledge and experience in the largest development platformSet up GitHub Desktop, create a repository, and launch your first projectUse GitHub Skills courses to learn new tricks, for beginners to prosYou've learned how to write a little codenow learn how to share itTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 Part 1: Getting Started with GitHub.com 5 Chapter 1: Understanding the Git in GitHub 7 Chapter 2: Setting Up Your Collaborative Coding Environment 25 Part 2: Starting Your First Solo Project 35 Chapter 3: Introducing GitHub Repositories 37 Chapter 4: Setting Up a GitHub Website Repo 57 Chapter 5: Creating a Website with GitHub Pages 73 Part 3: Contributing to Your First Project 91 Chapter 6: Forking GitHub Repositories 93 Chapter 7: Writing and Committing Code 109 Chapter 8: Working with Pull Requests 129 Part 4: Managing and Contributing to Large Projects 149 Chapter 9: Exploring and Contributing to OSS 151 Chapter 10: Starting Your Own OSS 165 Chapter 11: Inner-Source Your Code on GitHub 185 Part 5: Making GitHub Work for You 203 Chapter 12: Collaborating Outside of GitHub 205 Chapter 13: GitHub Workflow Integrations 219 Chapter 14: Personalizing GitHub 233 Part 6: The GitHub Ecosystem 247 Chapter 15: Exploring the GitHub Marketplace 249 Chapter 16: GitHub and You 259 Chapter 17: Attending Events 267 Part 7: The Part of Tens 277 Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Level Up on GitHub 279 Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Improve Your Development Workflow 291 Chapter 20: Ten Tips for Being an Effective Community Member 299 Index 307

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Book SynopsisA Story of Big Tech Censorship and Bias and the Fight to Save Our Country The madness of Google's attempt to mold our reality into a version dictated by their corporate values has never been portrayed better than in this chilling account by Google whistleblower, Zach Vorhies. As a senior engineer at Zach watched in horror from the inside as the 2016 election of Donald Trump drove Google into a frenzy of censorship and political manipulation. The American ideal of an honest, hard-fought battle of ideas—when the contest is over, shaking hands and working together to solve problems—was replaced by a different, darker ethic alien to this country's history as wave after of censorship destroyed free speech and entire market sectors. Working with New York Times bestselling author Kent Heckenlively (Plague of Corruption), Vorhies and Heckenlively weave a tale of a tech industry once beloved by its central figure for its innovation and original thinking, turned into a terrifying “woke-church” of censorship and political intolerance. For Zach, an intuitive counter-thinker, brought up on the dystopian futures of George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Ray Bradbury, it was clear that Google was attempting nothing less than a seamless rewriting of the operating code of reality in which many would not be allowed to participate. Using Google's own internal search engine, Zach discovered their real "AI-Censorship" system called “Machine Learning Fairness,” which he claims is a merging of critical race theory and AI that was secretly released on their users of search, news and YouTube. He collected and released 950 pages of these documents to the Department of Justice and to the public in the summer of 2019 through Project Veritas with James O'Keefe, which quickly became their most popular whistleblower story, which started a trend of big whistleblowing. From Google re-writing their news algorithms to target Trump to using human tragedy emergencies to inject permanent blacklists, Zach and Kent provide a “you are there” perspective on how Google turned to the dark side to seize power. They finish by laying out a solution to fight censorship. Read this book if you care to know how Google tries to manipulate, censor, and downrank the voice of its users.Trade Review"A powerful case against Google that deserves readers’ attention." —KIRKUS “When Zach Vorhies went public with facts about Google’s chilling influence on the world’s information landscape, he was attacked, targeted, and smeared by the same machine he exposed. Don’t pass up the chance to learn what he knows.” —SHARYL ATTKISSON, investigative correspondent “You, sir, you are an American Hero.” —DONALD TRUMP, October 2020 at the Trump Doral “We owe Zach Vorhies and his coauthor Kent a debt of gratitude. He risked it all to reveal the truth. When all is said and done, humanity will remember those who told them the truth.” —TIFFANY FITZHENRY, writer and producer “I know a lot of creepy things about Google, but I was shocked by some of the revelations that turned up in the 950 pages of documents Vorhies extracted from the company. We all need to understand how dangerous this company is.” —DR. ROBERT EPSTEIN, Big Tech researcher and former editor-in-chief of Psychology Today “Few realize the risk that comes with exposing the communist nation that is Google. Zach Vorhies and Kent Heckenlively have laid their lives on the line to pull back the curtain on the technocratic overlords of the world’s most powerful monopoly.” —MIKKI WILLIS, filmmaker “Were it not for the information provided by Zach, we would not have exposed the way that companies like Google are attempting to manipulate reality. Instead of simply going with the flow, Zach did the right thing by blowing the whistle and for that we owe him a debt.” —CASSANDRA SPENCER, journalist, Project Veritas

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Book Synopsis‘Witty, bracingly honest, deeply humane and piercingly insightful’ PATRICK STOKES, AUTHOR OF DIGITAL SOULS Technology affects every interaction, shapes our identities and constantly hijacks our attention. So how can we reclaim our power and feel less helpless at every stage of our lives? In a world full of algorithms, addictive apps and data-driven adverts, it often feels as if the digital environment is determining our behaviour. We trace our steps, track our kids and share our lives online, without really knowing whether this technology is serving our best interests – or those of the people we love. We speak as though technology is a powerful, unstoppable force and we are the victims. ‘What is this technology doing to us?’ we ask. But are we as helpless as we assume? In Reboot, leading psychotherapist and cyberpsychologist Elaine Kasket offers a novel approach to understanding technology’s role at every stage of our lives. Journeying from digital gestation to the digital afterlife, through infancy, adolescence and adulthood, Kasket connects the dots between our technology usage and the challenges it poses to our identity and development, and to our relationships and privacy. Via discussions of ‘sharenting’, surveillance and social media, Kasket reveals how we consistently underestimate our power to shape our relationships with and through technology. She invites us to question the auto-pilot approach that many of us adopt and instead move forward in a more deliberate, mindful and empowered way. Come away curious about why you use technology the way you do, clear about how those choices are really working out and with the tools to reclaim your life in a tech-obsessed world.Trade Review‘A critical reminder that, at every stage of life, we get to choose our relationship with technology – and our choices shape our humanity. Kasket’s book is a roadmap filled with generous possibilities.’ LUKE BURGIS, AUTHOR OF WANTING ‘Digital technologies aren’t just transforming every area of life. They’re transforming us, and this book, examining the psychological, social and technological intersections of this transformation, couldn’t be more timely.’ CATHERINE MAYER, AUTHOR OF GOOD GRIEF ‘Witty, bracingly honest, deeply humane and piercingly insightful’ PATRICK STOKES, AUTHOR OF DIGITAL SOULS ‘Reboot is an incredibly well researched and entertaining book. Kasket has the ability to illustrate complex research areas through engaging, human stories that often reach all the way into your heart. As a recent parent, this book really made me reevaluate the way I use technology around my family. I do research on the impact of digital technology for a living. Even so, this is undoubtedly one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve read this year.’ CARL ÖHMAN, AUTHOR OF THE AFTERLIFE OF DATA

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Book SynopsisThe Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge published by the Project Management Institute provides a roadmap of 47 processes designed to support project managers in all phases of project management. The sheer number of processes and their allocation across process groups and knowledge areas may leave project managers in a quandary about where to start and how to apply the many components of project management processes. What is lacking is a simple explanatory guide for the layman that clarifies the ""big picture"" of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). This explains where a project manager should begin when managing projects, and how the project manager can easily make use of the PMBOK framework to progress from an initial idea to a project schedule.

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Book Synopsis"[In the laboratory] they thought I was the new janitor." - Clarice Phelps, Nuclear Chemist. "Why do I get a tenth of the funding that men that have projects at large corporations do?" - Mary Lou Jepsen, inventor. "I asked 'why isn't there a girl character for me to choose from?'. At first, they laughed. Then, they got annoyed at me and started having design meetings and not tell me where they were." - Sheri Graner Ray, videogame designer. 50 Women in Technology is a full-colour book celebrating female pioneers and trailblazers in STEM. It features 25 extraordinary women scientists from Ada Lovelace to Emmanuelle Charpentier, as well as 25 exclusive interviews with incredible women who are leading the way in the fast-paced world of technology today including 2023 Nobel prize winner Katalin Kariko. Includes: Amalia Ballarino (Nuclear Engineer), Ana Oliveira (Crop Genetics), Anais Engelmann and Megan Hale (Design Engineering), Anda Waluyo Sapardan (Medical Tech/Healthcare), Anna Lukasson-Herzig (Computing/AI), Brenda Romero (Video Games), Clarice Phelps (Nuclear Chemist), Claudia Brind -Woody (IT), Coty Craven (videogames/IT), Emily Holmes (Neuroscientist), Gretchen Andrew (NFT Artist), Ida Tin (FemTech), Katalin Kariko (Biochemistry), Kasia Gora (Food Tech), Maria Carolina Fujihara (Environmental Tech), Marita Cheng (Robotics), Mary Agbesanwa (FinTech), Mary Lou Jepsen (Imaging/Healthcare), Morenike Fajemisin (FemTech), Odunayo Eweniyi (Financial Tech), Rumman Chowdhury (Internet Algorithms/Data Science), Sheri Graner Ray (Videogames), Stephanie Willerth, (Bioengineering), Tan Le (Medical Tech) and Yewande Akinola (Sustainability).Trade Review"There are phenomenal women all over the technology landscape but we need to tell their stories to inspire more and to show what's possible. Unfortunately the industry, while growing in importance has shrinking numbers of women. This is a must read." - Martha Lane Fox, businesswoman, philanthropist and co-founder of "Last Minute"; "Women have played a fundamental part in the creation and success of the technology industry. We should all have grown up hearing their names, but unfortunately too often their contributions have not been championed. This book highlights the incredible contributions of 50 inspiring women tech pioneers, don't miss the opportunity to find out all about them." - Sue Black, Award winning computer scientist and digital skills expert; "50 Women In Technology is the story of women who have faced, or are facing, insurmountable odds but have overcome challenges to succeed beyond expectations. The book challenges the readers’ own knowledge of women in the tech sector as compared to their knowledge of males and brings awareness to the bias that mainstream media has in covering news stories of males in tech, as opposed to females. Most importantly, 50 Women In Technology does exactly as the name suggests, it highlights the incredible accomplishments of women in the traditionally male dominated technology industry. The stories are inspirational and for this reason should be a must read, not only for young girls and women, but for young boys and men as well. The stories of these women should be told at school, in the workplace, in the media and in the home. While reading to a young boy or girl about a sports hero may be a popular choice at bedtime, an inspiration excerpt from 50 Women In Technology may have longer, more positive consequences for their overall development."Table of ContentsEditor bio Foreword Introduction 25 profiles of pioneers 25 interviews with contemporary women in technology Index

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Book SynopsisTough Test Questions? Missed Lectures? Not Enough Time? Textbook too Pricey?Fortunately, there's Schaum's. This all-in-one-package includes more than 600 fully-solved problems, examples, and practice exercises to sharpen your problem-solving skills. Plus, you will have access to 25 detailed videos featuring math instructors who explain how to solve the most commonly tested problems--it's just like having your own virtual tutor! You'll find everything you need to build confidence, skills, and knowledge for the highest score possible.More than 40 million students have trusted Schaum's to help them succeed in the classroom and on exams. Schaum's is the key to faster learning and higher grades in every subject. Each Outline presents all the essential course information in an easy-to-follow, topic-by-topic format. Helpful tables and illustrations increase your understanding of the subject at hand.Schaumâs Outline of Linear Algebra, Sixth Edition<Table of Contents1. Vectors in R and C, Spatial Vectors2. Algebra of Matrices3. Systems of Linear Equations4. Vector Spaces5. Linear Mappings6. Linear Mappings and Matrices7. Inner Product Spaces, Orthogonality8. Determinants9. Diagonalization: Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors10. Canonical Forms11. Linear Functionals and the Dual Space12. Bilinear, Quadratic, and Hermitian Forms13. Linear Operators on Inner Product Spaces

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Book SynopsisCengel and Cimbala''s Fluid Mechanics Fundamentals and Applications communicates directly with tomorrow''s engineers in a simple yet precise manner, while covering the basic principles and equations of fluid mechanics in the context of numerous and diverse real-world engineering examples. The text helps students develop an intuitive understanding of fluid mechanics by emphasizing the physics, using figures, numerous photographs and visual aids to reinforce the physics. The highly visual approach enhances the learning of fluid mechanics by students.

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Book SynopsisThis is an open access title. It is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International license. It is available to read and download as a PDF version on the Oxford Academic platform.We live in a world where artificial intelligence and intensive use of personal data has become normalized. Companies across the world are developing and launching technologies to infer and interact with emotions, mental states, and human conditions. However, the methods and means of mediating information about people and their emotional states are incomplete and problematic. Automating Empathy offers a critical exploration of technologies that sense intimate dimensions of human life and the modern ethical questions raised by attempts to perform and simulate empathy. It traces the ascendance of empathic technologies from their origins in physiognomy and pathognomy to the modern day and explores technologies in nations with non-Western ethical histories and appTable of ContentsChapter 1: Automating Empathy SECTION I: THEORY AND ETHICS Chapter 2: Hyperreal Emotion Chapter 3: Assessing the Physiognomic Critique Chapter 4: Hybrid Ethics Chapter 5: The Context Imperative: Extractivism, Japan, and Holism SECTION II: APPLICATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Chapter 6: Positive Education Chapter 7: Automating Vulnerability: Sensing Interiors Chapter 8: Hybrid Work: Automated for the People? Chapter 9: Waveforms of Human Intention: Towards Everyday Neurophenomenology Chapter 10: Selling Emotions: Moral Limits of Intimate Data Markets Chapter 11: Uncertainty for Good: Inverting Automated Empathy References

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Book SynopsisMethods by which robots can learn control laws that enable real-time reactivity using dynamical systems; with applications and exercises.This book presents a wealth of machine learning techniques to make the control of robots more flexible and safe when interacting with humans. It introduces a set of control laws that enable reactivity using dynamical systems, a widely used method for solving motion-planning problems in robotics. These control approaches can replan in milliseconds to adapt to new environmental constraints and offer safe and compliant control of forces in contact. The techniques offer theoretical advantages, including convergence to a goal, non-penetration of obstacles, and passivity. The coverage of learning begins with low-level control parameters and progresses to higher-level competencies composed of combinations of skills.  Learning for Adaptive and Reactive Robot Control is designed for graduate-level courses in robotics

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive introduction to the field of autonomous robotics aimed at upper-level undergraduates and offering additional online resources.Textbooks that provide a broad algorithmic perspective on the mechanics and dynamics of robots almost unfailingly serve students at the graduate level. Introduction to Autonomous Robots offers a much-needed resource for teaching third- and fourth-year undergraduates the computational fundamentals behind the design and control of autonomous robots. The authors use a class-tested and accessible approach to present progressive, step-by-step development concepts, alongside a wide range of real-world examples and fundamental concepts in mechanisms, sensing and actuation, computation, and uncertainty. Throughout, the authors balance the impact of hardware (mechanism, sensor, actuator) and software (algorithms) in teaching robot autonomy. Features:Rigorous and tested in the classroom

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Book SynopsisNow with a new postscript covering the unfolding health care revolutionMobile technology has transformed our lives, and personal genomics is revolutionizing biology. But despite the availability of technologies that can provide wireless, personalized health care at lower cost, the medical community has resisted change. In The Creative Destruction of Medicine , Eric Topol,one of the nation''s top physicians,calls for consumer activism to demand innovation and the democratization of medical care. The Creative Destruction of Medicine is the definitive account of the coming disruption of medicine, written by the field''s leading voice.Trade ReviewSiddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer "What happens when you combine cellular phone technology with the cellular aberrations in disease? Or create a bridge between the digital revolution with the medical revolution? How will minute biological sensors alter the way we treat lethal illnesses, such as heart attacks or cancer? This marvelous book by Eric Topol, a leading cardiologist, gene hunter and medical thinker, answers not just these questions, but many many more. Topol's analysis draws us to the very frontlines of medicine, and leaves us with a view of a landscape that is both foreign and daunting. He manages to recount this story in simple, lucid language--resulting in an enthralling and important book." Atul Gawande, M.D.,author of The Checklist Manifesto "Dr. Eric Topol is an extraordinary doctor. He's started a leading medical school, identified the first genes to underlie development of heart disease, led major medical centers, and been a pioneer of wireless medicine. But he is also a remarkable communicator--one of the few top-flight scientists in medicine to be able to genuinely connect with the public. He was, for example, the first physician researcher to question the safety of Vioxx--and unlike most who raise safety questions, actually succeed in bringing the concerns to public attention. I have known and admired Dr. Topol for a long time. I recommend him highly." A. J. Jacobs, author of My Life as an Experiment and The Year of Living Biblically "It may sound like hyperbole, but it's true: Medicine is undergoing its biggest revolution since the invention of the germ theory. As Eric Topol writes, thirty years ago, 'digital medicine' referred to rectal examinations. Dr. Topol is both a leader of and perfect guide to this brave new health world. His book should be prescribed for doctors and patients alike." Brook Byers, Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers "This is the one book to read for a complete and clear view of our medical future, as enabled by the convergence of digital, mobile, genomic, and life science breakthroughs. Dr. Topol explains how iPhones, cloud computing, gene sequencing, wireless sensors, modernized clinical trials, internet connectivity, advanced diagnostics, targeted therapies and other science will enable the individualization of medicine--and force overdue radical change in how medicine is delivered, regulated, and reimbursed. This book should be read by patients, doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, insurers, regulators, digital engineers--anyone who wants better health, lower costs, and participation in this revolution." Misha Angrist, Assistant Professor, Duke Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, and author of Here is a Human Being "Eric Topol is that rare physician willing to challenge the orthodoxies of his guild. He recognizes that in the U.S., health care business-as-usual is unsustainable. But he does not despair. He bears witness to the rise of Homo digitus and the promise it holds to upend the inefficiencies and dysfunction so entrenched in clinical medicine. The Creative Destruction of Medicine is a timely tour de force. It is a necessary heresy." Clayton M. Christensen, Robert and Jane Cizik Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School, and author of The Innovator's Dilemma "Eric Topol gives us an eye-opening look at what's possible in healthcare if people can mobilize to charge the status quo. The Creative Destruction of Medicine is simply remarkable." Mehmet Oz, M.D., Professor and Vice-Chair of Surgery, NY Presbyterian/Columbia University "Eric Topol outlines the creative destruction of medicine that must be led by informed consumers. Smart patients will push the many stakeholders in health to accelerate change as medicine adapts to a new world of information and technology." Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman and CEO of General Electric "Eric Topol has been a longtime innovator in healthcare. In The Creative Destruction of Medicine, he citesthe big waves of innovation that will save healthcare for the future. Real healthcare reform has not yet begun, but it will. The Creative Destruction of Medicine lays out the path." George Church, Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School "What happens when the super-convergence of smart phones further combines with million-fold lower-cost genomics and diverse wearable sensors? The riveting answer leads compellingly to a call to activism--not only for medical care providers, but all patients and everyone looking for the next 'disruptive' economic revolution. This future is closer than most of us would have imagined before seeing it laid out so clearly. A must-read." J. Craig Venter, Chairman and President, J. Craig Venter Institute "Our sequencing of the human genome eleven years ago was the beginning of the individualized medicine revolution, a revolution that cannot happen without digitized personal phenotype information. Eric Topol provides a path forward using your digitized genome, remote sensing devices and social networking to place the educated at the center of medicine." Omar Ishrak, Chairman and CEO of Medtronic "Eric Topol provides an excellent and pragmatic view of the U.S. healthcare system from a patient's perspective. He then offers, through numerous examples, an exciting vision for the future ... when technology can be used to dramatically improve the quality of care and reduce cost at the same time. The Creative Destruction of Medicine is a highly informative and enjoyable book, which truly triggers the reader's imagination as to what is possible" Reed Tuckson, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief of Medical Affairs, UnitedHealth Group "Eric Topol has written an extraordinarily important book at just the right moment. Drawing upon a unique and impressive array of convergent expertise in medical research, clinical medicine, consumer and health technological advancements, and health policy, Dr. Topol opens the door for an essential discussion of old challenges viewed through an innovative lens. In the context of increasingly unaffordable health care costs, suboptimal quality of care delivery, a tsunami of preventable chronic illness, and new accountabilities for consumer's health choices and behaviors, this book helps all of us to think about solutions in new and exciting ways!" Steve Case, co-founder, AOL, and founder of Revolution LLC "Health care is poised to be revolutionized by two forces--technology and consumerism--and Dr. Eric Topol explains why. One-size-fits-all medicine will soon be overtaken by highly personalized, customized solutions that are enabled by breakthroughs in genomics and mobile devices and propelled by empowered consumers looking to live longer, healthier lives. Fasten your seat belts and get ready for the ride--and learn what steps you can take to begin to take control of your health." James Fowler, Professor of Medical Genetics and Political Science, UC San Diego, and author of Connected "Eric Topol is uniquely positioned to write such a timely and important book. He leads two institutions--one in genomics and one in wireless health--that will each play a huge role in transforming medicine in the twenty-first century. From this vantage point, he can see unifying themes that will underlie the coming revolution in population and personal health, and he communicates his vision with vibrant energy. Everyone will want to read this book."Table of ContentsPART I: Setting the Foundation 1. The Digital Landscape: Cultivating a Data-Driven, Participatory Culture 2. The Orientation of Medicine Today: Population Versus Individual 3. To What Extent Are Consumers Empowered? Clicks and Tricks PART II: Capturing the Data 4. Physiology: Wireless Sensors 5. Biology: Sequencing the Genome 6. Anatomy: From Imaging to Printing Organs 7. Electronic Health Records and Health Information Technology 8. The Convergence of Human Data Capture PART III: The Impact of Homo Digitus 9. Doctors with Plasticity? 10. Rebooting the Life Science Industry 11. Homo Digitus and the Individual

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Book SynopsisThe 1000-page book covers theoretical models, system design and operation, and geoscientific applications of active and passive microwave remote sensing systems. It is designed as a textbook for a postgraduate course, as well as a reference for the practicing professional. To facilitate understanding and use of the material, the book includes 50 MATLAB-based computer codes and the book's website includes interactive modules based on theoretical and empirical models. The book is a must-have for every scientist and engineer with interest in microwave remote sensing.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Electromagnetic Wave Propagation; Remote-Sensing Antennas; Microwave Dielectric Properties of Natural Earth Materials; Radar Scattering; Microwave Radiometry and Radiative Transfer; Microwave Radiometric Systems; Microwave Interaction with Atmospheric Constituents; Radiometric Sounding of the Atmosphere; Surface-Scattering Models and Land Observations; Volume-Scattering Models and Land Observations; Emission Models and Land Observations; Radar Measurements and Scatterometers; Real- and Synthetic-Aperture Side-Looking Airborne Radar; Interferometric SAR; Radar Remote Sensing of the Ocean; Spaceborne Altimetry; Radiometric Remote Sensing of the Ocean.

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Book SynopsisWith a global population estimated to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050 we face a huge challenge in feeding everyone on the planet. How is that to be achieved?In this brilliantly insightful, one stop guide WIRED journalist Matt Reynolds assesses the limits and drawbacks of current food production and looks at the ways in which they can be tackled. He considers the potential for lab-grown meat to replace inefficient livestock farming. He talks to the scientists hoping to perfect more productive and disease-resistant crops. He explores initiatives to make agriculture less environmentally damaging and to reduce food waste. And he addresses the fundamental question: how do we feed more people while using fewer of the Earth's resources?

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Anthony Croft is Professor of Mathematics Education at Loughborough University. Robert Davison was formerly Head of Quality at the Faculty of Technology, De Montfort University. Martin Hargreaves is a Chartered Physicist James Flint is Senior Lecturer in Wireless Systems Engineering at Loughborough University.

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Book SynopsisCan we build moral machines?Artificial intelligence is an essential part of our lives for better or worse. It can be used to influence what we buy, who gets shortlisted for a job and even how we vote. Without AI, medical technology wouldn't have come so far, we'd still be getting lost in our GPS-free cars, and smartphones wouldn't be so, well, smart. But as we continue to build more intelligent and autonomous machines, what impact will this have on humanity and the planet?Professor Toby Walsh, a world-leading researcher in the field of artificial intelligence, explores the ethical considerations and unexpected consequences AI poses. Can AI be racist? Can robots have rights? What happens if a self-driving car kills someone? What limitations should we put on the use of facial recognition? Machines Behaving Badly is a thought-provoking look at the increasing human reliance on robotics and the decisions that need to be made now to ensure the future of AI iTrade Review''AI is more than the machine. It’s as much about us and our society that creates and, in turn, is changed by it. This is a thrilling and alarming vision that Machines Behaving Badly effortlessly shares through engaging stories and insights from a researcher at the forefront of this global transformation.’' -- Alan Duffy

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Book SynopsisMark Katz surveys the age-old interrelationship between music and technology, from prehistoric musical instruments to today''s digital playback devices.This Very Short Introduction takes an expansive and inclusive approach meant to broaden and challenge traditional views of music and technology. In its most common use, music technology tends to evoke images of twentieth and twenty-first century electronic devices: synthesizers, recording equipment, music notation software, and the like. This volume, however, treats all tools used to create, store, reproduce, and transmit music--new or old, electronic or not--as technologies worthy of investigation. All musical instruments can be considered technologies. The modern piano, for example, is a marvel of keys, hammers, strings, pedals, dampers, and jacks; just the sound-producing mechanism, or action, on a piano has more than 50 different parts. In this broad view, technology in music encompasses instruments, whether acoustic, electric or electronic; engraving and printing; sound recording and playback; broadcasting; software; and much more. Mark Katz challenges the view that technology is unnatural, something external to music. It was sometimes said in the early twentieth century that so-called mechanical music (especially player pianos and phonographs) was a menace to real music; alternatively, technology can be freighted with utopian hopes and desires, as happens today with music streaming platforms like Spotify. Positive or negative, these views assume that technology is something that acts upon music; by contrast, this volume characterizes technology as an integral part of all musical activity and portrays traditional instruments and electronic machines as equally technological.Table of Contents1. Music as Technology 2. The Body 3. Time 4. Space 5. Community 6. Noise 7. Five Theses about Music and Technology References Further Reading Index

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