any publishers reading this?

Translate This Thread From English to

Threaded View
I have about 300 pages of step by step
tutorial on autonomous robot navigation.

I explain how to use an occupancy grid for
representation of robot's memory of
space.  How to automatically navigate
a floorplan until all areas have been
explored and entered into the robots
memory.  How to command the robot to
go to a certain location on the map,
by coordinates or area label.

It includes background information and
can be understood and implemented by a
high school student who does not have
a math background.

Includes definitions, drawings, charts,
graphs, program logic, psuedo-code, flow
charts, sample program execution charts.
Interpretation of sonar data, localization
within previously mapped areas.

I wrote this while researching and
programming my robot's navigation system.

With 1 sonar sensor mounted on a mobile
wheeled platform, I am able to map any
floorplan in 2 dimensions.

Includes source code (psuedo code) for
easy translation into any programming
language.



any interest?

Rich


Re: any publishers reading this?


If you already have this written, write up
a proposal for a publisher and send it off to
whoever publishes the robotic books of your
choice.

Try McGraw-Hill. Their websites list their
contact information.

As long as you specifically state that the
manuscript is already done, you shouldn't have
much of a problem.

However, this same subject was written about
in thesis form and is available via Amazon. I
would, of course, like to see a more human-readable
version.
--
D. Jay Newman
http://enerd.ws/robots/

Re: any publishers reading this?


"It.. ..can be understood and implemented by a
high school student who does not have
a math background."

Rich


Re: any publishers reading this?


That was what I was agreeing with.
--
D. Jay Newman
http://enerd.ws/robots/

Re: any publishers reading this?


: I have about 300 pages of step by step
: tutorial on autonomous robot navigation.

I have an busted duplexing xerox machine at the office. Send me the PDF, if
it's any good I'll fix the Xerox and print up a few hundred copies.
:-)

Seriously, most comments I've seen from authors indicate the payments from
books aren't that great (Gordon, coudl I be thinking of something you
posted ?)  Might be worth thinking about putting up some sample pages, and
selling a PDF version. At least you get to keep all the money.

--
==========================================================
Chris Candreva  -- chris@westnet.com -- (914) 967-7816
WestNet Internet Services of Westchester
http://www.westnet.com/

Re: any publishers reading this?


<snip>

Go over to Amazon and check out who's publishing robot books. The "main"
ones are few: McGraw-Hill, A-Press, Wiley, and a few others. Then visit
their Web sites and look for the page for author submissions. They'll
have all the info you need to package up a proposal for their
consideration. The proposal is used by the acquisitions editor and sales
staff to judge the economic viability of the book. Take your time doing
a good proposal, as it will become the tool they'll use the sell the
book into their sales channels.

Since you've already written the book you might as well look for ways to
capitalize on it, though as the others have pointed out, eBook is an
option. Amazon can take a PDF and add a DRM wrapper around it. You can
then sell it via Amazon, where you take the publisher's cut instead of
the usual 8-10% "net" author cut. However, keep in mind that Amazon is
only 1/10th or so of the bookseller trade.

A third option is to put together a kit of parts, and sell the book
(Docutech printed, or even as a PDF on a CD-ROM) with the kits. For a
couple of bucks you might add a custom circuit board that will hold the
sensors you use, etc. If you don't want to do the order fulfillment
yourself, consider working with one or more of the online robot stores,
like Acroname or Jameco.

Profit margins are constrained in hobby-level books (and sales are
constrained in academic books), because you must operate within existing
sales structures, where others dictate the selling price. Your profit
margin for an educational kit/curriculum is whatever the market will
bear, and can be set individually based on value.

-- Gordon

Re: any publishers reading this?

@NOgmccombSPAM.com:


 <snip good advice from Gordon>


IF you are only looking for a publisher, you might also try TAB books.


Joe

--
Mini ITX and other computer goodies:
www.brokenacres.rite2u.com

Re: any publishers reading this?


FWIW, TAB was sold to McGraw-Hill some 10 years ago. It's now merely an
imprint of McGraw-Hill Professional.

-- Gordon

Site Timeline