Books about Controllers from Amazon.com

Building electronic projects that interact with the physical world is good fun. But when devices that you've built start to talk to each other, things really start to get interesting Through a series of simple projects, you'll learn how to get your creations to communicate with one another by forming networks of smart devices that carry on conversations with you and your environment. Whether you need to plug some sensors in your home to the Internet or create a device that can interact wirelessly with other creations, Making Things Talk explains exactly what you need.

This book is perfect for people with little technical training but a lot of interest. Maybe you're a science teacher who wants to show students how to monitor weather conditions at several locations at once, or a sculptor who wants to stage a room of choreographed mechanical sculptures. Making Things Talk demonstrates that once you figure out how objects communicate -- whether they're microcontroller-powered devices, email programs, or networked databases -- you can get them to interact.

Each chapter in contains instructions on how to build working projects that help you do just that. You will:

• Make your pet's bed send you email
• Make your own seesaw game controller that communicates over the Internet
• Learn how to use ZigBee and Bluetooth radios to transmit sensor data wirelessly
• Set up communication between microcontrollers, personal computers, and web servers using three easy-to-program, open source environments: Arduino/Wiring, Processing, and PHP.
• Write programs to send data across the Internet based on physical activity in your home, office, or backyard
• And much more

With a little electronics know-how, basic (not necessarily in BASIC) programming skills, a couple of inexpensive microcontroller kits and some network modules to make them communicate using Ethernet, ZigBee, and Bluetooth, you can get started on these projects right away. With Making Things Talk, the possibilities are practically endless..
Price: $17.29 [Notify me when price goes down.]

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Price: $32.56 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Microchip continually updates its product line with more capable and lower cost products They also provide excellent development tools. Few books take advantage of all the work done by Microchip. 123 PIC Microcontroller Experiments for the Evil Genius uses the best parts, and does not become dependent on one tool type or version, to accommodate the widest audience possible. Building on the success of 123 Robotics Experiments for the Evil Genius, as well as the unbelievable sales history of Programming and Customizing the PIC Microcontroller, this book will combine the format of the evil genius title with the following of the microcontroller audience for a sure-fire hit..
Price: $14.33 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Now in four-color, this outstanding text for the first course in programmable logic controllers (PLCs) focuses on how PLCs work and gives students practical information about installing, programming, and maintaining PLC systems. It's not intended to replace manufacturer's or user's manuals, but rather complements and expands on the information contained in these materials. All topics are covered in small segments. Students systematically carry out a wide range of generic programming exercises and assignments. All of the information about PLCs has been updated..
Price: $85.97 [Notify me when price goes down.]

Rails 2.1 brings a new level of stability and power to this acclaimed web development framework, but keeping track of its numerous moving parts is still a chore. Rails Pocket Reference offers you a painless alternative to hunting for resources online, with brief yet thorough explanations of the most frequently used methods and structures supported by Rails 2.1, along with key concepts you need to work through the framework's most tangled corners. Organized to help you quickly find what you need, this book will not only get you up to speed on how Rails works, it also provides a handy reference you can use anywhere, anytime. Inside, you'll find essential information on how to: Install Rails with RubyGems Build, compile, and process files with Rake Test Rails applications using assertions and fixtures Use Rails with Ajax Connect objects to a database using ActiveRecord Make web requests with the Action Controller framework Use REST web service APIs

And much more. Save yourself hours of frustration: If you use Rails daily and just want the facts -- fast -- this is your book..
Price: $8.82 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This book teaches and demonstrates the basics of the Allen-Bradley MicroLogix 1000 programmable logic controller Information is provided to help the reader get and operate an inexpensive MicroLogix 1000 and associated hardware and software. Examples with ladder diagrams and circuit diagrams are provided to demonstrate different MicroLogix 1000 capabilities. Background information is provided to relate the MicroLogix 1000 to other programmable logic controllers..
Price: $22.20 [Notify me when price goes down.]

This is the introduction to PLCs for which baffled students, technicians and managers have been waiting In this straightforward, easy-to-read guide, Bill Bolton has kept the jargon to a minimum, considered all the programming methods in the standard IEC 1131-3 - in particular ladder programming, and presented the subject in a way that is not device specific to ensure maximum applicability to courses in electronics and control systems.

Now in its fourth edition, this best-selling text has been expanded with increased coverage of industrial systems and PLCs and more consideration has been given to IEC 1131-3 and all the programming methods in the standard. The new edition brings the book fully up to date with the current developments in PLCs, describing new and important applications such as PLC use in communications (e.g. Ethernet - an extremely popular system), and safety - in particular proprietary emergency stop relays (now appearing in practically every PLC based system).

The coverage of commonly used PLCs has been increased, including the ever popular Allen Bradley PLCs, making this book an essential source of information both for professionals wishing to update their knowledge, as well as students who require a straight forward introduction to this area of control engineering.

Having read this book, readers will be able to:
* Identify the main design characteristics and internal architecture of PLCs
* Describe and identify the characteristics of commonly used input and output devices
* Explain the processing of inputs and outputs of PLCs
* Describe communication links involved with control systems
* Develop ladder programs for the logic functions AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOT and XOR
* Develop functional block, instruction list, structured text and sequential function chart programs
* Develop programs using internal relays, timers, counters, shift registers, sequencers and data handling
* Identify safety issues with PLC systems
* Identify methods used for fault diagnosis, testing and debugging programs

Fully matched to the requirements of BTEC Higher Nationals, students are able to check their learning and understanding as they work through the text using the Problems section at the end of each chapter. Complete answers are provided in the back of the book.

* Thoroughly practical introduction to PLC use and application - not device specific, ensuring relevance to a wide range of courses
* New edition expanded with increased coverage of IEC 1131-3, industrial control scenarios and communications - an important aspect of PLC use
* Problems included at the end of each chapter, with a complete set of answers given at the back of the book.
Price: $24.42 [Notify me when price goes down.]

If you’re a PHP developer, you can build Rails-like applications without learning a new language by following the hands-on tutorials in Professional CodeIgniter. In this book, find an overview of MVC and agile technologies, model and schema for products, helpers and libraries, Ajax and Scriptaculous, and explanations of the creation of applications like content management, blogs, and forums. Follow the step-by-step instructions for building and perfecting each application with CodeIgniter, and you will learn how to avoid everyday problems that other reference manuals don’t address..
Price: $19.99 [Notify me when price goes down.]