Robot Uprising. Film at 11.

Daniel Wilson’s How To Survive a Robot Uprising looks superficially like one of those little humor books designed to entertain you while you’re waiting for something else: the bus, the checkout clerk, the bathroom. But lurking just under its irreverent surface is a pretty decent introduction to modern robotics research. As I read through Wilson’s warnings about robotic flies (frightening collective intelligence!) and tips on surviving robotic hand-to-hand combat, I recognized research from lots of biomechanics researchers I know, including Mimi Koehl, Kellar Autumn, Mike Dickinson, and Berkeley’s PolyPedal Lab, among others.

Imagine that. An educational book hiding out in the humor section. I have no complaints. After all, it's the strategy we use when we design our games.