eBook downloads, eBook resources & eBook authors
Principles, Process and Practice of Professional Number Juggling (Volume 1 of the Working Guides to Estimating & Forecasting series) sets the scene of TRACEability and good estimate practice that is followed in the other volumes in this series of five working guides. It clarifies the difference between an Estimating Process, Procedure, Approach, Method and Technique. It expands on these definitions of Approach (Top-down, Bottom-up and ‘Ethereal’) and Method (Analogy, Parametric and ‘Trusted Source’) and discusses how these form the basis of all other means of establishing an estimate. This volume also underlines the importance of ‘data normalisation’ in any estimating procedure, and demonstrates that the Estimating by Analogy Method, in essence, is a simple extension of Data Normalisation. The author looks at simple measures of assessing the maturity or health of an estimate, and offers a means of assessing a spreadsheet for any inherent risks or errors that may be introduced by failing to follow good practice in spreadsheet design and build. This book provides a taster of the more numerical techniques covered in the remainder of the series by considering how an estimator can potentially exploit Benford’s Law (traditionally used in Fraud Detection) to identify systematic bias from third party contributors. It will be a valuable resource for estimators, engineers, accountants, project risk specialists as well as students of cost engineering.
As a juggler the author likes to finish his performances with a stunt that combines props and techniques from a variety of juggling disciplines. Imagine him idling on a giraffe unicycle, while balancing a spinning basketball on a mouth stick, and toss-juggling a sword, a toilet plunger, and a rubber chicken. As a mathematician he is also interested in the treasure trove of beautiful mathematics used to model the different activities in a juggler's repertoire. In this book he provides an intellectually stimulating collection of mostly self-contained mathematical essays that introduce the reader to many elegant results and techniques from a wide range of mathematical disciplines such as combinatorics, graph theory, knot theory, mechanics, differential equations, control theory, and robotics. "The Mathematics of Juggling" is the first comprehensive account summarizing and expanding the results in the literature on juggling tricks and skills, as well as the mathematics behind these tricks and skills. Anybody who is not put off by the word "mathematics" in the title of this book should have a good time reading it.
Galileo Galilei said he was “reading the book of nature” as he observed pendulums swinging, but he might also simply have tried to draw the numbers themselves as they fall into networks of permutations or form loops that synchronize at different speeds, or attach themselves to balls passing in and out of the hands of good jugglers. Numbers are, after all, a part of nature. As such, looking at and thinking about them is a way of understanding our relationship to nature. But when we do so in a technical, professional way, we tend to overlook their basic attributes, the things we can understand by simply “looking at numbers.” Tom Johnson is a composer who uses logic and mathematical models, such as combinatorics of numbers, in his music. The patterns he finds while “looking at numbers” can also be explored in drawings. This book focuses on such drawings, their beauty and their mathematical meaning. The accompanying comments were written in collaboration with the mathematician Franck Jedrzejewski.
Juggling is a thoroughly rewarding and entertaining hobby, but it can be difficult to master even for the most agile and diligent student. This early work by Ellis Stanyon contains a simple guide to a variety of original and impressive juggling tricks. Complete with concise instructions and helpful illustrations, this is a book that will be of much value to the beginner and will also be of interest to those with experience looking to expand their juggling repertoire. Many antique books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive, and it is with this in mind that we are proudly republishing it here complete with a new introduction on the subject.
Top German Youth coach Peter Schreiner presents his proven method of coaching young players. Full of fun, effective games and drills, this book covers every aspect of youth coaching with clear, easy to follow diagrams, photographs and instructions. Includes: Warm Up Games, Warm Down Games, Indoor Games, Coordination Conditioning and Complete Practice Sessions.
Get on the fast track to understanding neuroscience Investigating how your senses work, how you move, and how you think and feel, Neuroscience For Dummies, 2nd Edition is your straight-forward guide to the most complicated structure known in the universe: the brain. Covering the most recent scientific discoveries and complemented with helpful diagrams and engaging anecdotes that help bring the information to life, this updated edition offers a compelling and plain-English look at how the brain and nervous system function. Simply put, the human brain is an endlessly fascinating subject: it holds the secrets to your personality, use of language, memories, and the way your body operates. In just the past few years alone, exciting new technologies and an explosion of knowledge have transformed the field of neuroscience—and this friendly guide is here to serve as your roadmap to the latest findings and research. Packed with new content on genetics and epigenetics and increased coverage of hippocampus and depression, this new edition of Neuroscience For Dummies is an eye-opening and fascinating read for readers of all walks of life. Covers how gender affects brain function Illustrates why some people are more sensitive to pain than others Explains what constitutes intelligence and its different levels Offers guidance on improving your learning What is the biological basis of consciousness? How are mental illnesses related to changes in brain function? Find the answers to these and countless other questions in Neuroscience For Dummies, 2nd Edition
Brain–Computer Interfaces Handbook: Technological and Theoretical Advances provides a tutorial and an overview of the rich and multi-faceted world of Brain–Computer Interfaces (BCIs). The authors supply readers with a contemporary presentation of fundamentals, theories, and diverse applications of BCI, creating a valuable resource for anyone involved with the improvement of people’s lives by replacing, restoring, improving, supplementing or enhancing natural output from the central nervous system. It is a useful guide for readers interested in understanding how neural bases for cognitive and sensory functions, such as seeing, hearing, and remembering, relate to real-world technologies. More precisely, this handbook details clinical, therapeutic and human-computer interfaces applications of BCI and various aspects of human cognition and behavior such as perception, affect, and action. It overviews the different methods and techniques used in acquiring and pre-processing brain signals, extracting features, and classifying users’ mental states and intentions. Various theories, models, and empirical findings regarding the ways in which the human brain interfaces with external systems and environments using BCI are also explored. The handbook concludes by engaging ethical considerations, open questions, and challenges that continue to face brain–computer interface research. Features an in-depth look at the different methods and techniques used in acquiring and pre-processing brain signals, extracting features, and classifying the user's intention Covers various theories, models, and empirical findings regarding ways in which the human brain can interface with the systems or external environments Presents applications of BCI technology to understand various aspects of human cognition and behavior such as perception, affect, action, and more Includes clinical trials and individual case studies of the experimental therapeutic applications of BCI Provides human factors and human-computer interface concerns in the design, development, and evaluation of BCIs Overall, this handbook provides a synopsis of key technological and theoretical advances that are directly applicable to brain–computer interfacing technologies and can be readily understood and applied by individuals with no formal training in BCI research and development.
A scientific look at the skill of juggling. In this book, we look at all the things that limit jugglers and make the skill so challenging. Topics covered in the book include: juggling definitions, a brief history of juggling, juggling records, different juggling patterns and their pros and cons, Shannon's juggling theorem, physics of thrown objects and useful equations, good form, throwing error, ideal patterns, how to avoid collisions, optimizing juggling, the human limits of juggling, changing the constraints, learning to juggling, overview of "siteswap" notation, and training advice.
