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Best Engineering Patents & Inventions

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
Vance spent more than 30 hours in conversation with Musk and interviewed close to 300 people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies: PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX and SolarCity, and to characterize a man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation while making plenty of enemies along the way. Vance spent more than fifty hours in conversation with Musk and inter- viewed close to three hundred people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies and to paint a portrait of a complex man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation--all while making plenty of enemies along the way. Cut to 2012, however, and Musk had mounted one of the greatest resurrections in business history: Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity had enjoyed unparalleled success, and Musk's net worth soared to more than $5 billion.
Reviews
"2 pages in, I decided I was in this for the long haul and sat on the floor, right there in the middle of the store. Because as you experience the story, as you see the challenges Musk went through to reach the pinnacle he's at today, the question nags at you. Musk isn't soft-spoken, or easy on his employees, or a man who kicks his legs up on his desk and snoozes while his companies mill around him. Vance shows how Musk is both the CEO and an employee of his companies, simultaneously the teacher and student. Vance takes you deep into the details, from Musk's childhood and lineage in South Africa, all the way to Canada and the United States, where the bulk of the story unfolds. When Musk looks at big businesses, he sees unmovable behemoths that refuse to change their methodologies. So we follow Musk's journey from his small start-ups, Zip2 and X.com, and move into his larger, more permanent ventures, namely SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Did you know SpaceX tested these rockets on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and would fix problems they encountered in a matter of days, as compared to months by standard companies? I'm going to reread this book in a few weeks (probably after the scheduled June 19th third Falcon 9 landing attempt, this time on solid ground, as opposed to a barge). Anyone who wants a ridiculously thorough insight into Elon Musk's life and companies should read this book. This is an incredibly inspiring book, a important look into a game-changing business strategy, and a valuable lesson to the world."
"I loved the insight into Musk and how he operates, and you get a very broad and complete picture of Musk as a driven visionary that is absolutely set on delivering some of the most aspirational goals of any human in history. You also get some great insight into the overall ecosystem around Musk - his companies (SpaceX and Tesla primarily), relationships with other companies and gov entities, as well as the important people around him."
"Solid, well researched book about Musk's early life, early companies (Zip2 and PayPal), and current companies (Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity). Throughout the book, Vance doesn't just let a startling assertion or quote stand still, he researches events to give the reader a balanced view of what transpired."
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Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
New York Times and International Bestseller. Named One of the Best Books of the Year by The Wall Street Journal, NPR, Audible and Amazon. More than 1 million copies sold In the spirit of Steve Jobs and. Moneyball, Elon Musk is both an illuminating and authorized look at the extraordinary life of one of Silicon Valley's most exciting, unpredictable, and ambitious entrepreneurs--a real-life Tony Stark--and a fascinating exploration of the renewal of American invention and its new "makers." Vance spent more than fifty hours in conversation with Musk and inter- viewed close to three hundred people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies and to paint a portrait of a complex man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation--all while making plenty of enemies along the way. Cut to 2012, however, and Musk had mounted one of the greatest resurrections in business history: Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity had enjoyed unparalleled success, and Musk's net worth soared to more than $5 billion. Elon Musk is a brilliant, penetrating examination of what Musk's career means for a technology industry undergoing dramatic change and offers a taste of what could be an incredible century ahead.
Reviews
"2 pages in, I decided I was in this for the long haul and sat on the floor, right there in the middle of the store. Because as you experience the story, as you see the challenges Musk went through to reach the pinnacle he's at today, the question nags at you. Musk isn't soft-spoken, or easy on his employees, or a man who kicks his legs up on his desk and snoozes while his companies mill around him. Vance shows how Musk is both the CEO and an employee of his companies, simultaneously the teacher and student. Vance takes you deep into the details, from Musk's childhood and lineage in South Africa, all the way to Canada and the United States, where the bulk of the story unfolds. When Musk looks at big businesses, he sees unmovable behemoths that refuse to change their methodologies. So we follow Musk's journey from his small start-ups, Zip2 and X.com, and move into his larger, more permanent ventures, namely SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Did you know SpaceX tested these rockets on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and would fix problems they encountered in a matter of days, as compared to months by standard companies? I'm going to reread this book in a few weeks (probably after the scheduled June 19th third Falcon 9 landing attempt, this time on solid ground, as opposed to a barge). Anyone who wants a ridiculously thorough insight into Elon Musk's life and companies should read this book. This is an incredibly inspiring book, a important look into a game-changing business strategy, and a valuable lesson to the world."
"I loved the insight into Musk and how he operates, and you get a very broad and complete picture of Musk as a driven visionary that is absolutely set on delivering some of the most aspirational goals of any human in history. You also get some great insight into the overall ecosystem around Musk - his companies (SpaceX and Tesla primarily), relationships with other companies and gov entities, as well as the important people around him."
"Solid, well researched book about Musk's early life, early companies (Zip2 and PayPal), and current companies (Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity). Throughout the book, Vance doesn't just let a startling assertion or quote stand still, he researches events to give the reader a balanced view of what transpired."
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Dawn of the New Everything: Encounters with Reality and Virtual Reality
An inventive blend of autobiography, science writing, philosophy and advice, this book tells the wild story of his personal and professional life as a scientist, from his childhood in the UFO territory of New Mexico, to the loss of his mother, the founding of the first start-up, and finally becoming a world-renowned technological guru. His style is wonderfully discursive, reflecting his wide range of interests and experiences.”. ―Emily Parker, The Washington Post. “ Dawn of the New Everything spirits us back to a time when a plurality of ideas about what the Internet could be were still in play . “Jaron Lanier is both cheerleader and doomsayer in a highly personal story of virtual reality . a studied and nuanced interrogation of VR’s potential, as well as a gentle critique of what he sees as a failure of imagination when it comes to the medium’s current proponents.”. ― The Guardian. Integrating memoir, science writing, philosophical reflection, and down-to-earth advice, he reveals that virtual reality can clarify how the brain and the body connect to the world, giving us a deeper understanding of what it means to be human . This culturally significant title with its compelling personal narrative proves yet again that Lanier is a thinker whose work should be read and contemplated.”. ― Booklist. “Perhaps surprisingly for a book about the birth of virtual reality, this is a deeply human, highly personal, and beautifully told story .”. ―Dave Eggers, author of The Circle. It’s entirely unexpected and disarming to read about these concepts from an unabashedly subjective point of view. Not just for entertainment, but because Mr. Lanier has thoroughly convinced me that it’s the beginning of an enormous paradigm shift in the very way humans relate and communicate.”. ―Joseph Gordon-Levitt, actor and director. “The author is an evangelist for the good side of VR, which now offers insights into human perception and cognition that are forcing a radical re-evaluation of who we are. A spirited exploration of tech by a devotee who holds out the hope that bright things are just around the corner.”. ― Kirkus Reviews.
Reviews
"(focused on digital networks) and You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto (focused on Web 2.0), this book lacks a focused narrative arc and is decidedly retrospective. Earlier works focused on challenging inherent assumptions and cautioned about potential consequences; this book, however, is a somewhat nostalgic take on the development of concepts of VR and has much more autobiographical tone (Lanier points out that most chapters begin from his boyhood and end around 1992; he does reference to many more developments since then, but the narrative arc is not a linear one nor complete, limiting a reader's ability to extrapolate). Interspersed with the 52 or so definitions of VR (some of which are just snarky, others filled with references that may be obscure for the casual reader), Lanier gives a autobiographical account of his growing up, learning to experiment with gadgets, and the general fascination of VR and mixed reality concepts."
"The book presents a biography as well as non-fiction texts – the life of a pioneer in the field of virtual reality, and ideas about this technology."
"Like: His views on AI and social media are an compelling and insightful, and worth reading."
"Reality from the source of VR."
"I have been waiting for this book to come out since I first started working in VR, and heard Jaron give a spellbinding talk in 1999."
"His appendix on Phenotriopic Programming was especially exciting."
"I'm not a techie and didn't have any particular desire to learn about the history of VR, yet I found myself pulled into the book and Mr. Lanier's world."
"Christmas present so don't know but it is the book he wanted."
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Best Electromagnetism

How to Diagnose and Fix Everything Electronic, Second Edition
Choose the proper tools and set up your workbench Ensure personal safety and use proper eye and ear protection Understand how electrical components work and why they fail Perform preliminary diagnoses based on symptoms Use test equipment, including digital multimeters, ESR meters, frequency counters, and oscilloscopes Interpret block, schematic, and pictorial diagrams Disassemble products and identify sections Analyze circuits, locate faults, and replace dead parts Re-establish connections and reassemble devices. His involvement in ham radio led to his writing career, first with articles for ham radio magazines, and then with general technology features in Electronic Engineering Times, Desktop Engineering, IEEE Spectrum, and The Envisioneering Newsletter. Along with building and repairing electronic circuitry, he enjoys table tennis, restoring antique mopeds, ice skating, bicycling, and banging out a jazz tune on his harpsichord.
Reviews
"I NEVER thought of circuits this way and the author was able to explain that the active elements are the players in the story and everything else is a supporting cast. Bottom line, this is the book that I couldn't put down...and it is about some of the driest material you can find. I cannot recommend this book enough and I would pay triple just for the section where the author walks through a couple sample circuits, describes each component's function, and what would happen if that component failed."
"So far, there are many helpful tips and information to help me further the hobby along."
"Well written and organized."
"Read it slowly and use it as a reference."
"B&W pictures of some of the older devices are understandable but most of the pictures could've easily been replaced with new coloured ones."
"Good book that gives some insight to those new to troubleshooting."
"the Item Excellent and the seller is good thank you."
"Informative!"
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Best Wind Energy

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope (P.S.)
But William had read about windmills, and he dreamed of building one that would bring to his small village a set of luxuries that only 2 percent of Malawians could enjoy: electricity and running water. Amazon Best of the Month, September 2009: Discarded motor parts, PVC pipe, and an old bicycle wheel may be junk to most people, but in the inspired hands of William Kamkwamba, they are instruments of opportunity.
Reviews
"There is a picture here that points the way for the promise of new technology."
"It was a brilliant choice and really quite eye opening for a 12 year old to hear about how he was lucky to be able to go to school. It was fantastic to see how William managed to salvage parts from the junk yard to build his creation. It worked well as it brought a different perspective to our discussion and it was a great way of including children in a hobby that I hope they will all preserve as they grow older."
"In spite of this, William's insatiable curiosity and a chance library book on physics provided him the desire to build his own windmill out of tools and supplies he fashioned out of discarded junk."
"In one American book, he found a picture of a windmill that generated electricity, and discovered that windmills had been used for ages to irrigate crops. He had no money, but he found scrap materials and built his first windmill, modified it to increase or decrease the power, installed a light bulb and created a light switch."
"The amazing story of a young boy,growing up in poverty and life-threatening challenges,who refused to be dissuaded from expanding his knowledge in the face of closed educational opportunities."
"This book was *initially* difficult to read."
"It was an uplifting story."
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Best Engineering Research

FE Other Disciplines Review Manual
Michael R. Lindeburg PE’s FE Other Disciplines Review Manual offers complete review for the FE Other Disciplines exam. updated equations, figures, and tables of the NCEES FE Reference Handbook to familiarize you with the reference you’ll have on exam day 14 diagnostic exams to assess your grasp of knowledge areas covered in each chapter concise explanations supported by exam-like example problems, with step-by-step solutions to reinforce the theory and application of fundamental concepts 30-day web access to the mobile version of the book for on-the-go review access to a fully customizable study schedule to keep your studies on track a robust index with thousands of terms to facilitate referencing a guarantee that if you follow the guidelines described in the “How to Use This Book” section, you’ll pass the exam or we will refund your purchase (visit https://ppi2pass.com/fe-quality for more details). Michael R. Lindeburg, PE, is one of the best-known authors of engineering textbooks and references.
Reviews
"Don't make the mistake of not buying this before taking the FE exam."
"It's better than other books I have used ."
"Good condition - just as advertised."
"This book came in a timely manner with no noticeable damages."
"Good as a reference book."
"I was required to get this book for school!"
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Best History of Engineering & Technology

The Wright Brothers
In this “enjoyable, fast-paced tale” ( The Economist ), master historian David McCullough “shows as never before how two Ohio boys from a remarkable family taught the world to fly” ( The Washington Post) and “captures the marvel of what the Wrights accomplished” ( The Wall Street Journal ). Essential reading, this is “a story of timeless importance, told with uncommon empathy and fluency…about what might be the most astonishing feat mankind has ever accomplished… The Wright Brothers soars” ( The New York Times Book Review ). The Wright Brothers soars.” (Daniel Okrent The New York Times Book Review ). “David McCullough has etched a brisk, admiring portrait of the modest, hardworking Ohioans who designed an airplane in their bicycle shop and solved the mystery of flight on the sands of Kitty Hawk, N.C. Mr. McCullough is in his element writing about seemingly ordinary folk steeped in the cardinal American virtues—self-reliance and can-do resourcefulness.” (Roger Lowenstein The Wall Street Journal ). Mr. McCullough presents all this with dignified panache, and with detail so granular you may wonder how it was all collected.” (Janet Maslin The New York Times ). "McCullough’s magical account of [the Wright Brothers'] early adventures — enhanced by volumes of family correspondence, written records, and his own deep understanding of the country and the era — shows as never before how two Ohio boys from a remarkable family taught the world to fly." But it’s also a story that resonates with anyone who believes deeply in the power of technology to change lives – and the resistance some have to new innovations.” (Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google). "An outstanding saga of the lives of two men who left such a giant footprint on our modern age." "McCullough's usual warm, evocative prose makes for an absorbing narrative; he conveys both the drama of the birth of flight and the homespun genius of America's golden age of innovation."
Reviews
"David McCullough is one of the preeminent American historians of our times, the deft biographer of John Adams and Harry Truman, and in this book he brings his wonderful historical exposition and storytelling skills to the lives of the Wright brothers. If I have some minor reservations they are only in the lack of technical detail which could have informed descriptions of some of the Wrights' experiments and the slightly hagiographical tint that McCullough is known to bring to his subjects. Firstly McCullough who is quite certainly one of the best storytellers among all historians does a great job of giving us the details of the Wrights' upbringing and family. The Wrights' sister Katharine also played an integral part in their lives; they were very close to her and McCullough's account is filled with copious examples of the affectionate, sometimes scolding, always encouraging letters that the siblings wrote to each other. Lastly, McCullough does a fine job describing how the Wrights rose to world fame after their flight. McCullough's account of the Wright brothers, as warm and fast-paced as it is, was most interesting to me for the lessons it holds for the future. But perhaps what the Wright brothers' story exemplifies the most is the importance of simple traits like devotion to family, hard work, intense intellectual curiosity and most importantly, the frontier, can-do attitude that has defined the American dream since its inception."
"McCullough has written a serious and riveting review of the lives of Wilbur and Orville. FAMILY. McCullough makes it clear that the Wilbur and Orville were a product of their family environment. McCullough writes — “He was an unyielding abstainer, which was rare on the frontier, a man of rectitude and purpose— all of which could have served as a description of Milton himself and Wilbur and Orville as well.”. His strict values molded and focused the views of the three younger Wrights (Katherine, Wilbur, and Orville). I am sure that Orville and myself will do nothing that will disgrace the training we received from you and Mother.”. McCullough writes — “Years later, a friend told Orville that he and his brother would always stand as an example of how far Americans with no special advantages could advance in the world. the greatest thing in our favor was growing up in a family where there was always much encouragement to intellectual curiosity.’ ”. BUSINESS. McCullough records Wilbur’s thoughts on being in business in a letter to his brother Lorin in 1894: “In business it is the aggressive man, who continually has his eye on his own interest, who succeeds. … We ought not to have been businessmen.”. In 1911, Wilbur wrote: “When we think what we might have accomplished if we had been able to devote this time [fighting patent infringement suits] to experiments, we feel very sad, but it is always easier to deal with things than with men, and no one can direct his life entirely as he would choose.”. The Wrights never built, or even tried to build, an industrial empire as Ford or Edison or their Dayton neighbors John and Frank Patterson (National Cash Register) had done. Wilbur and Orville were superb engineers, though neither went beyond high school. For example, the wind tunnel had been invented thirty years before, but Wilbur and Orville developed it into a precise quantitative instrument. For example, McCullough writes — “In early 1889, while still in high school, Orville started his own print shop in the carriage shed behind the house, and apparently with no objections from the Bishop. To reinforce that point requires some expansion of that event or similar other defining events in the lives of Wilbur and Orville. One source of knowledge about the Wrights’ approach to aeronautics is the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton."
"Of particular interest are the Wright's struggles to actually fly at Kitty Hawk and how primitive a place that part of North Carolina was at the start of the 20th century. McCullough does spend a bit of time talking about Charles Taylor who was the Wright's mechanic and without whom they would not have flown. If you want to know more about the Wright's then this is a great place to start but a fuller biography/history might have been more fulfilling."
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Best Scientific Measurement

An Introduction to Error Analysis: The Study of Uncertainties in Physical Measurements
This best-selling text by John Taylor, now released in its second edition, introduces the study of uncertainties to lower division science students. --The Physics Teacher.
Reviews
"Had to get this book for a class."
"This book does an excellent job of starting from the basics and then building on them at a comfortable pace until the reader has been taken to the more advanced and useful points of error analysis."
"This text has been very useful in developing materials and exercises for use in data analysis for an experimental measurements lab."
"This is a book meant for beginners with no background knowledge in this subject and includes very through, detailed explanations and examples."
"Like prof. Taylor says, there is so few good books regarding MEASUREMENTS, the cornerstone of Physics, Chemistry and now Biology too."
"This is the first statistics book that presents the development of confidence estimates for functions of random variables, albeit only for one dimensional variables."
"This book is great in explaining the, what, when, and why, to use certain mathematical evaluations."
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Best American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Publications

ISO 9001:2015, Fifth Edition: Quality management systems - Requirements
ISO 9001:2015 specifies requirements for a quality management system when an organization:
Reviews
"I got this latest copy of ISO 9001 quality management standard for work."
"When implemented and maintained properly, the principles outlined in ISO 9001 can cause huge benefits by ensuring you are able to manage Quality throughout the processes your company uses to make it's product or service available to the customer."
"Overpriced for what looks like a bus schedule."
"Crazy expensive for a 26 page book."
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Best Architecture Reference

2015 International Building Code
Featuring the very latest industry standards in material design, the 2015 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE SOFT COVER version offers up-to-date, comprehensive insight into the regulations surrounding the design and installation of building systems. ICC is a leading organization dedicated to developing a single set of comprehensive, coordinated national model construction codes.
Reviews
"book is new no markings no page creases this is perfect thank you."
"Unfortunately, you need these if you're planning on taking the ICC Fire Inspector 1 test and have the book version of the codes."
"I find these tabs are a definite necessity with every code book."
"Perfect condition - just as described."
"Not 100% this is an authorized copy of the code, but since I only need it as a personal copy for exam review, it works fine."
"arrived on time and as described."
"Required for a Engineering Department Library."
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