Once upon a time, "robots were machines of the future," but, as this image-rich volume attests, robots are no longer the stuff of speculative fiction. Rogers traces robot evolution from early mechanical machines and automata to artificial intelligence. In bold, clear graphics, readers are introduced to work robots like the "six-legged scuttler," robotic submersibles, space robots, and biomimetic robots such as a bionic kangaroo. Models show the interior circuitry of the robots, while readers can also see them in mid-motion as they perform their applications: a robot programmed to work on factory floors grasps an egg with its adjustable "gripper." Elsewhere, a child with a neuromuscular disease walks with a lower-body exoskeleton bot. Robots may be much more commonplace today, but Rogers shows that their ubiquity doesn't make them any less cool. Ages 9-12. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.