Audio Books by Kate Devlin

We are surrounded by the material culture of the people who lived before us: architecture, artworks and artefacts. But can we be certain that, even when allowing for the ravages of time, what we observe is the same as what the original creators of these items would have seen? Light can''t be captured in the archaeological record, of course, yet lighting conditions can completely alter our perception, leading to dramatic changes in interpretation for archaeologists, art historians and psychologists. The Colourful Past examines the way that our understanding of archaeological sites and objects has often been surprisingly inaccurate, and how the latest image sampling and virtual-reality techniques are providing startling insights in archaeological places, objects and peoples. Focusing on light, colour and perception, the book shows how computer graphics technology is quietly revolutionising archaeology. It outlines the need for perceptual realism in virtual heritage, and explores case studies where the application of perceptual knowledge can enhance archaeological understanding. After an introduction to the subject, The Colourful Past takes a chronological narrative, beginning with stone-age rock art and working through examples from the Classical period into medieval times, before finishing with the present and ideas on the future direction of research. The narrative spans the globe, from European and African rock art and Mayan frescoes to Egyptian temples and medieval religious paintings, to name a few. Why did medieval artists use so much gold leaf? Were palaeolithic artists in prehistoric France making animations on cave walls? What effect does sunshine have on the layout of an Egyptian temple? How can we tell how things would have looked to people in the past? All these questions and many more are answered in Kate Devlin''s brilliant book.

''Illuminating, witty and written with a wide open mind'' Sunday Times The idea of the seductive sex robot is the stuff of myth, legend and science fiction. From the myth of Laodamia in Ancient Greece to twenty-first century shows such as Westworld, robots in human form have captured our imagination, our hopes and our fears. But beyond the fantasies there are real and fundamental questions about our relationship with technology as it moves into the realm of robotics. Turned On explores how the emerging and future development of sexual companion robots might affect us and the society in which we live. It explores the social changes arising from emerging technologies, and our relationships with the machines that someday may care for us and about us. Sex robots are here, and here to stay, and more are coming. Computer scientist and sex-robot expert Kate Devlin is our guide as we seek to understand how this technology is developing. From robots in Greek myth and the fantastical automata of the Middle Ages through to the sentient machines of the future that embody the prominent AI debate, she explores the ''modern'' robot versus the robot servants we were promised by twentieth century sci-fi, and delves into the psychological effects of the technology, and issues raised around gender politics, diversity, surveillance and violence. This book answers all the questions you''ve ever had about sex robots, as well as all the ones you haven''t yet thought of.