03 - Machine that Saved the World by Murray Leinster

In a chilling broadcast from nowhere, sinister signals flood in from the depths of space, wreaking havoc on any receiver they touch. How can Earth defend itself against such a malevolent force? Set in the distant future of 1972, at a top-secret military installation, Staff Sergeant Bellews stands at the forefront of an extraordinary scientific breakthrough a method that allows ordinary machines‚Aîlike vacuums and lawnmowers‚Aîto learn and perfect their tasks over time. But when these strange transmissions begin to sabotage his machines, Bellews is suddenly drawn into a battle he never anticipated. As the stakes rise, he takes the fight personally. (Summary from the first chapter and Phil Chenevert)