COMPUTERS, AI, CYBERNETICS A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z                    HOME ABOUT CATEGORIES SITE MAP COPYRIGHT ADVERTISE CONTACT entire Web this site robot A mechanical device that sometimes resembles, in whole or in part, a human being and is capable of carrying out a variety of often complex human tasks on command or by being programmed in advance. More generally, a robot is a machine or device that operates automatically or by remote control. The word is both a coinage by an individual person and a borrowing. It has been in English since 1923 when the Czech writer Karel Capek's play R.U.R. was translated into English and presented in London and New York. R.U.R., published in 1921, is an abbreviation of Rossum's Universal Robots; robot itself comes from Czech robota, “servitude, forced labor,” from rab, “slave.” Interestingly, the artificial beings in Capek's play would today be considered more akin to androids rather than robots. See: Robot diaries, volume 1 Robot diaries, volume 2 Robot diaries, volume 3 Related category    • COMPUTERS, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND CYBERNETICS Also on this site: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living Encyclopedia of History Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site) BACK TO TOP