The word "robot" is derived from the Czech word robota meaning
work. The idea of robots as humanoid machines was first introduced
in Karel Capek's 1921 play "R.U.R.," where the playwright conceived
Rossum's Universal Robots.
Sci-fi writer Isaac Asimov made robots famous, beginning with
his story I, Robot (1950) and continuing through a string of books
known as the Robot Series. Asimov presented the idea of "The Three
Laws of Robotics", which are:
- A robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction,
allow a human being to come to harm.
- A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings except
where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
- A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection
does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
See the Isaac Asimov FAQ for more information about Asimov and robots.
Links
- There's a Robot in Your Future
- A discovery article about robots by Mark Dery. Menace
2 society. Insects rule. Robots as cyberpunk art. Droids.
- Laboratory
Robotics
- Not as sexy as androids, but more reality nowadays.
- Human Robots
- Case and Molly as a human robots (more like cyborgs). A small
article by Francesca Wodtke.
