Robots In Fiction – Humanoid Helpers and Mechanical Menaces

A robot is an electromechanical device capable of performing both programmed and autonomous tasks. Robots in fictional media tend to have humanoid characteristics and are able to interact with their human creators. Fictional robots also tend to be highly intelligent and follow human orders.

Much of the drama of robots in fiction occurs when robots either exceed their programming or their programming becomes corrupted. A robot that began a story as humanity’s faithful servant often ended it by becoming the villain. The following is a brief overview of robots in fiction.

Reading About Robots

In 1942, science fiction author Isaac Asimov introduced the world to his Three Laws of Robotics. In a series of short stories and novels, Asimov explained these Three Laws through the interaction of robots and humans.

Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics were 1) A robot may not harm a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm; 2) A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law; and 3) A robot must protect its own existence, as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.

Asimov’s robots were constructed with fictional “positronic” brains. His robots were constrained by the Three Laws, with the First Law taking precedence over the others, and the Second Law taking precedence over the Third Law. Drama in Asimov’s robot stories usually resulted from unexpected behavior from robots obeying the Three Laws in unanticipated ways.

Mechanical Men In Movies

The information about robots presented here will do one of two things: either it will reinforce what you know about robots or it will teach you something new. Both are good outcomes.

The 1956 science fiction classic film “Forbidden Planet” introduced audiences to Robby the Robot. Created by Dr. Morbius with the assistance of alien technology, the enormously talented Robby served as a glorified butler to Dr. Morbius and his daughter. Robby possessed the strength to carry at least 10 tons, could converse intelligently on many subjects, and even had the ability to convert matter from one form to another. If the ship’s drunken cook served as “comic relief” in the movie, then Robby the Robot certainly fulfilled the role of “straight man.” It is worth noting that Robby was programmed with the equivalent of Asimov’s First Law of Robotics in that he could not harm a human being, even when ordered to do so by a human.

The “Star Wars” saga spanned almost three decades and introduced a whole new breed of robot. The robots R2-D2 and C-3PO were referred to as “droids” (e.g., androids, or robots with human form). However, only C-3PO had a humanoid body. R2-D2’s squat cylindrical body and non-speech communication made him more robotic than his humanoid companion.

“The Terminator” showcased the evil robot turning on his creator. In this twist of the classic Frankenstein story, the evil cyborgs (e.g., cybernetic organisms, or robots with organic parts) gained self-awareness and sought to eliminate their creators. This movie differs from the others discussed here in that the robot was specifically programmed to kill humans. However, in typical Hollywood fashion, later movies featured a robot protector sent to protect humans from the killer Terminator.

Television Tin Men

The robot from the “Lost In Space” television series remains one of the most recognizable TV robots. The unnamed Robot, like his ancestor Robby, existed to serve the Robinson family. Despite his dome-like head and cylindrical body, the Robot was portrayed as very human through his personality and extreme loyalty to his owners. He often acted as a companion to the boy Will, and is noted for his signature warning, “Danger, Will Robinson!” An incarnation of Robby the Robot actually appeared in an episode of “Lost In Space.”

More recently, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” included the android named Data as a member of the crew. Except for his unusual skin and eye color, Data appeared to be human. In fact, to be human was Data’s eventual goal. Data and his evil twin Lore, possessed great speed, strength, and supercomputer brains. In tribute to Isaac Asimov’s groundbreaking robot fiction, Data’s brain was referred to as “positronic.” Data possessed much greater latitude in his actions and choices than the other robots discussed in this article.

Conclusion

Robots and their more human-like android cousins will continue to be an integral part of science fiction in all media. They will continue to serve as humanity’s most faithful servants, most intelligent villains, and even comic relief. As robots become more common in today’s society, their influence on fictional media will continue to grow.

Those who only know one or two facts about robots can be confused by misleading information. The best way to help those who are misled is to gently correct them with the truths you’re learning here.

Three Robots To Keep Your Kids Busy

We all love gadgets but when you control the purse strings you’ve got even more control over influencing your little ones. Children love all things Robot and it is a delight to watch the expressions of wonderment sweep across their stary eyed faces as the robot performs the many fold functions, then the screaming when it breaks after three minutes.

This article is a guide to avoid the aforementioned scene. i-SOBOT from Tomy is the smallest mass produced bipedal humanoid robot in the world and measures only 16cm and weighs in at 300 grams. The robot will come with 4 modes from performing fun and quirky scenes from western battes to playing air guitar. You will be able to control the robot either via a remote control, or up to 10 voice commands.

If that was not enough i-SOBOT has around 200 spoken phrases, including I do not understand and can do special moves like Yoga or get up when it falls over. Priced at 199.99 GBP the robot will be landing on UK shores in 2009. The U-Command WALL-E is a remote control robot that can be programmed with thousands of different movement combinations and will cost 39.99 GBP.

With the ability to perform 360 degree turns, move in every direction and do a figure of eight, the poseable robot figure also features light-up eyes, real moving treads and speech functionality. For 20 GBP, the iDance WALL-E dances in a funky, bio-robotic style to any music source. After waiting for over 3 years, Pleo the Robotic Cam Camarasaurus Dinosaur from the co-creator of the Furby has finally launched in the UK.

The one-week old infant Camarasaurus from the late Jurassic period created by UGOBE pronounced You Go Be is an autonomous Life Form that advances through life stages and develops a unique personality through user interaction. Like Aibo from Sony, if you treat him well and he will become friendly and outgoing, treat him badly and he will become timid or angry.

As with most autonomous robots, Pleo wants to explore his environment and learn as he grows. Capable of actual emotions including joy, aggression, sorrow and fear, Pleo can also yawn, sigh, sniff, sniffle, snore, cough, hiccup and sneeze. Initially cautious, Pleo will walk around slowly to absorb his surroundings but may cry when frightened or scared. He will stretch when waking up and he may even stomp his foot if he gets angry. He will cost 200 GBP.

History of Toy Robots

Times have certainly changed – just look at what kids are playing with these days. While toy cars and dolls may still keep youngsters entertained, popular playthings of the new generation include video games, remote control toys, and toy robots.

The origin of toy robots can be traced back to the development of robots. One of the earliest robots was an automaton invented by Frenchman Jacques de Vaucanson in 1738. He made a self-automating mechanical duck that was able to eat and digest grain, flap its wings, and excrete. In Japan, Hisashige Tanaka created an assortment of extremely complex mechanical toys, some of which were capable of firing arrows, serving tea, or even painting a Japanese character.

In the 1930s, Westinghouse Electric Corporation built a humanoid robot. The robot, called Elektro, was exhibited at the World’s Fair during 1939 and 1940. From 1948 to 1949, William Grey Walter of the Burden Neurological Institute at Bristol, England developed the first electronic autonomous robots. Named Elmer and Elsie, these “turtle robots” could sense light and contact with external objects. They were also capable of finding their charging station when their battery power ran low.

The first truly modern robot that was digitally operated, programmable, and teachable was invented by George Devol in 1954. His robot was called the Unimate, which he sold to General Motors in 1960. In 1961, it was installed in a plant in Trenton, New Jersey to lift hot pieces of metal from a die casting machine and stack them.

In 1985, the Tomy Kyogo Company created the Omnibot 2000, a toy robot that could be controlled with a hand-held remote control or through programs stored on magnetic tape. In the late 1990s, AIBO the robotic dog was introduced by Sony. AIBO was capable of autonomously navigating a room and playing ball using its sensor array. Other pet robots soon followed. Tiger Electronics created the Furby in 1998, a pet toy that could communicate with its owner. In 2001, Omron released the robotic cat NeCoRo as a competitor to AIBO. It had Mind and Consciousness (MaC) technology, enabling it to generate feelings.

Toy robots have certainly come a long way from Jacques de Vaucanson’s mechanical duck over two centuries ago. They are a more common sight nowadays, and it is without a doubt that we will continue to see more of toy robots in the years to come.