\ˈrō-ˌbät, -bət\
Sure, you know a robot from a house pet, but do you know where the term robot originated? This information is sure to impress a few friends and neighbors, so get your notes ready! According to Wikipedia, “the word robot was introduced to the public by Czech writer Karel Čapek in his play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), which premiered in 1921.” (See picture above) The play presents robots as a race of workers, and explores the ethics of programmed servitude throughout. This is obviously a theme that has come up time and time again in respect to robotics. Apparently, Čapek’s robot was more of an android in that it appears almost completely human and has what appears to be thought and free-will. Yet, it feels that its purpose is to serve. The word robot was invented by Čapek’s brother, who suggested it as an alternative for Čapek’s original idea: “laboři”. Good thing, too. “Labs 4 Tots” would have been a bit confusing, as we are not in the practice of giving away dogs.
Posted in Site News | No Comments »