*Magnify*
    April     ►
SMTWTFS
 
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Archive RSS
SPONSORED LINKS
Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/action/view/entry_id/907451
Rated: E · Book · Educational · #2105953
One hundred facts that are interesting but ultimately useless.
#907451 added March 23, 2017 at 3:22pm
Restrictions: None
"Robot"
"Robot"
- etymology / literature / theatre -

The first known usage of the term "robot" (referring to a programmable automated machine) is the 1920 play "R.U.R." ("Rossumovi Univerzalni Roboti", or "Rossum's Universal Robots"). Written by Czech author Karel Capek, the play features artificially-made humanlike workers called "roboti" who begin as little more than appliances, but end up overthrowing their makers and destroying nearly every human on the planet.

The robots of "R.U.R." were not mechanical like later variations. They were still synthetically made, but with a mostly-organic makeup more akin to a clone than the modern idea of an automaton.

The term itself comes from the Czech word "robota", meaning "serf labor" or "tedious work".


#082


© Copyright 2017 BD Mitchell (UN: anigh at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
BD Mitchell has granted Writing.Com, its affiliates and its syndicates non-exclusive rights to display this work.
Log in to Leave Feedback
Username:
Password: <Show>
Not a Member?
Signup right now, for free!
All accounts include:
*Bullet* FREE Email @Writing.Com!
*Bullet* FREE Portfolio Services!
Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/books/action/view/entry_id/907451