Description

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In almost all depictions of the future, one technology plays a prominent role - the robot. Science fiction movies and stories tell us that, in the not so distant future, robots - from Robbie the Robot to C3PO to the Terminator - will be everywhere, taking care of every human need. Those are projections of the future. But robots have a history as well, and The Robot: A Life Story of a Technology tells their story. During the Englightenment, automata were mechnical toys that could simulate human actions. Robots became essential parts of factories, performing tasks perfectly that would be either too dangerous or boring for humans. And recent advances in artificial intelligence have made robots that can behave with intelligence.

About the Author

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Lisa Nocks is a historian who writes on the diffusion of scientific and technical knowledge to the public through the media. She has authored a number of articles on the history of media technologies and essays on the relationship between science fiction and science. She is currently teaching at Fordham University, Rose Hill, in the department of Communication and Media Studies.