Introduction - Robots

           Ever since the Czech writer Karel Èapek first coined the term "robot" in 1921,

there has been an expectation that robots would some day deliver us from the drudgery

of hard work. The word - from the Czech,"robota", for hard labour and servitude -

described intelligent machines used as slaves in his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal

Robots).

          Today, over one million household robots, and a further 1.1 million industrial

robots, are operating worldwide. Robots are used to perform tasks that require great

levels of precision or are simply repetitive and boring. Many also do jobs that are

 

hazardous to people, such as exploring shipwrecks, helping out afterdisasters, 

studying other planets and defusing bombs or mines. Robots are increasingly marching 

into our lives. In the future, robots will act as carers, medics, bionic,enhancements,

companions, entertainers, security guards, traffic police and even soldiers.