Any computer-controlled machine that can be programmed to move or carry out work. Robots are often used in industry to transport materials or to perform repetitive tasks. For instance, robotic arms, fixed to a floor or workbench, may be used to paint machine parts or assemble electronic circuits. Other robots are designed to work in situations that would be dangerous to humans – for example, in defusing bombs or in space and deep-sea exploration.

Some robots are equipped with sensors, such as touch sensors and video cameras, and can be programmed to make simple decisions based on the sensory data received. As robots do not suffer from fatigue or become distracted, researchers in robotics aim to produce robots that can carry out sophisticated tasks more efficiently than humans, for example a voice-operated robot able to carry out some heart operations was tested successfully on a cow in the USA in 1998.

Japan leads the world in robotics. Japanese engineers have implanted electronic circuits into living cockroaches, to create ‘roboroaches’ that they are able to command by electrically stimulating the cockroach nervous system. The project's aims included using the robotic insects to lure away insect pests or to attract insect pollinators. A machine called Asimo can reproduce amazingly lifelike human movements, including walking, running, and dancing.

robot. (2018). In Helicon (Ed.), The Hutchinson unabridged encyclopedia with atlas and weather guide. Helicon. Credo Reference.