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"…we store information differently, reading a science fiction story, to make it make sense."
- Samuel R. Delany

Robot-Boss  
  A mechanical device that tells people what to do.  

As far as I know, the first use of the phrase "robot-boss".

The men filled bag after bag with coal, and carried them close to the mouth of the adit near the mouth of a deserted shaft. John was one of the men who were carrying the heavy bags back through the tunnel, and he slipped away on one trip while the robot-boss was busy at the lip of the new lode instructing and egging the men on to greater speed...


(Robot-Boss from 'Women's World' by David C. Cooke)

"ALL RIGHT,” rasped the robot, “that will be enough—in fact, there are too many bags already! You men” — he pointed to the strongest ones, including John — “take the bags and come with me. Remember,” he continued, “my photon gun will shoot faster than you can run, so don’t try to get away.”

Technovelgy from Women's World, by David C. Cooke.
Published by Science Fiction in 1939
Additional resources -

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Additional resources:
  More Ideas and Technology from Women's World
  More Ideas and Technology by David C. Cooke
  Tech news articles related to Women's World
  Tech news articles related to works by David C. Cooke

Robot-Boss-related news articles:
  - Mika The Robot-Boss

Articles related to Robotics
Artificial Skin For Robots Is Coming Right Along
Robot Guard Dog On Duty
Wearable Artificial Fabric Muscles
Dancing Robots Taught Dance Moves

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Artificial Skin For Robots Is Coming Right Along
'... an elastic, tinted material that had all the feel and appearance of human flesh and epidermis.'

Robot Guard Dog On Duty
I might also be thinking of K-9 from Doctor Who.

Wearable Artificial Fabric Muscles
'It is remarkable that the long leverages of their machines are in most cases actuated by a sort of sham musculature...'

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