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"When you're making a revolution in cyberspace, things look rather different from the way the 1980s cyberpunks wrote it."
- Charles Stross
 |
| Robbie | ||
| A childcare robot. |
This is a very early reference to the idea of a robot as a childcare provider.
| Robbie nodded his head - a small parallelepiped with rounded edges and corners attached to a similar but much larger parallelepiped that served as a torso by means of a short, flexible stalk - and obediently faced the tree. A thin metal film descended over his glowing eyes, and from within his body came a steady, resonant ticking.
"Don't peek now - and don't skip any numbers," warned Gloria, and scurried for cover. With unvarying regularity seconds were ticked off, and at the hundredth, up went the eyelids and the glowing red of Robbie's eyes swept the prospect. |
| From Robbie,
by Isaac Asimov. Published by Fictioneers, Inc. in 1940 Additional resources -
|
This story also emphasized the first of Asimov's famous laws of robotics.
Compare to Philip K. Dick's Nanny Robot, from a 1950's story collection.
See also the entry for psychophonic nurse from a 1928 story by David H. Keller.
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news articles:
- Asimov's First Law Of Robotics Real-Life Beta
- Robot Designed To Break First Law - In Order To Save It
| Robots Help People Get Dressed, As Predicted In 1931 |
| Robot Snake Flies, Fights Fires |
| IPAL Chinese Robot Babysitter |
| DIY Autonomous Robot Detects Trash |
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'Merton... placed the electrodes of the sleep-inducer on his forehead.'
'... we can descend and live down there at one of those year-round aquatic resorts.'
'...she would have to be coaxed by another series of pats into a circular orbit.'
'The sleek, tapered space shuttle lay immobile upon the private landing field...'
Yes, people of the future, robots will dress you.
