robotics
nounUK /ɹəʊˈbɒt.ɪks/ · CA, US /ɹoʊˈbɑ.tɪks/
Etymology Coined by American science fiction author Isaac Asimov in 1941 from robot + -ics by comparison to "physics ... hydraulics, celestial mechanics, and so on" in his short story Liar!.
1
The science and technology of robots, their design, manufacture, and application
- There's irony in three of the greatest experts in robotics in the world falling into the same elementary trap, isn't there?1941 May, Isaac Asimov, “Liar!”, in Astounding Science-Fiction, volume 27, number 3, page 53:
- While it may take another five to 10 years for humanoid robots to make a real societal impact, they could eventually become the next widely adopted consumer electronics, according to Xi Ning, chair professor of robotics and automation at the University of Hong Kong.2025 March 25, John Liu, “Elon Musk thinks robots are a $10 trillion business. He’s got some competition from China”, in CNN:
- Derived terms
- biorobotics, First Law of Robotics, microbotics, microrobotics, nanorobotics, neurorobotics, Second Law of Robotics, sociorobotics, soft robotics, telerobotics, Third Law of Robotics, Three Laws of Robotics
- Related terms
- robopsychologist, robot, robotic, roboticist
- Hypernyms
- mechatronics
- Coordinate terms
- artificial intelligence