A recent exchange with TGE passenger BevBB (Bev’s Books) made me realize that I was overdue for a post about robots, androids and cyborgs—namely, a handy guide to these wonders of futuristic engineering.
Immersed as I’ve been in the culture of SF, I sometimes forget how perplexing many of the genre’s tropes can appear to the uninitiated. Therefore, I reasoned that readers new to science fiction romance might have an easier time with the learning curve if there are references available.
With that in mind, I compiled basic information about robots, androids, and cyborgs. These kinds of characters are pretty ubiquitous in SF/SFR, but the distinctions between them can get pretty complicated.
Here’s the lowdown:
Robot—“…an electro-mechanical machine which is guided by computer or electronic programming.”
Droid—“Droids are robots seen in STAR WARS, DOCTOR WHO, and BEN 10 and is a registered trademark of Lucasfilm Ltd.”
Android—“An android is a robot or synthetic organism designed to look and act like a human.”
Cyborg/biomechanoid—A being who is a “synthesis of organic and synthetic parts.”
Replicant—“…a bioengineered or biorobotic being created in the film BLADE RUNNER (1982).”
Automaton—steampunk robot or android. Automatons are powered by steam, electricity, or clockwork mechanisms. (Did you know…the term "android" appears in US patents as early as 1863 in reference to miniature humanlike toy automations? Holy rivets & dirigibles, Batman! If that’s not a steampunk romance in the making, I don’t know what is!!)
In science fiction, “Authors have used the term android in more diverse ways than robot or cyborg. In some fictional works, the difference between a robot and android is only their appearance, with androids being made to look like humans on the outside but with robot-like internal mechanics. In other stories, authors have used the word 'android' to mean a wholly organic, yet artificial, creation. Other fictional depictions of androids fall somewhere in between."
Another factor related to the nature of robots, androids, and cyborgs is that of artificial intelligence. Science fiction associates…AI with such human traits as consciousness, sentience, sapience and self-awareness. There are loads of stories about androids evolving to the point of sentience, usually involving an exploration of the consequences/implications.
Frequently—and confusingly—a robot or android character seems to be sentient, but it’s actually an anthropomorphic device in play. Sometimes this device is used to good effect; other times it’s just annoying (case in point: Twiki from BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY, Rosie the maid from THE JETSONS,Vicki from SMALL WONDER).
Below is a sampling of who’s what from some popular SF shows and films:
Maria (METROPOLIS (1927))—robot
Annihilants (FLASH GORDON)—robots
Data (STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION)—android
The Borg (STAR TREK: TNG)—cyborgs
R2D2 & C-3PO (STAR WARS)—robots
Analyzer (SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO)—robot
Cylons (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA)—
“The Cylons of the 1978/1980 series are…an advanced reptilian race who created the robots (who were referred to as Cylons within the show) to serve them, maintain their vast empire and to man their military forces in the face of a sudden population drop that eventually led to the Cylons' extinction…”
In the updated [2003] version, the Cylons were created by humans as cybernetic workers and soldiers…the reimagined series includes twelve Cylon models that are nearly indistinguishable from human beings…Much of the Cylons' technology is based heavily on bioengineering and/or synthetic biology rather than conventional robotics.
Daleks (DOCTOR WHO)—“…organisms from the planet Skaro, integrated within a tank-like mechanical casing.
Bishop (ALIENS)—android
The above is barely the tip of the robotic iceberg.
For a
If you’re hungry to taste some android/cyborg lovin’ right now, check out Catherine Asaro’s SUNRISE ALLEY and its sequel, ALPHA, Linnea Sinclair’s GAMES OF COMMAND, and Tanith Lee’s SILVER METAL LOVER. (Special mention: Susan Kearney’s THE QUEST includes biomechanoid villains!)
Joyfully yours,
Heather
13 comments:
I do love cyborgs in sci-fi. There's a whole set of emotional complications and concerns to tie cyborgs up with. Not to mention the practical concerns of how to kill someone who is biomechanically enhanced in one way or another.
R2D2 & C-3PO (STAR WARS)—robots
True, even though they're called Droids (R). :) I think Lucas just wanted to see if anyone was paying attention. *g*
In MIRRORED HEAVENS, a couple of the MCs are "Mechs," agents who wear high tech armored suits that allow them superhuman capabilities like direct supercomputer access, flying and invisibility. Sort of a quasi-cyborg. Or cyborg on demand?
Have you seen some of the videos on the robotics now being developed? Four legged "critters" who can walk over debris fields and balance when kicked. Very eerie to watch because they move like they're alive.
Here's one:
Boston Dynamics Big Dog
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1czBcnX1Ww
Good post, Heather. And I'll get in a plug for my favorite android, the Terminator.
Hasta la vista, baby
Kathy
I've got a character coming up in book two who I'm not sure if I'd classify as a cyborg or not. Yes, he's mostly human, but he's got an arm, leg, and eye that are mechanical.
These parts for him function as enhanced prosthetics, and he never "died" or in any way was ever stripped of his humanity.
I mean, is Luke Skywalker a cyborg? He's got a mech hand.
Is Darth Vader? Half his body is a machine. I think he's closer to counting.
For me, a cyborg has to have some element of having their humanity stripped when they became part machine. That's why the borg was so scary. The first thing that happened was assimilation, where your humanity was stripped when they got you. The symbolic purpose of the cyborg has always been showing how man has become more machine-like to the point they lose humanity. Which is why the cyborg who is redeemed and reconnected with humanity is such an enduring character. Think of Seven of Nine, Darth Vader to some sense, or the hero in Games of Command.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do with Maxen yet. I don't intend to use him as a symbol of the evils of technology overtaking our humanity. I'm interested in that, just not with him. I'm interested in him as an amputee trying to deal with his life post a terrible injury, and exploring how far prosthetic technology might go. Does he feel whole? Does he feel healed? Etc.
Oooo, what a way to get back online after a week in computer hell. :D Great post, Heather. Now I have to figure out how to tell Maili about it.
Oh, and who could forget Robocop? You know, I rewatched that movie just the other day and was amazed at how well it holds up as just a doggone good story. B-movie level mostly but still good.
Anyone know how to add one of the short links apps to the Twitter home page? I thought it was already there but I just tried to do a tweet and couldn't because I the link was too long. Oye. For that matter where are those sites that shorten links? I'm working mostly from scratch here, people, on a strange computer. :(
Bev,
Try http://tinyurl.com/
I'd forgotten about Robocop. Probably on purpose. It was a pretty good movie, but my twin sons watched it when they were about 8 or 9, and we couldn't live with them for the next two weeks. They almost destroyed our house reenacting the scenes. *sigh* Boys.
Yeah, I found tinyurl after I remember the name. Finally. Had to get the brain working again on the right track. ;) Now to figure out how to apply it. Onward and upward. :D
I know the feeling about Robocop and boys. Or Batman and boys. Or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and boys. Or, let me see, what else is there? Oh, lordy, the list is rather endless, isn't it? ;p As you can see my son went through quite a lot of them, including Godzilla. So, he's an equal opportunity fantasy player. :D
Oddly enough the daughter has always pretty stuck with animals. Or maybe that's not so odd.
Oh, but thanks for the suggestion, Katherine.
Transformers! They're robots...but in disguise!
Oh, "Games Of Command" was such an AWESOME book. I really like the genetically enhanced human idea (Christine Feehan's Ghostwalkers. Not sci fi, but techno worthy nonetheless) Mima also features some cybernetic organisms in "FUTURE FOUND" at Samhain. Awesome job there.
Great discussion & great points, Jess, about Cyborgs having some of their humanity stripped as well.
My favorite robot movie is Iron Giant. I adore that movie!
Not sci fi, but techno worthy nonetheless) Mima also features some cybernetic organisms in "FUTURE FOUND" at Samhain. Awesome job there.
Oh, that reminds me, Mandy Roth has a couple of books @ Samhain, too, featuring cyborgs/cybernetics that I really liked. Performance Criteria and Magnetic Attraction. The descriptions are a little misleading because the series is called the "Droid Wars" but they're really cyborgs, humans implanted with cybernetics for greater strength and mental abilities. Definitely not hard sci-fi but enjoyable romances on the hot side.
Great list, Heather! I've been away from this blog for too long and see a list of posts I want to explore. I loved the hero in Games of Command. It's awesome how many ways romance and sci-fi can be put together to come up with all sorts of fascinating scenarios.
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