People have long dreamed of creating machines that can carry out the same tasks as people. These dreams have led to the creation of many sci-fi books, movies, and shows that attempt to depict how people would live with robots, cyborgs, and androids. This compelling book traces the history of robotics as a science, while describing in vivid detail some of the most influential works in all of science fiction, including those by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Fritz Lang, Eando Binder, and Isaac Asimov. Readers will ponder intriguing questions about the ethics of how robots, cyborgs, and androids are used and treated.

People have long dreamed of creating machines that can carry out the same tasks as people. These dreams have led to the creation of many sci-fi books, movies, and shows that attempt to depict how people would live with robots, cyborgs, and androids. This compelling book traces the history of robotics as a science, while describing in vivid detail some of the most influential works in all of science fiction, including those by E. T. A. Hoffmann, Fritz Lang, Eando Binder, and Isaac Asimov. Readers will ponder intriguing questions about the ethics of how robots, cyborgs, and androids are used and treated.

Mankind’s dependence on artificial intelligence and robotics is increasing rapidly as technology becomes more advanced. Finding a way to seamlessly intertwine these two worlds will help boost productivity in society and aid in a variety of ways in modern civilization. Androids, Cyborgs, and Robots in Contemporary Culture and Society is an essential scholarly resource that delves into the current issues, methodologies, and trends relating to advanced robotic technology in the modern world. Featuring relevant topics that include STEM technologies, brain-controlled androids, biped robots, and media perception, this publication is ideal for engineers, academicians, students, and researchers that would like to stay current with the latest developments in the world of evolving robotics.

From cyborg parts to sentient robots, sci-fi tropes are part of our everyday lives. But are they even possible? Strange Science explores out-of-this-world theories and ideas that are grounded in reality.

As the success of the recent Transformers movies proves, the movie-going public can’t get enough of robots. Cyborgs—close kin to the robot—also continue to fascinate, appearing in several popular movie franchises. Readers will learn about the rich history of robots and cyborgs on film and television, from the robots that featured in the silent movies of the 1920s to today’s high-tech creations. Learn about the endearing R2-D2 and C-3PO, the formidable adversaries Megatron and Optimus Prime, the well-nigh unstoppable Terminator and many, many more.

Profiling 30 mask makers from around the world, this book explores the motivations and challenges of contemporary artists working to bring the traditional methods and conventions of mask making to an evolving global theatre. There are 181 photographs--including two sections of color plates--which illustrate how the mythic iconography of masks is used in the modern fields of dance, mime, theatre and storytelling. Topics include the ways in which mask artists and performers maintain a sense of universality despite varying local customs; the legacies of Italian mask makers Amleto and Donato Sartori and of the California-based Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre; and the ways in which traditional approaches in mask artistry continue to influence commercial mask performance ventures in film, on Broadway, and in touring companies.