Since the 18th century, automation has driven progress in manufacturing, transforming the workplace and contributing to the massive increase in living standards enjoyed by most people in the developed world over this period. A robot is a specific example of automation technology, one that can perform a complex sequence of actions automatically without manual intervention. Originally confined to manufacturing, robotic technology is now entering many other areas of our lives, from our domestic appliances to medical devices, and recent developments in self-driving vehicles are bringing some of the most sophisticated examples of the technology onto our roads. The Story of the Robot examines the history of the robot within the wider context of automation, thereby allowing the reader to fully appreciate the origins and evolution of robotic systems. It begins by tracing the historical roots of robotics through the development of automata and mechanical toys. The next four chapters guide the reader on a whistle-stop tour across more than 300 years of automation history. Chapter 6 charts the rise of humanoid robots, beginning with their first appearance in science fiction stories to their physical realisation at the end of the 20th century. In Chapter 7, the use of autonomous control technology in mobility applications is surveyed, from the earliest self-steering vehicles to autonomous robots and self-driving cars. The final chapter brings the story up to date with the new industrial revolution now taking place as a result of the application of digitalisation and interconnectivity technologies to manufacturing. Each chapter contains a selection of carefully chosen images and includes a further reading list for those readers who wish to delve deeper into the technical details.

In this technothriller, a Japanese detective stumbles onto deployment of military robots. With cutting-edge technology, I, Robot is a fast read.

Unlock the more straightforward side of I, Robot with this concise and insightful summary and analysis! This engaging summary presents an analysis of I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. This work brings together nine stories which were initially published separately, before being joined in a thematically linked collection. The stories imagine a future world in which humans are served by increasingly sophisticated robots whose actions are governed by the Three Laws of Robotics. In spite of some temporary problems, Asimov shows the relationship between robots to be largely positive and explores the philosophical ramifications of the development of new technology. Asimov was a prolific and very influential science fiction writer who is now recognised as one of the key writers of the so-called Golden Age of Science fiction. Find out everything you need to know about I, Robot in a fraction of the time! This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you: • A complete plot summary • Character studies • Key themes and symbols • Questions for further reflection Why choose BrightSummaries.com? Available in print and digital format, our publications are designed to accompany you on your reading journey. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time. See the very best of literature in a whole new light with BrightSummaries.com!

Screenplays from a critically acclaimed independent movie and other short films by a rising Asian American director.

Japanese Robot Culture examines social robots in Japan, those in public, domestic, and artistic contexts. Unlike other studies, this book sees the robot in relation to Japanese popular culture, and argues that the Japanese ‘affinity’ for robots is the outcome of a complex loop of representation and social expectation in the context of Japan’s continuing struggle with modernity. Considering Japanese robot culture from the critical perspectives afforded by theatre and performance studies, this book is concerned with representations of robots and their inclusion in social and cultural contexts, which science and engineering studies do not address. The robot as a performing object generates meaning in staged events and situations that make sense for its Japanese observers and participants. This book examines how specific modes of encounter with robots in carefully constructed mises en scène can trigger reflexive, culturally specific, and often ideologically-inflected responses.

Since the end of the Second World War—and particularly over the last decade—Japanese science fiction has strongly influenced global popular culture. Unlike American and British science fiction, its most popular examples have been visual—from Gojira (Godzilla) and Astro Boy in the 1950s and 1960s to the anime masterpieces Akira and Ghost in the Shell of the 1980s and 1990s—while little attention has been paid to a vibrant tradition of prose science fiction in Japan. Robot Ghosts and Wired Dreams remedies this neglect with a rich exploration of the genre that connects prose science fiction to contemporary anime. Bringing together Western scholars and leading Japanese critics, this groundbreaking work traces the beginnings, evolution, and future direction of science fiction in Japan, its major schools and authors, cultural origins and relationship to its Western counterparts, the role of the genre in the formation of Japan’s national and political identity, and its unique fan culture. Covering a remarkable range of texts—from the 1930s fantastic detective fiction of Yumeno Kyûsaku to the cross-culturally produced and marketed film and video game franchise Final Fantasy—this book firmly establishes Japanese science fiction as a vital and exciting genre. Contributors: Hiroki Azuma; Hiroko Chiba, DePauw U; Naoki Chiba; William O. Gardner, Swarthmore College; Mari Kotani; Livia Monnet, U of Montreal; Miri Nakamura, Stanford U; Susan Napier, Tufts U; Sharalyn Orbaugh, U of British Columbia; Tamaki Saitô; Thomas Schnellbächer, Berlin Free U. Christopher Bolton is assistant professor of Japanese at Williams College. Istvan Csicsery-Ronay Jr. is professor of English at DePauw University. Takayuki Tatsumi is professor of English at Keio University.

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