Robots

You see them in movies, you watch them on TV, you read about them in comics: those awesome machines called robots - giant mech warriors that blast their enemies to smithereens. Though Gundams and Zoids still exist only in the realm of fiction, here are some fascinating facts about real robots...

But first, what are robots, really?

Robots scientists (called robotics) defined robots as reprogrammable brains that move a body, but even souped-up remote-controlled vehicles (like the ones in Robot Wars competitions on TV) can be called robots. We tend to think of robots as anthropomorphic - geek speak for human-shaped - but that is not usually the case. Most of today's robots are simple robotic arms used in , manufacturing plants worldwide. Try making friends with that! Still, some robots have made their way into people's homes. The Electrolux Trilobite, for example, is a robot the size of a throw pillow that vacuums your home. It plots out its course, navigates around your furniture while sucking up dirt, and returns to its dock to recharge when its batteries run out. Not quite your 'bot buddy but it's better than you doing the housework.

To be continued...