Introduction to Robotics
Wait, what?
The word robot comes from a play
Robots were born on a theatre stage
Quick check · tap an answer to continue
Lesson notes
Key points
- Karel Čapek's 1920 play R.U.R. introduced 'robot', a word his brother Josef suggested.
- It comes from the Czech 'robota', meaning forced labour, fitting machines built to do dull, dangerous work.
Takeaway: Robot came from a 1920 play and means forced labour.
Quick check: The Czech word 'robota' originally meant what?
- Metal man
- Forced labour
- Clever machine
Robota means forced labour in Czech.
R.U.R.Robota
Lessons like this, for your syllabus.
Short narrated study videos written for your course, level and exam. Free to start.
Get lessons for your own syllabus