History of Robots

The modern word **robot** derives from Czech **robota** (“forced labour/serf work”), introduced via Karel Čapek’s play **R.U.R.** (1920–21). Early SF then explores robots/automata as workers, servants, or thinking machines—distinct from gothic “created-being” tales.

- Dime-novel mechanical man adventure (proto-robot) - Edward S. Ellis — The Steam Man of the Prairies (1868) - Domestic automaton comedy of errors - M. L. Campbell, “The Automatic Maid-of-All-Work” (1893) - A chess automaton and the idea of a thinking machine - Ambrose Bierce — “Moxon’s Master” (1899) - Coinage and dramatization of industrial “robots.” - Karel Čapek — R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) (1920/1923) - Early cyborg/automation novel; “clockwork” man appears in 1920s England - E. V. Odle — The Clockwork Man (1923) - Mid-century labor/rights twist on robot society - Mari Wolf — “Robots of the World! Arise!” (1952)

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