Robot Or Not?

What would a toaster have to do in order to be a robot? This episode introduces Siracusa’s Law, which somehow involves kitchen countertops.

The bigfoot/sasquatch from “The Six Million Dollar Man.”

From golf carts on Mars to New Horizons flying past Pluto, these are impressive machines, but are they robots?

He tried to hitch his way across the country, but was dismembered in Philadelphia. Image by archier on Flickr.

Are droids robots? Do they have rights? Is the Empire based on a robo-slave economy?

Are we seriously talking about magic here?

Your plastic pal who’s fun to be with!

Is an android a robot?

I know now why you humans cry.

So-called intelligent agents.

From “Ghost in the Shell,” a human brain in a mechanical body. And what about uploaded brains and bodies?

Big robots with people inside, as seen in “Shogun Warriors” and “Pacific Rim.”

Like the song says.

The main computer of the USS Enterprise.

The “Knight Rider” car is cool, but is it a robot? What about KITT’s evil twin, KARR? Also, the dark pre-history of Pixar’s “Cars.”

Honda’s ASIMO, Sony’s AIBO, and other cute things that can do The Robot dance. Also, our Radio Shack memories.

Look for the union label.

Does a self-guided vacuum cleaner cross John’s minimum bar for a robot? And what does that have to do with ants and dogs?

They’re funny, but are they robots?

Pondering sentient Google cars, Johnny Cab, and autopilots.