Robotics Through Science Fiction

Robots: Legged service robots What it gets right about robotics: Distributed multi-robot coordination and control Recommended watching: Silent Running is a must see for any robotics aficionado. The whole family can watch but little ones (and non-scifi fans) will likely be bored out of their minds. Treat it as a MST3K event to keep the family or friends engaged.

What it gets right about robots: Physical robot design, the difficulties of following natural language directions Recommendation: Gather the kids and their friends, make a LOT of popcorn, and enjoy!

What it gets right about robots: telecommuting, embodied mediation Recommendation: It’s Scalzi. And robots. Do I need to say more? Stop what you’re doing and read these droll, delightful books now. And you don’t have to read the books in order, but it is more fun that way.

Robots: humanoid What it gets right about robots: the difficulties of dexterous grasping Recommendation: Fix yourself a highball and be grateful you don’t have to try to pick up the glass with Mack Megaton’s less than dexterous hands. Listen to the audible version for the 1940’s radio serial vibe.

Robots: Humanoids, squarish service bots, those floating creepy military droids What it gets right about robotics: Not much beyond establishing that a robot can have a female voice and not be a sexbot. Recommended watching: Wait until the crowds thin down and you can get a good seat, then grab some popcorn and enjoy L3-37.

What it gets right about robots: teleoperation Recommendation: Watch it! It’s a family friendly mash up of Rocky and absentee father bonding with son tropes with lots of great actors and good effects.

What if Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang was a robot assigned to “help” people after the Robot Uprising? And what if the robot, in a classic sitcom case of mistaken identity, became part of the human revolution to thwart the Robot Uprising?

Robots: static walker ground robot What it gets right about robotics: locomotion and reliability. Plus, that robotics requires a LOT of coffee. Recommended watching: Grab some popcorn and the kids for family movie night! Mount Kilauea in Hawaii is erupting so it’s the perfect time to dust off Dante’s Peak, the under-rated disaster movie, and watch Spider Legs the robot walks away with the movie.

Robots: service ‘bots, drones, humanoids Recommendation: Get it! The good news is that there is no sophomore slump, volume 2 of The MurderBot Diaries is as fun as the first one. So reading it is not murdering time, it’s a stay-cation!

Robots: service ‘bots, human-robot interaction, emotions, software architecture Recommendation: Take a break from reading dark, ponderous sci-fi and enjoy a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid that has as many memorable characters and funny scenes as Avengers: Infinity Wars. And remember to be nice to robots!

The Robotics Through Science Fiction Podcast is back and today I'm with Howard Chizeck, a Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Washington, a leading roboticist and a lover of science fiction

This week on the RTSF podcast, I talk to Elizabeth bear about her amazing book, Tideline.

The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the wonderful Daniel Suarez.

The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the wonderful Aliette de Bodard

The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the wonderful Nicky Drayden

The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the wonderful Tracy Pearl.

The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the fantastic Michael Swanwick. Check out the review of Michael's wondeful short story, The Scarecrow's Boy here

The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the fantastic Alec Nevala-Lee.

The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the wonderful Martha Wells

Welcome back to the Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast. This week we are joined by a real heavyweight, the incredible Ian Tregillis.