In 1920, Czech writer Karel Čapek introduced a word that would change the language of technology forever, “robot.”
It first appeared in his groundbreaking play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), where artificial workers were created to serve humanity.
The Birth of the Word “Robot”
The term itself came from the Czech word robota, meaning forced labour or drudgery. The play was more than just science fiction; it was a sharp reflection on industrialisation, exploitation, and the moral dilemmas of artificial life.
Decades before robotics became a field of science, Čapek’s vision anticipated debates about automation, ethics, and the limits of human control over machines.
‘The product of the human brain has escaped the control of human hands,’ Čapek told the London Saturday Review following the play’s premiere. ‘This is the comedy of science.’
At the time of its release, the play created a sensation, swiftly translated into over 30 languages. Nearly a century later, beyond our clear dependence on its terminology and worldview, its resonance can still be felt.
Today, ‘robot’ is a global word, used in science, literature, and popular culture alike: an enduring legacy of Čapek’s imagination that continues to shape how we think about the future.
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