Used throughout sci-fi as a way to explore the human condition and it’s varying complexities. Especially prevalent in the writings of Philip K Dick (see ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ what became that Blade Runner) and Isaac Asimov (I, Robot etc). See also Droids, the 80s cartoon spin-off from Star Wars which saw Anthony Daniels camping it up around a galaxy far far away.
11 October 2013
Bruce
Used to be slow, lumbering and scary on Doctor Who back in the day.
Now they look a bit different.
11 October 2013
BrumBiscuit
Wasn’t Marvin paranoid?
11 October 2013
toastkid
I know that an android is specifically a robot which is “like a human” (from the greek ‘anthro’ (often spelled ‘andro’), meaning ‘humanlike’. So, the Cybermen were androids while K-9 is more properly a ‘skyloid’ (from the greek ‘skylos’ for dog).
See also Tim (Henman) and Greg (Rusedski), the automatons mentioned in San Antonio Foam Party.
11 October 2013
neil g
If the androids looked like that, I’d probably avail myself of two.
11 October 2013
Dr Desperate
Strictly speaking (is there any other sort?) Tricia Helfer from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica isn’t a robot, so can’t really be described as an android. She’s a Six-model humanoid Cylon, human-indistinguishable down to the cellular level. I think you’ll find that’s right.
11 October 2013
CHRIS THE SITEOWNER
Just wanted to remind everyone of the “she in signal red” motif!
11 October 2013
Alan
Musically the android motif has been taken up rather fantastically by the wonderful Janelle Monae, who’s albums are (with varying degrees of tightness) tied to a story of an android, touching on the usual sci-fi references (Metropolis, Phillip K. Dick etc.). Her most recent two albums are fantastic stuff and well worth listening to.
Got to say my favourite Android/Robot works are those of Asimov though. The ‘Laws of Robotics’ were a perfect conceit to explore ideas of what makes us human.
11 October 2013
Radar
Oddly enough I’ve just read ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’. It’s quite good, although Bladerunner bears little resemblance to it. Deckard makes a living retiring androids (or ‘andys’, never replicants) which are only distinguishable from humans because of their inability to empathise with living creatures.
14 October 2013
Eugene C
Bet she’s not a real android.
22 October 2013
dr desperate
Good point, Radar – would the ability to roll her eyes at the Gok Wan acolytes allow her to pass the Voight-Kampff test?
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Vince Harris
Used throughout sci-fi as a way to explore the human condition and it’s varying complexities. Especially prevalent in the writings of Philip K Dick (see ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ what became that Blade Runner) and Isaac Asimov (I, Robot etc). See also Droids, the 80s cartoon spin-off from Star Wars which saw Anthony Daniels camping it up around a galaxy far far away.
11 October 2013
Bruce
Used to be slow, lumbering and scary on Doctor Who back in the day.
Now they look a bit different.
11 October 2013
BrumBiscuit
Wasn’t Marvin paranoid?
11 October 2013
toastkid
I know that an android is specifically a robot which is “like a human” (from the greek ‘anthro’ (often spelled ‘andro’), meaning ‘humanlike’. So, the Cybermen were androids while K-9 is more properly a ‘skyloid’ (from the greek ‘skylos’ for dog).
See also Tim (Henman) and Greg (Rusedski), the automatons mentioned in San Antonio Foam Party.
11 October 2013
neil g
If the androids looked like that, I’d probably avail myself of two.
11 October 2013
Dr Desperate
Strictly speaking (is there any other sort?) Tricia Helfer from the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica isn’t a robot, so can’t really be described as an android. She’s a Six-model humanoid Cylon, human-indistinguishable down to the cellular level.
I think you’ll find that’s right.
11 October 2013
CHRIS THE SITEOWNER
Just wanted to remind everyone of the “she in signal red” motif!
11 October 2013
Alan
Musically the android motif has been taken up rather fantastically by the wonderful Janelle Monae, who’s albums are (with varying degrees of tightness) tied to a story of an android, touching on the usual sci-fi references (Metropolis, Phillip K. Dick etc.). Her most recent two albums are fantastic stuff and well worth listening to.
Got to say my favourite Android/Robot works are those of Asimov though. The ‘Laws of Robotics’ were a perfect conceit to explore ideas of what makes us human.
11 October 2013
Radar
Oddly enough I’ve just read ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?’. It’s quite good, although Bladerunner bears little resemblance to it. Deckard makes a living retiring androids (or ‘andys’, never replicants) which are only distinguishable from humans because of their inability to empathise with living creatures.
14 October 2013
Eugene C
Bet she’s not a real android.
22 October 2013
dr desperate
Good point, Radar – would the ability to roll her eyes at the Gok Wan acolytes allow her to pass the Voight-Kampff test?
23 October 2013