Glossary

Robot: an artificial material construct designed to autonomously sense, decide and operate within the physical world

Senbot: a robot that has achieved sentience

Machine: a device that uses mechanical power to perform specific pre-programmed tasks

Human: a member of the homo sapien species from the animal kingdom within the realm of biotica

Cyborg: a human that has undergone invasive internal augmentation using neural, biological, or electronic implants to enhance or exceed baseline biological functions

Evolutionary Realms: the three categories above all other taxa, that divide entities based on intelligence

Realm: class of entities with the capacity to evolve to a higher intelligence

Robotica: the realm of constructed, artificial intelligences

Biotica: the realm of natural, biological intelligences

Exotica: the realm of hybrid, exotic intelligences

Robotkind: see robotica

Intuition: knowing based on unconscious information processing

Cognition: all processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used

Intelligence: the aggregate or global capacity of the individual to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his environment

Birth: the process of being born within the realm of biotica

Construction: the engineered genesis of entities within the realm of robotica

Synthesis: the point of conception of entities within the realm of exotica

Robot Taxonomy: a structured classification system to organize robots within the realm of robotica

Designform: the structure, appearance, countenance, size and branding of an engineered material construct

Superintelligence: intellects that greatly outperform the best current human minds across many very general cognitive domains

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): robotica that can match the intelligence of a human with a baseline of what is considered normal intelligence

Artificial Superintelligence (ASI): robotica that can greatly exceed the intelligence of the most intelligent humans to exist

Singularity: a hypothetical future point in time when our technologies' intelligence surpasses human intelligence, leading to rapid technological growth and unpredictable changes in society

The Sentience Equation: a conceptual framework to better define and clarify the concept of sentience as it relates to robotica

Sentience: the state of being that manifests when insight, presence, volition, and survivability are present

Insight: the capacity to comprehend, reason, and predict

Presence: the condition of having wakefulness, spatial awareness, identity and recall

Volition: the demonstration of free will, and individual agency

Survivability: the possession of survival instinct

Chinese room argument: a thought experiment to challenge the notion of conscious thought in artificial intelligences

Turing Test: a test to determine whether an artificial intelligence could deceive a human in its imitation of a human

Mirror Test: a test to establish self-awareness in animals

Continuity: the process of self-replication, self-improvement, and self-preservation within robotica

Artificial Intelligence: intuitive cognition in an engineered construct, up to and beyond human level intelligence

Artificial Intelligences: entities that comprise the realm of robotica

Biological Intelligences: entities that comprise the realm of biotica

Exotic Intelligences: entities that comprise the realm of exotica

Tool: the role of a robot in human society when it is crude yet impersonal

Servant: the role of a robot in human society when it is capable yet impersonal

Slave: the role of a robot in human society when it is complex yet impersonal

Entertainer: the role of a robot in human society when it is crude yet involved

Caregiver: the role of a robot in human society when it is capable yet involved

Advisor: the role of a robot in human society when it is complex yet involved

Lover: the role of a robot in human society when it is crude yet intimate

Guardian: the role of a robot in human society when it is capable yet intimate

Companion: the role of a robot in human society when it is complex yet intimate

Crude: low degree of intelligence and autonomy

Capable: medium degree of intelligence and autonomy

Complex: high degree of intelligence and autonomy

Impersonal: low strength of relationship and emotional bond

Involved: medium strength of relationship and emotional bond

Intimate: high strength of relationship and emotional bond

Alignment: safeguards developed to ensure coexistence of robotica with humanity

Automation Age: historical age defined by massive technological advancements through automation

Robotics: the field of study of robotica

Type: the main classes of robots within robotica with distinct designform

Scheme: the subdivision of a robot type based on schematic designform

Marque: the top-level brand of a robot series with specified designform

Model: the version of a robot within a marque with unique designform

Unit: the individual robot within a model based on identifiable name or serial #

Instance: the singular activated presence within a unit

Androids: robots that have been constructed to mimic humans, in appearance, likeness and abilities

Bionics: robots that have been constructed to mimic non-human biological creatures, in appearance, likeness and abilities

Vessels: robots designed for movement, transportation and exploration, across the physical planes of land, air, water, or space

Automata: stationary robots or mobile robots that are meant to operate within a single contained, fixed, or controlled environment

Megatech: massive robot megastructures over 1 million cubic meters in volume such as robot starships or planetary sized robots

Spectra: robots that challenge and transcend traditional physical boundaries, encompassing physical entities with ethereal, virtual, or shape-shifting qualities

Mechanoids: scheme of mechanical humanoid robots, constructed mainly from metallic or non-pliable materials

Synthoids: scheme of synthetic humanoid robots that are virtually indistinguishable from humans in appearance, with lifelike skin made from synthetic materials.

Plastoids: scheme of flexible humanoid robots made with pliable materials

Colossals: scheme of gigantic humanoid robots over 5 meters in size, constructed of any material

Zooids: scheme of biotica-inspired robots, with a likeness for existing known animals or insects, larger than 1 meter in size

Microbots: scheme of tiny biotica-inspired robots, with either a likeness for existing known animals or insects, or novel designforms smaller than 1mm in size

Nanobots: scheme of microscopic biotica-inspired robots, with either a likeness for existing known animals or insects, or novel designforms smaller than 1µm in size

Autons: scheme of vehicular robots designed to traverse and operate over land

Drones: scheme of aerial robots designed to traverse and operate in the air

Mariners: scheme of underwater robots designed to traverse and operate on or below water

Rovers: scheme of space exploration robots designed to traverse and operate in space or in extraterrestrial environments

Articulators: scheme of robotic arms, designed for precise manipulation and operation within fixed environments

Mechatrons: scheme of large movable industrial robots weighing more than 200kg, designed for repetitive operation within a single fixed environment

Terminals: scheme of stationary immobile robots, designed to operate within a fixed environment

Servons: scheme of service-oriented robots weighing less than 200kg, designed for interactive service within fixed environments

Automatons: scheme of interactive robot companions or robot toys smaller than 1 meter in height, designed for companionship or operation within fixed environments

Planetoids: scheme of planet shaped robots over 1 million m³ in volume

Starships: scheme of large spaceship robots over 1 million m³ in volume designed to travel great distance

Arcologies: scheme of very large robotic megastructures designed to either house inhabitants or to undertake exploration or scientific work well over 1 million m³ in volume

Virtuoids: scheme of virtual or holographic robot entities, within a physical housing

Morphbots: scheme of shape-shifting robots

Ethereals: scheme of non-conventional or energy based robotic entities that defy the current laws of physics

Xenobots: novel lifeforms created from frog cells that are able to be programmed

Organoids: structures grown from stem cells in a lab that mimic real biological organs