8. Taxonomic architecture
Realm: Robotica
Robotica encompasses the entire realm of robotkind, representing all forms of artificial material constructs that sense, decide and operate autonomously within the physical world, with the capacity to evolve a higher intelligence.
Type: the main classes of robots within robotica with distinct designform
:† This type includes robots that have been constructed to mimic humans, in appearance, likeness and abilities.
Bionics: This type includes robots that have been constructed to mimic non-human biological creatures, in appearance, likeness and abilities.
Vessels: This type includes robots designed for movement, transportation and exploration, across the physical planes of land, air, water, or space.
Automata: This type includes stationary robots or mobile robots that are meant to operate within a single contained, fixed, or controlled environment.
Megatech: This type includes massive robot megastructures over 1 million cubic meters in volume such as robot starships or planetary sized robots.
Spectra: This type includes robots that challenge and transcend traditional physical boundaries, encompassing physical entities with ethereal, virtual, or shape-shifting qualities.
Scheme: the subdivision of a robot type based on schematic designform
Androids:
Mechanoids: Mechanical humanoid robots, constructed mainly from metallic or non-pliable materials.
Synthoids: Synthetic humanoid robots that are virtually indistinguishable from humans in appearance, with lifelike skin made from synthetic materials.
:‡ Flexible humanoid robots made with pliable materials.
Colossals: Gigantic humanoid robots over 5 meters in size, constructed of any material.
Bionics:
Zooids: Biotica-inspired robots, with a likeness for existing known animals or insects, larger than 1mm in size.
Microbots: Tiny biotica-inspired robots, with either a likeness for existing known animals or insects, or novel designforms smaller than 1mm in size.
Nanobots: Microscopic biotica-inspired robots, with either a likeness for existing known animals or insects, or novel designforms smaller than 1µm in size.
Vessels:
Autons: Vehicular robots designed to traverse and operate over land.
Drones: Aerial robots designed to traverse and operate in the air.
Mariners: Underwater robots designed to traverse and operate on or below water.
Rovers: Exploration robots designed to traverse and operate underground, in space or in extraterrestrial environments.
Automata:
Articulators: Robotic arms, designed for precise manipulation and operation within fixed environments.
Mechatrons: Large movable industrial robots weighing more than 200kg, designed for repetitive operation within a single fixed environment.
:§ Stationary immobile robots, designed to operate within a fixed environment.
Servons: Service-oriented robots weighing less than 200kg, designed for interactive service within fixed environments.
Automatons: Interactive robot companions or robot toys smaller than 1 meter in height, designed for companionship or operation within fixed environments.
Megatech:
Planetoids: Planet shaped robots over 1 million m³ in volume.
Starships: Large spaceship robots over 1 million m³ in volume designed to travel great distance.
Arcologies: Very large robotic megastructures designed to either house inhabitants or to undertake exploration or scientific work well over 1 million m³ in volume.
Spectra:
Virtuoids: Virtual or holographic robot entities, within a physical housing.
:¶ Shape-shifting robots.
Ethereals: Non-conventional or energy based robotic entities that defy the current laws of physics.
Marque: the top-level brand of a robot series with specified designform
Marque refers to the brand given to the robot series, prime architect responsible for first developing and commercializing the robot, or proprietor of the robot. It will often be used interchangeably with company name, however, this classification ensures that the marque remains the unique descriptor of a robot, in the case a company is acquired, sold, transferred, or otherwise changes ownership.
Prime Architect is defined as the first developer, creator, manufacturer, or company that architects, constructs and commercializes a robot. In cases of overlap or multiple parties working in tandem, prime architect will refer to the entity with the primary or majority contribution.
Should a robot be sold, acquired, or has ownership otherwise transferred, and the new proprietor chooses to release it under its own marque, they will only be able to do so by releasing a new model, and thus becoming the prime architect of that unique robot model.
Proprietor is defined as the company that holds ownership and/or title to the robot that has been constructed and commercialized. In cases of overlap or multiple parties working in tandem, proprietor will refer to the entity with the majority ownership control. If a proprietor's brand ever appears on the taxonomy it will always be as prime architect of a new robot model.
In many cases, the proprietor will choose to retain the original marque rather than its own brand. This could be a decision done to ensure continuity, awareness, or for any reason.
If a robot marque is sold, acquired, or otherwise transferred to another developer, it will retain its place in the taxonomy as an existing marque. If, however, it is rebranded or modified, or its architect develops an exact replica of the robot unit and gives it a different, unique brand, despite the fact that it is an exact replica in design and form, the fact that it has a unique brand qualifies it to be a novel robot unit, as brand is part of unique designform. Case in point, Savioke Relay. The company rebranded to Relay Robotics, so their model Relay will be a new model within the taxonomy, this time under the marque of Relay Robotics.
Model: the version of a robot within a marque with unique designform
The model is what most robots will be commonly referred to as. Each robot model is a unique, distinctive robot that has been engineered, branded and commercialized. A robot model may sometimes include its marque or be comprised solely of the brand name of its prime architect.
Android: Boston Dynamics Atlas (Mechanoid), Hanson Robotics Sophia (Synthoid), 1x NEO (Plastoid), Gundam RX-78F00 (Colossal)
Bionics: Xpeng Unicorn (Zooid), Purdue Robotics microTUM (Microbot), OHIO Bobcat Nanocar (Nanobot)
Vessels: Robomart O₀ (Auton), Zipline P2 Zip (Drone), Anduril Dive-LD (Mariner), Nasa Mars ※ (Rover)
Automata: ABB Cobot GoFa CRB 15000 (Articulator), Kuka KMP 1500 (Mechatron), Miso Robotics Flippy (Terminal), Expper Robin (Servon), Anki Cozmo (Automaton)
Megatech: The Culture GSV (Starship), Transformers ∆ (Planetoid), The Culture Orbital (Arcology)
Spectra: Gatebox Azuma Hikari (Virtuoid), MIT M-Blocks (Morphbot), Future Mechas (Ethereal)
In some cases the unit name will overlap with other similarly branded products that may or may not be robots. In this case it is recommended practice that the model name should be preceded by marque to ensure unique identification.
Unit: the individual robot within a model based on identifiable name or serial #
This level represents the specific individual robot unit. This is the equivalent of specimen within biotica.
Instance: the singular activated presence within a unit
Below each individual robot unit would be an instance. Each robot instance would be a singular activated presence with unique identity.
This classification level is important as it accounts for the fact that robots are able to be imbued with an artificially intelligent digital entity, such as a robotic brain, or even pure digital software, and not necessarily within the hardware of the robot unit. Once the ²³ is embedded into the robot unit, the unit will have the ability to swap brains, minds, programs, or constructed intelligences. We do not know yet whether doing so would carry across that mind or individual identity, however each time it is undertaken will be known as a unique instance.
One way to better visualize this concept is to consider speaking to someone with Dissociative Identity Disorder. At one point you may be speaking to a different identity or person, and the next with another one. This is what instance may feel like, each unique identity that possesses the robot at any given time.
There is also a distinct possibility that robot intelligence will function more as a hive mind, being everywhere all at once while being able to divide its presence across multiple instances. In this case, each uniquely tangible representation of that robot unit will still count as an instance, even if it is controlled or embedded within a singular mind. This is because each robot, even if embodying the same artificial intelligence mind as others, would be a unique entity, as each has a wholly unique physical interface with its tangible reality and environment, which would lead to a divergence in decisions, behaviors and ultimately experience.
In the early days of development, a robot's name will almost always be synonymous with its model name, but as I discuss in later sections, should robots gain sentience and become senbots with individual agency and identity, then a senbot's name will be synonymous with its unit or instance name.
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