Robots: The 500-year Quest to Make Machines Human

The book quest to make machines human explores the surprisingly long history of our obsession with creating machines in human form, from 16th‑century mechanized monks to the 'tin man' robots of the 1950s and cutting‑edge robots from today's research labs. The edition was published to accompany a major exhibition at The Science Museum, London, running from 8 February 2017 to 3 September 2017. This ground‑breaking book features an astonishing array of robotic artifacts from around the world, including expertly crafted clockwork automata, uncanny robot actors, trumpet‑playing humanoids and even a talking 'receptionist' head. Focusing on why robots exist rather than on how they work, the book avoids clichés about machines taking over the world and destroying humankind, and instead aims to reassure us that in future robots will continue to complement and enhance our human capabilities.