10 pop-culture robots that shaped the future

Say “laptop” or “tablet” or “app” to a technophile and you may get them interested. Say “robot,” and you’ve got them excited. For centuries, we’ve been intrigued by the concept of creating mechanized beings that are as much like us as possible.

And as our technological know-how marches ever forward, we’re closer than ever to doing it. From robots you can buy right now to the ones invading the work force to tech giant Google’s move into military robotics, our automated friends are no longer just the stuff of science-fiction double features.” Both scientific research and science fiction begin with the same two words: ‘What if?'”