Robbie (Strange Playfellow) by Isaac Asimov:
Science Fiction Inventions, Technology and Ideas

This is Asimov's first robot story; he started writing it in June of 1939. Originally published under the title Strange Playfellow, chosen by editor Frederik Pohl. Asimov didn't care for the title, and renamed it in his I, Robot collection.

The story describes the work of a mute RB series robot, given the name Robbie by its family, which takes care of the daughter.


('Robbie' by Isaac Asimov)

In 2016 Robbie won a retro 1941 Hugo Award for best short story.

Select an invention:

Childcare Robot
A robot constructed to take care of a small child.

Gesturing Robot
A robot that uses gestures to communicate.

Robot Prohibition
Robots may not wander alone.

Robots Build Robots
Using robot labor exclusively to build more robots.

Talking Robot
An impractical robot, for display only.

 

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