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"Money to me is freedom, and freedom is essential. Money allows me to say that I will now devote my life to being me, rather than putting on my shoes and tie, and going to an office every day."
- Robert Silverberg
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| Droid (Star Wars) | ||
| A contraction of "android", it actually describes one of a variety of robots. |
Unique to the Star Wars universe (LucasFilms has a trademark on it, as far as I know), this contraction has entered the common language of science fiction. It has been used before, however; see droid from Robots of the World! Arise! by M. Wolf.
The only reasonable derivation of the word "droid" is from "android" which means "having human features." However, in the Star Wars universe, the term droid is always used to describe mechanical robots; not all of them have recognizable human shapes. One robot that is human-shaped is C-3PO (See Threepio).
| ...the farmer's eyes narrowed as he concentrated on the sand-scoured but still flashy bronze finish of the tall, humanoid Threepio. "I presume you function," he grumbled at the robot. "Do you know customs and protocol?" "Do I know protocol?" Threepio echoed as the farmer looked him up and down. Threepio was determined to embarass the jawa when it came to selling his abilities, "Do I know protocol? Why, it's my primary function. I am also well-" "Don't need a protocol 'droid," the farmer snapped dryly. "I don't blame you, sir," Threepio rapidly agreed. "I couldn't be more in agreement...For someone of your interests, sir, a protocol 'droid would be a useless waste of money. No, sir - versatility is my middle name. See Vee Threepio - Vee for versatility - at your service... "I need," the farmer broke in... "a 'droid that knows something about the binary language of independently programmable moisture vaporators." |
| From Star Wars,
by George Lucas. Published by Del Rey in 1976 Additional resources -
|
Low moisture planets were much in the minds of science fiction authors; read more about the vaporators of Tatooine.
Alternatively, you might enjoy a look at another kind of automaton with its own point of view; see the self-satisfied door from Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
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Tech news articles related to Star Wars
Tech news articles related to works by George Lucas
Droid (Star Wars)-related
news articles:
- GRACE Robot Specializes In Etiquette And Protocol
- Dexter Dynamically Balancing Humanoid Robot
- US Army To Be 30 Percent Droid By 2020?
- Lingodroid Robots Invent Spoken Language
- Aldebaran Robot Talks Like C3PO - Almost
- How Rude! DARPA Wants Robots To Behave More Like Threepio
| China Deploys Robot Traffic Police |
| Unusual Twist On Woman Dates Robot |
| Blood Battery Robotic Fish |
| Bee+ Robobee Now With Four Wings |
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Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
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SF writers popularized and elaborated on this idea a generation before the first patents were filed.
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