robot TV

Has there always been such an interest in robotics, and it is just now gaining a wider audience with TV? or are all the new robot shows a reason for so much interest lately? What do you think of shows like BattleBots or more educational ones like Robot Rivals? Are these bandwagon shows or are they actually on the forefront of robotics? Maybe TV has nothing to do with it; that's just how I've been introduced to it.

Hey,,

I think that someone had an idea, which caused the creation of Robot Wars. The popularity increased, which spawned new shows to develop and take a peice of the pie. Most of these trying to be original, but in the end, it is all the same crap.

They are not on the forefront of robotics. They use a lot of proven technology with nothing too experimental. If you want that, you should see autonomous robotics competitions.. That's where you see the cool stuff

Steve

Robots and the media

For some history (some of my favourites) try ...

http://www.ai.mit.edu/projects/ants/
http://www.wildrice.com/HBRobotics/HBRCBuildersBook.html

Surely Sci-fi films and TV series are the main advertisers of this stuff, as fanciful as they may seem, I remember being terrified as a child by the Daleks (a sort of robot/creature) persuing Dr Who back in the 'sixties.
http://www.jeffbots.com/daleks.html

Programmes such as "Robot Wars" seem to me misnamed to cash in - surely a title such as "Radio-controlled vehicle Wars" would be more accurate ???