66: Traffic lights in South Africa
Please obey robot. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.
Episodes
Robot or Not?
Jason Snell asks John Siracusa to rule on the meaning of various words and concepts. It’s not just about robots anymore.
Have a question for John? Email robot@theincomparable.com.
Episodes
65: Serena Williams
It’s Wimbledon time, and so our discussion turns to tennis, and Serena Williams—who is not a robot, despite her perhaps wishing she was. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.
64: Rossum's Universal Robots
Karel Capek’s play that made this podcast possible. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.
63: Animatronic Creatures
The Country Bears, Chuck E. Cheese, and the things from Five Nights at Freddy’s. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.
62b: Filesystems and Flowerpot Robots
Live from RelayCon WWDC 2016, it’s a special live edition of Robot or Not. John Siracusa and Jason Snell with Myke Hurley.
62: General Grievous
He’s a droid with a cough. So what’s the deal? John Siracusa and Jason Snell.
61: Elevators
They go up, they go down. They might even go sideways from time to time. And they can be smart. But are they robots? John Siracusa and Jason Snell.
60: Inspector Gadget
Go go Gadget! Also we get off on a tangent about Penny, inspired by The Flop House. John Siracusa and Jason Snell.
59: The Doctor from "Star Trek: Voyager"
Please state the nature of the medical emergency. Can a hologram be a robot? John Siracusa and Jason Snell.
58: Synths
From the AMC TV series “Humans,” the lifelike Synths look like humans but don’t act like it. And they bleed a funny color.
57: Baymax
He’s an inflatable, medical robot from “Big Hero 6”—but can you back up your personality and still be a robot?
56: The Incomparable's Logo
Our own robot (or not) is in the spotlight at last.
55: The Tin Woodman
If he only had a heart.
54: T-1000
It’s made of liquid metal.
53: Tamagotchi
Is it even a game? What if you had a video game that featured a robot?
52: The Robots of "Destiny"
From Bungie’s bestselling video game, Ghosts, Exos, Rasputin, and other things that might be robots.
51: Lego Simulated Worm Toy
A software model of a flatworm, piloting a Lego Mindstorms toy.
50: The Matrix
Agents and Oracles and Architects from the “Matrix” trilogy.
49: Chatbots
They listen to us and talk back. But is that enough?
48: Replicants
Roy Batty, Pris, and all the rest. They’ve seen the Tannhauser Gate, but are they robots?
47: Thomas and Friends
Living rail cars in Sodor.
46: Crow T. Robot and Tom Servo
The bots from “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”
45: Nanobots
Enter the realm of the very, very tiny as John and Jason ponder if size matters when it comes to whether something is a robot or not.
44: The Internet of Things
Security expert Bruce Schneier said the Internet of Things was a robot, but what does John think? You can probably guess.
43: Daleks and Cybermen
Two enemies wrapped in metal shells from “Doctor Who” face their ultimate foe—the judgment of John Siracusa.
42: Prince Robot IV
It’s right there in the name of this character from the acclaimed comic book “Saga,” but as we’ve learned, names can be misleading.
41: Burritos
This one seems to have gotten in by mistake.
40: Swimming Pool Cleaners
Things that clean your swimming pool: are they Roombas or just dumb hoses? Also, if a toaster can’t be a robot, can a robot be a toaster?
39: Cars (from "Cars")
If the cars in Pixar’s “Cars” movies aren’t cars, what are they, and where did they come from?
38: Podcasts
Just in time for the holidays, some existential questions. Also, could a robot be on a podcast?