Monday, May 7, 2012

Should fictional androids have human-like skin, hair, etc., or just humanoid form?

I'm writing a science fiction novel about androids with them as the main characters. They've got the mind of a human and the humanoid form, but I'm wondering just how much to make them look like humans. More like the androids of I,Robot, or like Data on Star Trek? What do you think? And, not logically. Just you preference.



Should fictional androids have human-like skin, hair, etc., or just humanoid form?

I always interpreted the difference between "android" and some other humanoid-robot as being the attempt to make something very human-like.



There's plenty of good reason to make a robot of the future in a generally humanoid shape -- primarily, because it lets them replace us. A robot that's roughly my size could use my tools, drive my car, etc. But if that's all, I would still call them robots, not androids.



An android is taking that one step further, creating a robot, or an artificial human (think "Bladerunner") who's not just able to be our replacements, but one of us. Certainly, Star Trek's Data looks different enough from real humans to stand out, and yet, he IS regarded as a life form in his own right, not treated as a machine.



I think it's up to you, and perhaps tied to plot elements in your story, whether your androids would pass for human, or simply closely emulate humans. But that's the distinction I'd place between robot and android.



Should fictional androids have human-like skin, hair, etc., or just humanoid form?

My preference is for the more human form, even a bit more human-looking than Data. I'm thinking of the androids in "Blade Runner."



Should fictional androids have human-like skin, hair, etc., or just humanoid form?

'Androids' look human, so make it look like Data



An android is a robot designed to resemble a human, usually both in appearance and behavior. The word derives from the Greek andr-, meaning "man, male", and the suffix -eides, used to mean "of the species; alike" (from eidos "species"). The term was first mentioned by Albertus Magnus in 1270 and was popularized by the French writer Villiers in his 1886 novel L'鑴爒e future, although the term "android" appears in US patents as early as 1863 in reference to miniature humanlike toy automations.



Should fictional androids have human-like skin, hair, etc., or just humanoid form?

The look and feel of your characters have a big impact on the way that the audience will interpret your themes. A common theme in stories with robots and androids hinges on the question: 'just how human are they'? You should choose your imagery to support the themes you want to explore.



Now, here's where contrast can be useful.



If you want to make the point that they're really *very* human, you may be better off making them *look* inhuman, but act *very* human. The contrast will be very memorable, as it is in 'I, Robot'. Likewise, if your androids are monstrously *inhuman*, the more human you make them look, the weirder or creepier they'll feel. We see that with Data in 'Star Trek'.



Good luck!



Should fictional androids have human-like skin, hair, etc., or just humanoid form?

The Robot in Bicentennial Man (movie - played by Robin Williams I think) was also human looking as well.



Data was a great character.



Should fictional androids have human-like skin, hair, etc., or just humanoid form?

I liked the way Jude Law looked in A.I.



Should fictional androids have human-like skin, hair, etc., or just humanoid form?

I think it depends on the situation the android is in. For example, if the android is serving or working with humans or, in a humanitarian way, the android should be more human-looking. Why? It makes the humans (especially those is troubled situations) feel more comfortable. If the android is say, a factory worker, little better than a robotic arm, it can look as machine-like as you want it.



Should fictional androids have human-like skin, hair, etc., or just humanoid form?

How about a modular construction. Kind of like Clifford D. Simak's "All the Traps of Earth". The robot there was essentially man like in form but he had all these attachments to his body that he can snap/screw on as needed. That can easily be adapted to an android character.

No comments:

Post a Comment