Robot or Not?
Episodes
44: The Internet of Things
08 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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
01 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Two enemies wrapped in metal shells from “Doctor Who” face their ultimate foe—the judgment of John Siracusa.
42: Prince Robot IV
25 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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
18 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
This one seems to have gotten in by mistake.
40: Swimming Pool Cleaners
11 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
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")
04 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
If the cars in Pixar’s “Cars” movies aren’t cars, what are they, and where did they come from?
38: Podcasts
28 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Just in time for the holidays, some existential questions. Also, could a robot be on a podcast?
37: Clockwork Droids
21 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Doctor Who’s clockwork repair droids (from the episodes “Girl in the Fireplace” and “Deep Breath”) come under scrutiny. Sure, they start out...
36: Iron Man, Ultron, and Vision
14 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
From the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and specifically “Iron Man 3” and “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” deep robot-or-not questions about Iron Man’...
35: Herbie The Love Bug
07 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
A Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of his own!
34: Aperture Science
30 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
GlaDOS, Wheatley, turrets, cubes, spheres and more.
33: Vicki from "Small Wonder"
23 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
She’s a small wonder, pretty and bright with soft curls. She’s a small wonder, a girl unlike other girls. She’s a miracle, and I grant you Sh...
32: Lobot
16 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Cloud City’s majordomo from “The Empire Strikes Back” is in the spotlight.
31: robots.txt
09 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
It’s right there in the name, but what about the things that connect to it? And what about when Merlin talks about putting things “in the robot”...
30: Twiki and Dr. Theopolis
02 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
We take you back to the days of “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century” to debate the show’s two artificial sidekicks.
29: Johnny 5
26 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
That little guy from “Short Circuit.”
28: The TARDIS
19 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The blue box from “Doctor Who” might be sentient, might be alive, but is it a robot?
27: V'ger
12 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
V’ger and the Ilia probe, both from “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”. Also, John complains about fake skin on androids.
26: Cylons
05 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The metal robots (and their fleshy successors) from the old and new “Battlestar Galactica.”
25: Home Appliances
28 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
What would a toaster have to do in order to be a robot? This episode introduces Siracusa’s Law, which somehow involves kitchen countertops.
24: Sasquatch
21 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The bigfoot/sasquatch from “The Six Million Dollar Man.”
23: Space Probes
14 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
From golf carts on Mars to New Horizons flying past Pluto, these are impressive machines, but are they robots?
22: Hitchbot
07 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
He tried to hitch his way across the country, but was dismembered in Philadelphia. Image by archier on Flickr.
21: Droids
31 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Are droids robots? Do they have rights? Is the Empire based on a robo-slave economy?
20: Pinocchio
24 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Are we seriously talking about magic here?
19: Marvin the Paranoid Android
17 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Your plastic pal who’s fun to be with!
18: Commander Data
11 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Is an android a robot?
17: The Terminator
03 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
I know now why you humans cry.
16: Siri
27 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
So-called intelligent agents.
15: The Major
20 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
From “Ghost in the Shell,” a human brain in a mechanical body. And what about uploaded brains and bodies?
14: Jaegers
13 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Big robots with people inside, as seen in “Shogun Warriors” and “Pacific Rim.”
13: Transformers
07 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Like the song says.
12: USS Enterprise
02 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The main computer of the USS Enterprise.
11: KITT
29 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The “Knight Rider” car is cool, but is it a robot? What about KITT’s evil twin, KARR? Also, the dark pre-history of Pixar’s “Cars.”
10: ASIMO
25 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Honda’s ASIMO, Sony’s AIBO, and other cute things that can do The Robot dance. Also, our Radio Shack memories.
9: Assembly-Line Robots
22 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Look for the union label.
8: Roomba
19 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Does a self-guided vacuum cleaner cross John’s minimum bar for a robot? And what does that have to do with ants and dogs?
7: Telepresence Robots
15 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
They’re funny, but are they robots?
6: Self-Driving Cars
10 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Pondering sentient Google cars, Johnny Cab, and autopilots.
5: Emotions
04 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The greatest prog rock album ever made.
4: K-9
02 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
John and Jason try to understand robot dogs. Plus, a trip through old “Doctor Who” episodes.
3: Darth Vader
29 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Cyborgs and robots and humans—how do we tell these things apart?
2: Service Kiosks
25 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
John’s position on supermarket self-checkout machines, Jason’s need for beer when he visits his in-laws, and whether attaching arms to things make...
1: Mr. Roboto
22 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
We explain why we’re here, and then discuss the protagonist of Styx’s 1983 album “Kilroy Was Here.”
0: Origin
07 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
A flashback to past podcasts, as a way of explaining why this podcast exists.