Automaton vs. Robot

Automatonnoun

A machine or robot designed to follow a precise sequence of instructions.

Automatonnoun

A person who acts like a machine or robot, often defined as having a monotonous lifestyle and lacking in emotion.

Automatonnoun

A formal system, such as finite automaton.

Automatonnoun

A toy in the form of a mechanical figure.

Automatonnoun

(dated) The self-acting power of the muscular and nervous systems, by which movement is effected without intelligent determination.

Automatonnoun

Any thing or being regarded as having the power of spontaneous motion or action.

Automatonnoun

A self-moving machine, or one which has its motive power within itself; - applied chiefly to machines which appear to imitate spontaneously the motions of living beings, such as men, birds, etc.

Automatonnoun

someone who acts or responds in a mechanical or apathetic way;

Automatonnoun

a mechanism that can move automatically

Automaton

An automaton (; plural: automata or automatons) is a relatively self-operating machine, or control mechanism designed to automatically follow a predetermined sequence of operations, or respond to predetermined instructions. Some automata, such as bellstrikers in mechanical clocks, are designed to give the illusion to the casual observer that they are operating under their own power.

Robotnoun

A machine built to carry out some complex task or group of tasks by physically moving, especially one which can be programmed.

Robotnoun

An intelligent mechanical being designed to look like a human or other creature, and usually made from metal.

Robotnoun

(figuratively) A person who does not seem to have any emotions.

Robotnoun

(South Africa) A traffic light (from earlier robot policeman).

Robotnoun

(surveying) A theodolite which follows the movements of a prism and can be used by a one-man crew.

Robotnoun

(dance) A style of dance popular in disco in which the dancer imitates the stiff movements of a stereotypical android robot.

Robotnoun

a mechanism that can move automatically

Robotnoun

(especially in science fiction) a machine resembling a human being and able to replicate certain human movements and functions automatically

Robotnoun

a machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically, especially one programmable by a computer

Robotnoun

a person who behaves in a mechanical or unemotional manner

Robotnoun

another term for crawler

Robotnoun

a set of automatic traffic lights

Robot

A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within.