Ridiculously-Human Robots: Difference between revisions

* Doombots, programmed to act like the real [[Doctor Doom]] in his absence. Arguably, it's not very difficult to achieve perfect resemblance to the real thing when the template himself dresses like a robot with a hood and cape... One thing that helps, a Doombot is programmed to believe itself to actually be Doom, except when in the presence of the real Doom or another Doombot.

** The Vision's "brother", {{spoiler|[[Runaways|Victor Mancha]]}}, looks and acts so much like a normal teenager that ''he himself didn't know he was a robot for years''. This was justified considering that {{spoiler|he was built as part of an elaborate plot that required him to pass as human for a while.}}

*** There is a deleted scene in ''Terminator 2'' (restored in the extended release) that clarifies that most Terminators have their learning switch turned off before being sent out on the field. The reason being that SkyNet fears (or whatever) the Terminators learning -''too-'' much and becoming sentient and self-aware like itself or otherwise troublesome to control. This switch is turned on for the T-800 in the movie in the scene and thus why it was able to eventually learn such things. Assuming higher numbers mean later models, it can also be assumed that SkyNet incorporates better research into the later models - the T-1000 was much much better at being an infiltrator though it seemed to kill most anyone within a few minutes of meeting them. It maybe also that those Terminators that are on a specific mission of infiltration rather than a mission where it'll kill anything that gets in its way are given more learning time and/or directive to act human; this is suggested in the ''Sarah Connor Chronicles'' where the resident Terminator has a flashback to the time when it interrogated the human it's based on as it was intending to access a heavily defended base. Strangely, the flashback occurs because the Terminator gets hit on the head (or something) and gets amnesia.

*** Though it's never explained why SkyNet continually thinks like a human and keeps sending Terminators back to different points in time AFTER''after'' the first Terminator (allowing the humans to become better and better prepared) rather than sending a robot back to a point BEFORE''before'' the first Terminator appeared (thus adding the element of surprise AND''and'' less advanced technology), or just continually sending the same Terminator to the same point in time to increase the odds of the proper timeline taking place.

** It is, however, a plot point in ''<nowiki>[[2001: A Space Odyssey]]</nowiki>'', in which HAL becomes paranoid and psychotic after being given conflicting commands of equal importance. (At least, that is explanation offered outside of the film for his actions.)

* The problems inherent in programming ridiculously human robots is explored in ''<nowiki>[[A.I.: Artificial Intelligence]]</nowiki>'', in which the robot David is programmed with genuine love, rather than the simulated love of previous models (like Gigolo Joe). This leads to a [[Become a Real Boy|Pinocchio-like plot]] later on.

* The droids in ''[[Star Wars]]''. The [[Expanded Universe]] takes this further with "Human Replica Droids" such as ''[[Shadows of the Empire]]''{{'}}s Guri. It takes special equipment to recognize that they aren't human. Guri shows they can indeed function as a [[Sex Bot]].

*:* [[Justified Trope|Justified]], sort of, by Shinatama's original purpose of monitoring Konoko. ("I've seen everything you've seen, felt everything you've felt...")

**:* A particular hilarious lampshading is how, according to [http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=GGPIQ72-2Vg#t=15s a diagram in trailer], they have a device specifically made to suppress the empathy they feel from another device that '''gives''' them empathy ''[[Rule of Funny|for no reason whatsoever.]]'' The result is an [[Apologetic Attacker]].

*:* On a technical note, [[GLaDOS]] {{spoiler|has some variety of human consciousness inside her somewhere, in the form of Caroline. As to why? Recordings made by Aperture's founder Cave Johnson imply that [[GLaDOS]] was supposed to maintain the facility after Johnson's death and pursue portal gun testing with an almost single-minded intensity. Plus, it's implied that Personality Cores were somehow connected to Johnson's desire to upload his mind into a computer system so...}}

*:* Wheatley is also a perfect example. In fact, [[Up to Eleven|he's even ''more'' realistic than GLaDOS]] because his voice isn't [[Robo Speak|monotone and computerized]] like hers. (Helps that his voice actor is British funnyman [[Stephen Merchant]].) He also possesses a very human brand of stupidity, and apparently experiences more varied and realistic emotions than she does.

*:* ATLAS and P-Body (Blue and Orange), the robots from the multiplayer, were designed to have genders, masculine and feminine respectively; (although Wheatley and [[GLaDOS]] have a male and female voice respectively, there's no evidence they particularly see themselves as anything but genderless robots).

*:* If this makes any sense, the automated repair functions of the Aperture Testing Facility. There's an almost organic quality to the movements of the panels; it's most obvious in spots where debris is blocking them, as the system tries to force them into place.

* {{spoiler|Popola and Devola}} in ''[[Nie RNieR]]''.