robotika

Robotika is the multidisciplinary field concerned with the design, construction, operation, and use of robots and robotic systems. It combines mechanical and electrical engineering with computer science, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science to create machines that sense, reason, and act in the real world. The term is used in several languages to denote robotics.

The word robot originates from Karel Čapek’s 1920 play R.U.R., and in Slavic languages the corresponding term robotika denotes the discipline. Related terms include robotiikka in Finnish and robotics in English. The field spans theoretical foundations, hardware platforms, software, and applications.

Historically, automata and early control systems preceded modern robotics. The first programmable industrial robot, Unimate, appeared in the 1950s, enabling automated manufacturing. Since then, advances in actuators, sensors, control theory, and AI have broadened capabilities across industries.

Subfields include industrial robotics, service robotics, mobile robotics, humanoid robotics, autonomous systems, robot perception and control, and human–robot interaction, as well as safety, ethics, and standardization.

Applications span manufacturing, logistics, medicine, agriculture, construction, exploration, and disaster response, often improving precision and efficiency while raising concerns about safety, privacy, and job displacement.

Education and research in robotika occur in universities, technical institutes, and industry labs worldwide, with degree programs, open-source platforms, and collaboration among academia, industry, and standards bodies.