Humans and Robots Before Cobotics
"Cobot": between innovation and technological illusion

Coined in the 1920s by the Czech author Karel Čapek and later popularized by the famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, the term “robot” is now an integral part of our vocabulary and carries a dual meaning. On the one hand, for the general public, it has, since Asimov’s time, evoked the image of a humanoid, autonomous, and intelligent machine designed to free humanity from productive tasks. On the other hand, for those working in industry, robots are first and foremost machines dedicated to repeatable operations—which can sometimes be dangerous or arduous, depending on the field of application. Long associated with the six-axis robotic arm, the term “robot” now describes a wide range of systems, with diverse kinematics and varied interaction capabilities. In this article, the term is used in the sense proposed by the Office québécois de la langue française.