Robotics Through Science Fiction

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Reviews, interviews and discussions about the world of AI, SciFi and robotics. Lead by award winning author Dr Robin Murphy, this podcast will give an easy and understandble view into the world of robotics and their use in books and movies.

Robin Murphy

  • Aug 18, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
  • every other week NEW EPISODES
  • 13m AVG DURATION
  • 30 EPISODES


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Latest episodes from Robotics Through Science Fiction

RTSF review | Silent Running

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2020 8:04


Robots: Legged service robots What it gets right about robotics: Distributed multi-robot coordination and control Recommended watching: Silent Running is a must see for any robotics aficionado. The whole family can watch but little ones (and non-scifi fans) will likely be bored out of their minds. Treat it as a MST3K event to keep the family or friends engaged.

RTSF Review | Short Circuit

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2020 5:49


What it gets right about robots: Physical robot design, the difficulties of following natural language directionsRecommendation: Gather the kids and their friends, make a LOT of popcorn, and enjoy!

RTSF Review | Lock In + Head On by John Scalzi

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2020 8:58


What it gets right about robots: telecommuting, embodied mediationRecommendation: It’s Scalzi. And robots. Do I need to say more? Stop what you’re doing and read these droll, delightful books now. And you don’t have to read the books in order, but it is more fun that way.

RTSF Review | "The Automatic Detective"

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2020 5:18


Robots: humanoid What it gets right about robots: the difficulties of dexterous grasping Recommendation: Fix yourself a highball and be grateful you don’t have to try to pick up the glass with Mack Megaton’s less than dexterous hands. Listen to the audible version for the 1940’s radio serial vibe.

RTSF Review | "Solo: A Star Wars Story"

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2020 4:15


Robots: Humanoids, squarish service bots, those floating creepy military droids What it gets right about robotics: Not much beyond establishing that a robot can have a female voice and not be a sexbot. Recommended watching: Wait until the crowds thin down and you can get a good seat, then grab some popcorn and enjoy L3-37.

RTSF Review | Real Steel

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2020 9:31


What it gets right about robots: teleoperationRecommendation: Watch it! It’s a family friendly mash up of Rocky and absentee father bonding with son tropes with lots of great actors and good effects.

RTSF review | 'The Wrong Unit' by Rob Dircks

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2020 2:51


What if Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang was a robot assigned to “help” people after the Robot Uprising? And what if the robot, in a classic sitcom case of mistaken identity, became part of the human revolution to thwart the Robot Uprising?

RTSF review | 'Dante's Peak'

Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2020 5:35


Robots: static walker ground robotWhat it gets right about robotics: locomotion and reliability. Plus, that robotics requires a LOT of coffee. Recommended watching: Grab some popcorn and the kids for family movie night! Mount Kilauea in Hawaii is erupting so it’s the perfect time to dust off Dante’s Peak, the under-rated disaster movie, and watch Spider Legs the robot walks away with the movie.

The RTSF review | 'Artificial condition' by Martha Wells

Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2020 8:21


Robots: service ‘bots, drones, humanoidsRecommendation: Get it! The good news is that there is no sophomore slump, volume 2 of The MurderBot Diaries is as fun as the first one. So reading it is not murdering time, it’s a stay-cation!

RTSF Review | The Prey of Gods by Nicky Drayden | Episode 16

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2020 6:01


Robots: service ‘bots, human-robot interaction, emotions, software architectureRecommendation: Take a break from reading dark, ponderous sci-fi and enjoy a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid that has as many memorable characters and funny scenes as Avengers: Infinity Wars. And remember to be nice to robots!

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 15 | Howard Chizeck

Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2020 27:35


The Robotics Through Science Fiction Podcast is back and today I'm with Howard Chizeck, a Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Washington, a leading roboticist and a lover of science fiction

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 15 | Elizabeth Bear

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2020 24:39


This week on the RTSF podcast, I talk to Elizabeth bear about her amazing book, Tideline.

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 14 | Daniel Suarez

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2020 20:46


The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the wonderful Daniel Suarez.

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 13 | Aliette de Bodard

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2020 20:43


The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the wonderful Aliette de Bodard

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 12 | Nicky Drayden

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2020 23:41


The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the wonderful Nicky Drayden

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 11 | Tracy Pearl

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2020 22:20


The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the wonderful Tracy Pearl.

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 10 | Michael Swanwick

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2020 20:33


The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the fantastic Michael Swanwick.Check out the review of Michael's wondeful short story, The Scarecrow's Boy here

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 9 | Alec Nevala-Lee

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2020 15:44


The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the fantastic Alec Nevala-Lee.

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 8 | Martha Wells

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2020 7:45


The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns! Today we're joined by the wonderful Martha Wells

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 7 | Ian Tregillis

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2020 19:28


Welcome back to the Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast. This week we are joined by a real heavyweight, the incredible Ian Tregillis.

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 6 | Westworld and Memory with Dr Steve Ramirez

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2020 19:15


Welcome back to the Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast. This week we are joined by the fantastic Dr. Steve Ramirez and we discuss Westworld and memory.

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 5 | A Delightful Chat With A. Lee Martinez

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2020 12:11


Welcome back to the Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast. This week we are joined by the fantastic A. Lee Martinez to discuss The Automatic Detective!

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 4 | Joanne Pransky Talks Asimov

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2020 15:34


Welcome back to the Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast. This week we are joined by the fantastic Joanne Pransky to discuss Asimov!

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 3 | Robot Ethics & Liability With Professor Ryan Calo

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2020 13:34


Welcome back to the Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast. This week we are joined by the fantastic Professor Ryan Calo to discuss ethics and liability!

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 2 | Sexbots With Dr Aimee van Wynsberghe

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2020 15:55


Welcome back to the Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast. This week we are joined by the fantastic Aimee van Wynsberghe to discuss sexbots!

The RTSF Podcast | Episode 1 | Exoskeletons With Dr. Don Peterson

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2020 18:00


Today I have the pleasure of discussing exoskeletons with the brilliant Dr. Don Peterson.Be sure to like and subscribe to the channel and check out the RTSF website where I have a number of SciFi reviews as well as all the news about my upcoming book, Robotics Through Science Fiction: Artificial Intelligence Explained Through Six Classic Robot Short Stories.

Gods, Monsters and the Lucky Peace - Teachable Moments

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2019 6:45


Recommendation: Read Gods, Monsters and the Lucky Peach for the excellent ideas, great story, and compelling characters but pay attention to the drones too.

Episode 14 | Interview with Elizabeth Bear - Author of Tideline

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2019 24:39


In this week's episode, I talk to Elizabeth Bear about her amazing book, Tideline. A story about a combat robot that is the last survivor in her platoon following an apocalyptic event.

I Am Mother movie review

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2019 4:49


The Robotics Through Science Fiction podcast returns, this week we are talking about physical HRI

Top 5 Scary Robot Movies

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2019 6:42


Halloween is here and I'm sure many of you are going to be wanting to snuggle up in a dark room to watch a scary movie. If you're fresh out of ideas on what to watch, I've rounded up the top 5 scary robot movies that will be perfect for a Halloween scarefest!

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