In almost all depictions of the future, one technology plays a prominent role - the robot. Science fiction movies and stories tell us that, in the not so distant future, robots - from Robbie the Robot to C3PO to the Terminator - will be everywhere, taking care of every human need. Those are projections of the future. But robots have a history as well, and "The Robot: A Life Story of a Technology" tells their story. During the Englightenment, automata were mechnical toys that could simulate human actions. Robots became essential parts of factories, performing tasks perfectly that would be...