Definition
An automaton is a relatively self-operating machine or control mechanism designed to automatically follow a sequence of operations or respond to predetermined instructions. Some automata, such as bellstrikers in mechanical clocks, are designed to give the illusion to the casual observer that they are operating under their own power or will, like a mechanical robot. The term has long been commonly associated with automated puppets that resemble moving humans or animals, built to impress and/or to entertain people.
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ABBAbbasidAbbasid caliphAdaptable roboticsAeolipileAerobotAgricultural robotAl-JazariAl-Ma'munAl-MuqtadirAlchemy and chemistry in medieval IslamAlexander PushkinAlkinousAmazon RoboticsAnalog computerAncient ChinaAncient GreekAncient Greek literatureAndroid (robot)AnimatronicsAnthropomorphicAntikythera mechanismAnybotsAphroditeArchimedesArchytasAristotleArthur GansonArticulated robotArtificial intelligenceAthanasius KircherAudio-AnimatronicsAugsburgAugust, Elector of SaxonyAulus GelliusAutomata (disambiguation)Automata theoryAutomated restaurantAutomated retailAutomationAutomaton (disambiguation)Automaton Rover for Extreme EnvironmentsAutomaton clockAutonomous underwater vehicleBEAM roboticsBaghdadBanū MūsāBarrett TechnologyBenjamin FranklinBhojaBiologyBioroboticsBlack ForestBlaise BontemsBook of Ingenious DevicesBoston DynamicsBowes MuseumBrazen headCabaret Mechanical TheatreCabinet of curiositiesCam (mechanism)CamelidaeCatherine the GreatCellular automatonCentre International de la 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roboticsGiles WalkerGiovanni Fontana (engineer)Glossary of roboticsGolemGreat Library of AlexandriaGreek mathematicsGreek mythologyGrottoGuy Le StrangeGynoidHD Hyundai RoboticsHand washingHarvest AutomationHellenistic civilizationHenri MaillardetHephaestusHermitage MuseumHero of AlexandriaHesdinHexapod (robotics)History of AlexandriaHistory of robotsHoly Roman EmperorHomerHoneybee RoboticsHongwu EmperorHumanHumanoid robotHuman–robot interactionHydraulicsIRobotIliadIndex of robotics articlesIndustrial RevolutionIndustrial robotInnocenzo ManzettiIntuitive SurgicalInventions of the Islamic Golden AgeJacquard loomJacquemart (bellstriker)Jacques MonestierJacques de VaucansonJames RandiJapanJaquet-Droz automataJean-Baptiste LabatJean-Baptiste de GennesJean-Eugène Robert-HoudinJewish folkloreJoe Jones (Fluxus musician)John Joseph MerlinJoseph Marie JacquardJuanelo TurrianoJuggling robotJābir ibn HayyānKUKAKarakuri puppetKhanbaliqKing Mu of ZhouKingdom of PrussiaKtesibiosLa Maison de la Magie 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exoskeletonPrague astronomical clockProgram (machine)PrototypePuppetRainbow RoboticsRemotely operated underwater vehicleRenaissanceRené DescartesRhodesRichard WisemanRobert II, Count of ArtoisRobotRobot Hall of FameRobot competitionRobot ethicsRobot kitRobot locomotionRobot softwareRobotic armRobotic finRobotic fishRobotic mappingRobotic navigationRobotic paradigmRobotic spacecraftRobotic tech vestRoboticsRobotics simulatorRobotics suiteRoullet & DecampsRound city of BaghdadRoutledgeSaint PetersburgSam Smith (English sculptor)Samarangana SutradharaSanskritScorpionService robotSicilySilver Swan (automaton)Simultaneous localization and mappingSinging bird boxSinkSiphonSituated roboticsSmithsonian InstitutionSnakeSoapSoft roboticsSolomonSpace probeSpeaking tubeStarship TechnologiesStrasbourg astronomical clockSwarm roboticsSymboticTaj PalaceTalosTechnological unemploymentTeleroboticsTerrainabilityTheo JansenTheophilos (emperor)Thomas KuntzTimed automatonTimeline of science and engineering 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