A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or remotely controlled. The word robot first appeared in the play Rossum's Universal Robots by the Czech writer Karel Čapek in 1920.

The 19th and early 20th century saw the development of remote and radio-controlled devices and even machines that tried to mimic more human-like features. The first electronic autonomous robots were created by William Grey Walter in Bristol, England, in 1948. The first digital and programmable robot was invented by George Devol in 1954.

Robots are used in an increasingly wide variety of tasks such as vacuuming floors, mowing lawns, cleaning drains, building cars, in warfare, and in tasks that are too expensive or too dangerous to be performed by humans such as exploring outer space or at the bottom of the sea.

Robots range from humanoids such as ASIMO and TOPIO to Nano robots, Swarm robots, Industrial robots, military robots, mobile and servicing robots. The branch of technology that deals with robots is robotics.