Robot

From Yb Timeline

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One of many robots built by Sneezier, Zero Gundam AKA Armorless Jet Gundam

"From the first time a being picked up a stone to better kill it’s prey, we as sentient beings have created more and more efficient ways to exert our violent whims. Soon, we developed blades, then the gun. These developments allowed us to exert less effort, forming the world to do tasks for us. We damned ourselves as soon as we created machines to fight our wars for us. We made them better, stronger, smarter than we could ever be. We expected them to die for their creators, thinking that we had some divine right that put us over our creations. Then we reeled in fear when they asked a simple question: Why?"

-An exert from the Memoir of Subsourian the Dark

Robots are mechanical beings, often possessing artificial intelligence. They were used in a variety of roles and environments, often those considered too menial or too dangerous for organic species. Robots were also used in fields that required extensive specialization and knowledge, such as medical and manager.

Depending on the model and its corresponding purpose, robots were totally obedient, rugged, expendable, capable of vast memory recall, and mathematically precise. These characteristics made them well suited for many jobs, though the lack of independent thought in the cheaper, less advanced models limited their capability. This lack of autonomy was simultaneously a vast asset and a glaring weakness—an asset in terms of obedience and control but a massive drawback in terms of effectiveness. Designers faced a fundamental paradox—make the robots overly intelligent, and they might rebel; yet make the robots not intelligent enough and they would be ineffectual and simple mined.


Contents

Robot's Inteligence Levels

Robots were divided into five basic "degrees," or "classes," based upon creativity, intelligence, and capacity for independent thought.

First-degree: Robots capable of creative, complicated thought. The bots in this category were typically used in physical, mathematical, and medical science fields; though some extremely advanced assassin robots could also be placed here. Most one-of-a-kind prototypes or rogue machines could be classified as first-degree. Because of their background in medicine, many interrogation/torture robots were placed in this category as well. Metal Sneezier has this kind of inteligence and so does his heir. It's a little-known fact that Fridger is also up here. The Neo Mario Bros have these of inteligence. Jet Gundam upgraded his mind to first degree after the Metal Wars. Metal Top would seem to be up here, but it is uncertain if it can be classified like normal robots.

Second-degree: Robots used in engineering and technical fields, such as utility bots. They also uses this for commanding robots. The Hi-Lords fit in this category, as well as pilot bots. The commander robots fall into this category. Jet Gundam is smart as a second degree robot and so does his older brother, Ultra Stuffwell. Many NMAR models have this kind of inteligence, especially the Geara Dogas. Blastard is also in this degree, although it wasn't sentient prior to coming to life thanks to Conrad.

Third-degree: Social, diplomatic, or tutoring interaction machines, such as protocol robots. Some Security or military robots, mainly command types. The Zaku Troopers have this kind of AI. Flare is supposedly at this level.

Fourth-degree: Security or military robots. They were often capable of harming sentients, and so were strictly regulated. Probe robots and other scouts fall into this category as well as the Spheradroids and Gruntilda's Gruntbots. Chopper's probably here too. Or maybe he's just dumb.

Fifth-degree: Menial labor machines programmed to perform non-intelligent tasks such as salvage, mining and sanitation. Robo Drones fall into this category.

Robot Types

Robots were categorized by type, though the lines between categories were often blurred. Many robots, such the Cyber Bell Vanguard's SVRX-000 series, served a variety of roles and purposes, making classification difficult. Other bots, especially those who were "one-of-a-kind," had unique capabilities and changing characteristics that made classification impossible. Some droids changed functions as they changed owners or upgraded, sometimes many times throughout their operational life.

Assassin Robot

These robots were used to kill specific targets, often those too well guarded for approach by conventional means such as a large scale frontal assault. Typically deployed by bounty hunters, Crime Lords, Metal Army, and the Cyber Bell Vanguard, assassin bots were often tasked with suicide missions—missions with almost zero probability for successful escape. In addition to their expendability, assassin bots could be programmed with advanced targeting algorithms, allowing them to be more accurate than even the best sentient sniper. Not all of them utilized traditional weaponry, however—certain models, such as the NMAR-0010E Kampfer or the infamous Metal Top, could be outfitted with a number of different weapons or sensors, allowing for different tactics such as brute force attacks or stealthy penetrations. Because of the higher intelligence and independence required for mechines of this type, rebellions were known to occur, though not very frequently.

Combat Robot

Robots used commonly in combat-related roles, where they offered a plethora of advantages over organic units. Comabat Robots could carry heavy weaponry and shielding, move rapidly without tiring, analyze targeting and trajectory calculations instantly, and protect crucial systems by burying them deep inside the frame of the droid (often featuring backup processing and multiple layers of alloy). Robots could follow orders to the letter, taking risks no organic ever would yet still maintaining their calm precision. Most importantly, however, these robots were expendable—unlike sentients, the amount of time and energy it cost to assemble a droid was often a tiny fraction that of recruiting (or growing) an normal organic and training them. Built on massive automated assembly lines, like the ones on Mekkai, thousands of capable bots could be produced in a matter of hours. Because of these factors, bots were used extensively as military units, most famously by the Metal Army. Despite these advantages, however, combat bots suffered from several drawbacks. Most importantly, in order to create total obedience and foil any chance of rebellion, droid units were often crippled with extremely sub-par artificial intelligence. This drawback was exemplified by the hideously poor A.I. of the COUE's Deathbot, which rarely served any purpose other than as cannon fodder. Also, many (though not all) robot units lacked the flexibility and manipulation capabilities of organic soldiers, especially in terms of hand and finger use.

Butler Robot

Butler Robots are a special type of housekeeping robot, mainly to fulfil the role as a bulter. Due to the robot's hight intelligence, they usually give commands to lower housekeeping robots such as maids, cooks, and others. Sometimes, they can be combat robots so they protect their master from enemies.

Medical Robot

Utility Robot

Worker Robot

Housekeeping Robot

Legal Status

Robots were typically treated as property except for the Metal Army where they treated them as people. More advanced robots sometimes received proportionally more respect. Some protested the status of robots as slavery which is a major issue. Owing in part to the difficulty of assessing levels of artificial intelligence, and determining which robots if any could be considered properly sentient. Although emancipation of robots was a radical concept, some opposed memory wipes except for very simple robots.

The Metal Army considered higher level robots equal as fellow sentients. However, under the Galactic Federation, no laws protected robots from abuse and those who showed them respect were looked upon as strange or worse during the Metal Wars, a Metal Army sympathizer.

During the Metal Wars, general dislike for robots was spoken of between members of the Alliance of Free Worlds, which would regular use such slang as "clankers", "boltbrains", "scrapheads", or "tinnies" to refer to them.

After the Metal Wars, the Galactic Federation attempted to impose more robot laws but they often turned down since they hardly worked, fearing another robot rebellion.

Know Individual Robots

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