Robot

If you are looking for the story of the same name see: DW: Robot (TV story).

A robot is a mechanical device with the ability to do work without the help of a living organism. The most common type of robot is an android (a humanoid robot, e.g. Kamelion, who could also shape-shift). (DW: The King's Demons). However, robots also come in various forms such as dog-like (e.g. K-9). (DW: The Invisible Enemy)

On many planets, robots were used as a servile labour force. Their appearance sometimes generated strong emotions among people, a condition known as Robophobia or Grimwade's Syndrome. (DW: The Robots of Death)

They were powered in many different ways such as by Black light. (DW: Four to Doomsday)

Although programmed with several hundred safety protocols inhibiting violence, a skilled mechanic can bypass these (see Taren Capel), allowing the robot to wreak havoc. (DW: The Robots of Death)

Although robots were mainly used for manual labour, there have been occasions when they have been used for militant purposes by a wide variety of species. The most perfected of these killing machines was the Raston Warrior Robot. (DW: The Five Doctors)

Races known to use robots for militant purposes include: Cybermen, Dominators, Time Lords (Death Zone) and Humans.

Smilers are robots aboard the Starship UK, that teach children and are also the law enforcement on the ship. (DW: The Beast Below)

History
Robots existed throughout the universe in various times, for various purposes. On Earth, humans used robots for their own purposes, in DW: The Robots of Death, humans used robots for assistance and company, they were used in similar ways by the people of Sto, aboard the Starship Titanic, robots were dressed as Christmas Angel's, and used for information, they were later controlled by Max Capricorn, a Cyborg, to kill those aboard the ship. (DW: Voyage of the Damned)

By the year 2059, humans were allowed to have domestic robots, and they were also allowed to customise them (DW: The Waters of Mars) It was spoken by Roman Groom that a friend had made her domestic robot look like a dog. In Bowie Base One in the year 2059, the team owned a robot called GADGET, who assisted them (DW: The Waters of Mars). In the 51st century, Professor Marius missed his dog, so built a computer in the form of a dog, called K9 Mark I. K9 travelled with The Doctor and Leela after the events of DW: The Invisible Enemy, and left The Doctor, to stay with Leela on Gallifrey. (DW: The Invasion of Time) The Doctor later built K9 Mark II and travelled with him until he left with Romana II. (DW: Warriors Gate). K9 Mark III was also built by The Doctor and given in the post to Sarah-Jane Smith in K9 and Company. Sarah Jane kept the robot dog throughout the 80s, 90s and up until 2007, when he sacrificed himself to stop the Krillitane group. The Doctor built K9 Mark IV soon after for Sarah-Jane. K9 Mark IV helped Sarah Jane seal a Black hole, as well as fight various aliens, and helped restore the Earth to it's original time-space location. (SJA: Invasion of the Bane, The Lost Boy, DW: Journeys End, SJA: The Mad Woman in the Attic, The Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith, The Gift). K9 Mark I ended up on Earth after the events of DW: The Invasion of Time, where he helped save the world various times. (K-9 (TV series)).

In DW: Robot, a highly advanced robot was used by Think Tank for their own purposes. Robots have generally been used by organics and cyborgs for their own purposes throughout the history of the universe.

Cyborgs such as the Cybermen have used robots. In DW: The Age of Steel, a robot Cybersuit almost killed Mickey Smith and Jake Simmonds.



Emotions and Awareness
It has often been hinted throughout the Doctor Who timeline, that robots have thoughts and feelings of their own. In DW: The Invasion of Time, K9 Mark I showed signs of "sulking", and has done similar things in various other episodes. In DW: Robot, the K1 Robot showed signs of self awareness, and a desire to spare Sarah-Jane's life. Robots also show signs of confusion, when they are told things that contradict facts or programming. Robots tend to show little emotion, care or understanding towards organics, and usually do as they are programmed. They often turn against their masters, but usually because they have been reprogrammed by others to do so, not because of self-awareness. It is evident that robots such as K9 or K1 have awareness, and are not just ordinary machines. Some robots also have their own desires, (e.g K9 desires affection, and K1 desired for Sarah-Jane to live.)

Creators of Robots
For every robot, there was a creator, or creators, whether it were humans creating robots, or robots creating other robots. Marius for example invented K9 Mark I, and The Doctor built K9 Mark II and K9 Mark IV and it is believed K9 Mark III. The K1 Robot was built by Professor Kettlewell (DW: Robot). Robots can also be fixed or tampered with. Morvin Van Hoff and his wife Foon Van Hoff worked in the Milk Market on Sto and they were able to fix robots. They displayed these skills by reactivating a Heavenly Host in DW: Voyage of the Damned. Taren Capel reprogrammed the Voc robot slaves in DW: The Robots of Death. Max Capricorn, or somebody associated with him had the Heavenly Host slaves reprogrammed.