Only now is technological reality catching up with the robots that have so long haunted science fiction. Leonardo da Vinci, whose art is arguably one huge experiment in science fiction, made a mechanical monster to impress the king of France in the early 1500s. This exhibition has everything from Renaissance automata to the latest attempts to replace ourselves.
Set in five different periods and places, the exhibition shows how robots and society have been shaped by religious belief, the Industrial Revolution, 20th century popular culture and our dreams of the future. The gallery features a unique collection of over 100 robots, from a 16th-century mechanical monk to robots from science fiction and modern-day research labs.
Recent developments from robotics research are also on show, encouraging visitors to explore how and, more importantly, why roboticists are building robots that resemble us and interact in human-like ways.
On display are early clockwork machines, a modern recreation of renowned British robot Eric, and stars of the silver screen including a T-800 endoskeleton used in the movie Terminator Salvation and a replica of Maria from the iconic 1927 film Metropolis.
Science Museum, London, until 3 September.
