Robot

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Robotkin is a subcategory of otherkin wherein an individual identifies as or with robots and/or machines. Identifying as an robot can include, but is not limited to, feeling one has the soul of a robot, feeling a connection with robots and/or machinery, or feeling that they will be a robot in the future. These future incarnations may consist of mundane lives of repairing machines, acting as crime fighting droids, space explorers or discovering the nature of human society. Robotkin may also identify strongly with the idea of transhumanism—a philosophical movement advocating for the advancement of the human condition through technological developments that enhance the human lifespan, cognition, mood, and physical abilities, as well as posthumanism, another movement in which a person exist in a state which is beyond human. Transhumanism focuses on biotechnological enhancements of humans, while posthumanism would deviate and such individuals would no longer be considered human by current standards. Some may be robots or another type of species.

Tips for Robotkin[]

Robotkin may find comfort in activities or behavior that affirm their robot identities. This may include activities like performing repetitive tasks, using robot-friendly language (I.E. sleeping = recharging), covering skin with long clothes, wearing helmets and masks to hide their faces, using online voice changers to give a more robotic sounding voice, enjoying robot media and working with technology. These behaviors may improve their mood and help them feel better about themselves. Robotkin might also find enjoyment in robot-related activities, including consuming media or playing video games involving robotic main characters. Robotkin might find computer programming or robotics design engaging, though not every robot is designed to be a programmer.

Types of Robotkin[]

There are several types of robot under the robotkin umbrella. This list is not an exhaustive one, and more subtypes will be added as more users contribute their experiences.

AI[]

AIs are a type of robotkin that feel a connection toward artificial intelligence, or AI. They may describe being without a physical form, like being inside a computer or being a hologram. Though most robotkin tend to technically fall under the definitions of an AI housed within a mechanical body, the term is most often used with this definition in mind.

Android and Gynoid[]

Androids are a type of robotkin that are more similar in appearance to or indistinguishable from humans. Gynoid refers specifically to Androids that are similar to or indistinguishable from human women in appearance. A good example of an android would be Data from Star Trek and a good example of a gynoid would be Galatea from Bicentennial Man.

Screen Head[]

Screen Heads are a type of robotkin that have displays and screens for heads—usually displaying a 2D depiction of a face—in place of a 3D head. Screen Heads can have any object with a screen for a head, from old school CRTs monitors to modern LCD displays.

Cyborg[]

Cyborgs are a type of robotkin that are a combination of mechanical and organic components. Usually, cyborgs start out fully organic and mechanical parts are gained over time through injury or voluntary modification, leading down the path of transhumanism. They may desire to modify themselves with robotics, while also retaining some semblance of their biological self.

Primagens and Protogens[]

Primagens and Protogens are anthropomorphic animal-like cyborg species created by Malice-risu of FurAffinity, who privated their FA account on June 16th, 2021. Primagens are a closed-species, meaning an official design can only be made by Malice-risu, but Protogens are open-species and designing one is open to the public. Primagens and Protogens are not necessarily robotkin, but some do identify as such. Protogens have 40% artificial bodies, most notably screen-visors covering their faces, chest plates, and a mixture of mechanical and biological limbs. They retain an active digestive system, organic ears and sometimes retain biological limbs. A comparison between the two.

Phonodroid and Phonotron[]

Phonodroids and phonotrons are an anthropomorphic animal-like robot species created by Twitter user Smorbee (web archive version). Phonodroids and phonotrons are robots that have an assortment of music playing devices—such as record players, CD players, and cassette players—in their bodies. Some phonotrons have mixed media devices, like laserdisc players, in their bodies instead. They communicate through playing samples of phonemes through these audio devices to form words. Phonodroids are relatively lighter in design than phonotrons and are designed for social interaction with others. In contrast, phonotrons are designed for more heavy duty scenarios and long operation times.

Drone[]

A Drone is a machine which exists as the servant of a greater entity, and has limited independent function. Often Drones are part of a hivemind in which they share a collective consciousness with others or are governed by a hive brain. Drones may look like anything; they may resemble Androids, have no human features whatsoever, or look like anything in between.

Cybertronian[]

Cybertronians are robotkin that identify with the Transformers series of characters, specifically the Cybertronian race.

Animatronic[]

Animatronics are a type of robotkin that identify closely to animatronics—mechanical electronic puppets. They are commonly used at theme parks, as well as children and family entertainment centers like Chuck E Cheese . Before the popularity of the term animatronic rose, these machines were commonly referred to as robots. Many people are familiar with animatronics because of the ones featured in the Five Nights at Freddy's series of games.

Controversy[]

The 'Soul' Argument[]

The Soul Argument states that any nonhuman identity that cannot possess a soul does not count as a legitimate identity. This argument is disputed by believers of animism. Animism (an·i·mism /ˈanəˌmizəm/) is the attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena. Many robotkin may feel shunned or otherwise alienated from the greater otherkin community over this discourse.

People worldwide carry animist ideals—some even extending souls to things like machines and rocks. This argument excludes ideas deemed "ridiculous", based on ethnocentric ideas from the Western part of the world of what might or might not have souls.

Resources[]

Due to the aforementioned 'Soul' Argument, resources for robotkin who wish to explore their identity have been largely scarce, leading to many feeling as if they're the only ones of their kind. Below are some recent resources made to help such robots discover their true identities and provide support.

Otherkin Wiki