washing machines don't perform the tasks independantly, there's a dial on the front that clicks onto different stages of what is essentially one function. the washing machine is no more a robot than a fridge or a pair of scissors.
what the hell are they teaching kids in schools over there?
So, by saying since a calculator performs a far more complicated task than a dishwasher, neither one are robots?
Anyone ever see one of those Robosapiens? I know it's a crappy example of a robot, but it's a robot nonetheless. You have to give these Robosapiens information before they can perform a task. Remember the movie Short Circuit? INPUT. When you set the dial on a dishwasher and close the lock, you are inputting information into the dishwasher's circuitry. The information you give it when you set the dial determines how it does its task, or for how long. That's all you need to do to a dishwasher; it takes care of the work for you. A calculator works the same way. You input information with the number pads, and it calculates the information into a mathematical equation for you. In a refrigerator, there are many narrow pipes that are continuously fed freon gas, or the legal equivalent. This gas is fed by a compressor, which is powered by electricity. The fridge does a simple task of keeping your perishable food goods cold at a temperature that you input via the temperature control dial. The internal circuitry of the control dial is preprogrammed to perform the task of setting the temperature of the freon gas to whatever you wish.
A pair of scissors are not a robot, but they are an example of a simple machine. They are not powered by electricity, or ion repulsion, or any other form of energy you can think of other than the force exerted through the muscles and tendons in your hands. You control how they cut. They aren't preprogrammed to know how to cut. They have no circuitry or central processing unit to perform a task on their own... and when I say on their own, I mean there is no way to input information into a pair of scissors, so they can perform the task of cutting for you.
Calculators, dishwashers, and refrigerators are powered with electricity, either through AC (alternating current) from a wall outlet, or DC (direct current) via batteries. A calculator has a simple math processor built in to solve mathematical problems for you. Dishwashers are preprogrammed to do the task of washing dishes for you. Refrigerators are preprogrammed to keep your food cold for you. All three are robots. They are just as much robots, if not more, than a Robosapien that you can pick up at Radio Shack.
A robot is an electric or electronical machine that performs a task for you, based upon your input. Sorry, but a dildo falls under this category, also.
Despondent makes a good point. In SW they're not called robots, they're called droids... which is short for androids. This is where I'm gonna have to explain something. Androids and robots, while similiar, are different. ANDROID literally means 'something that looks like a human being'. ROBOT means 'something that performs a task like a human being'. Robots do not have to have physical human features, as long as they can perform the task they are given, whether it is preprogrammed, or programmed at the time of the task.
As far as what the hell are they teaching kids in school over here... I don't know. I graduated from high school 13 years ago and started wasting my money on a college degree shortly afterwards. I quit going because some of the professors didn't know the difference between 'shit' and 'shinola'. You know it's a bad omen when 26 different college students have to solve an algebraic equation on the chalkboard for the professor because she forgot how to do math........ EVERY DAY.