The Value of Specific, Expansive Imaginary Scenarios: an Exploration of Recent Science Fiction Literature Through the Lens of Robotics

Science fiction has a great influence on how we view and develop technology, including robots. However, the science fiction we often cite in these discussions are visual: films and TV shows. While those stories are crucial to the discussion, we seek to expand and shift the conversation around science fiction to include more literature, especially recent literature. We highlight some stories, principally books released in the last decade, and the ways they might be relevant to roboticists today in how they portray the themes of empathy, embodiment, and the place of robots in a human world.