Top Ten Sci-Fi Robots That Already Exist

When they're not out destroying humanity, robots, cyborgs and other mechanized creatures are pretty damn cool. Personally, I always wanted an ED-209 (from "Robocop") just to scare the crap out of my neighbors.

Thankfully, I'm not the only one who sees the potential in these mechanical beasts, and scientists across the globe (especially Japan) are working hard to make our robotic dreams come true.

Rosey ("The Jetsons") While we're still waiting on a lot of the futuristic promises made by the popular cartoon (flying cars being one of them), the robotic maid that picks up after our dirty selves really is the pinnacle of technology. Thankfully, the company iRobot (seriously) developed the Roomba: A fully automated vacuum cleaner that exists to destroy dust. Funny side note, it also works well as a mine sweeper, because apparently the tasks are very similar.

Fembot ("Austin Powers")

Proof that the robotics field is comprised primarily of men, advances in technology almost always lead back to making something that you can have sex with. Or at least fondle. Check out this creepy video here of a Japanese female robot. Sure, it's a few clicks away from the Disney animatronics, but voice recognition and smooth, supple skin means we're a decade away from robo-prostitutes, without the machine gun ta-tas.

HAL ("2001")

While Stanley Kubrick has made some bonafide masterpieces, nothing comes close to his vision of the future that featured a sentient computer named HAL. While HAL was a murderous bastard, he/it represented the pinnacle of computer processing. Featuring more power and less murder, meet the Roadrunner, considered to be the fastest computer in the world. The Roadrunner is capable of performing 1 quadrillion calculations per second, which makes it kind of scary to think what the future holds for humans who can't figure out what how much to tip in five minutes.

Robot ("Lost in Space")

Part pet, part best friend, part warning system, Robot in "Lost in Space" satisfied the boyhood desire to befriend a machine. Today, we have ApriPoco, a living room robot that learns your habits and helps with the day to day activity. It controls the lights, the TV and other household items. Sadly, it does not say "Danger, Will Robinson, danger."

Sonny ("I, Robot")

Isaac Asimov's seminal take on robotics was kind of dumbed down for the movies. However, the idea about robot slaves rebelling was still there. Thankfully, we're a few years away from that, but the template for Sonny and the other robotic helpers is already available. Check out Asimo, produced by Honda. It moves like a human should, making it a wonder of engineering and kind of creepy. So long as they don't put a face on it, I'm good.

Mr. Roboto (Styx)

Think you can dance? Prepared to get schooled by Sony's dancing robots.

E.D.I. ("Stealth")

Okay, "Stealth" was a crap movie. However, the idea of an unmanned jet fighter kicking ass was pretty damn cool. Especially when you consider the lives that could be saved from piloting planes with AI instead of good soldiers. Not surprisingly, the military has been using this technology for years.

WALL●E

He's real!

Iron Man

Yet again, the Japanese are leading the way in fulfilling our comic book fantasies. While the comic and the movie featured a billionaire's superhero exploits inside a highly advanced suit, the real life counterpart is somewhat less flashy. Named H.A.L. (Hybrid Assistive Limb), this technology allows you to strap robotic pieces to your body that will allow you to carry things up to five times more than humanly possible. Throw on a flame thrower and I'm happy. Funny side note, it's produced by a Japanese company named CYBERDYNE.

The T-1000 ("Terminator 2")

Speaking of Cyberdyne, everyone knows that the best robot ever created will always be the murderous T-1000. Made of "liquid metal," the T-1000 could change shape, impersonate its victims, and produce some really cool stabby weapons. Now, you must be thinking, that's impossible. No, it's not. The iRobot company responsible for the Roomba has just won the military contract to produced the Chembot: a new robotics system whose goal "is to develop a soft, flexible, mobile robot that can identify and maneuver through openings smaller than its actual structural dimensions to perform Department of Defense tasks." Like killing things!