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Reviewed visual · version 1

RS Glossary

Android

An android is a robot designed to look or behave like a human, a classic older word from AI and science-fiction discussions about artificial people.

Review state
Reviewed in POC
Freshness
Current
Version
2
  • Android
  • Humanoid Robot

Remember it this wayAn android is a robot in human form.

In plain language

An android is a robot whose body or behavior is designed to resemble a person. The resemblance may be visual, physical, or social; it does not mean the machine thinks or feels like a person.

Why it matters

Humanlike form changes how people interpret a machine. It can make interaction easier, but it can also encourage people to overestimate the system’s understanding, agency, or emotional capacity.

Example

A museum uses a human-shaped guide robot that turns its head toward visitors and speaks directions. Its appearance makes it an android, even though its dialogue and movement are tightly limited.

Common misconception

An android is not any robot, and it is not the same thing as Google’s Android operating system. In robotics, the term refers to human resemblance.

Related terms

Sources

Learn more

  • Compare [[robot|Robot]], [[autonomous-system|Autonomous System]], [[embodiment-premium|Embodiment Premium]], and [[ai-overreliance|AI Overreliance]] to place Android in the surrounding system.
  • Follow the cited source material above for the method, standard, or research context behind this draft.

Public history

23 recorded events · 23 public summaries

  1. A potential shared concept was discussed and selected for initial glossary drafting.

  2. The captured candidate received a complete initial draft and entered section-level human review.

  3. Radar reviewed the initial definition draft for human consideration.

  4. Radar reviewed the initial plain-language-explanation draft for human consideration.

  5. Radar reviewed the initial why-it-matters draft for human consideration.

  6. Radar reviewed the initial example draft for human consideration.

  7. Radar reviewed the initial common-misconception draft for human consideration.

  8. Radar reviewed the initial remember-it-this-way draft for human consideration.

  9. Radar reviewed the initial related-terms draft for human consideration.

  10. Radar reviewed the initial sources draft for human consideration.

  11. Radar reviewed the initial learn-more draft for human consideration.

  12. Definition review recorded as approve.

  13. Plain-Language Explanation review recorded as approve.

  14. Why It Matters review recorded as approve.

  15. Example review recorded as approve.

  16. Common Misconception review recorded as approve.

  17. Remember It This Way review recorded as approve.

  18. Related Terms review recorded as approve.

  19. Sources review recorded as approve.

  20. Learn More review recorded as approve.

  21. Sources review recorded as replace.

  22. Radar verified the learner-facing sources after personal origin provenance was removed.

  23. All nine current wording approvals were reconciled to Approved term status.

Source: vault/Glossary/terms/android/term.md · sha256:85df0ebe921064a6003aaaf0a30f3227c46bbff300fac04d5e9665613cac0aa8 · Release: rs-glossary-glossary-team-poc-0.5.5-2026-09-02