<P> The Brennan torpedo, invented by Louis Brennan in 1877, was powered by two contra - rotating propellors that were spun by rapidly pulling out wires from drums wound inside the torpedo . Differential speed on the wires connected to the shore station allowed the torpedo to be guided to its target, making it "the world's first practical guided missile". In 1897 the British inventor Ernest Wilson was granted a patent for a torpedo remotely controlled by "Hertzian" (radio) waves and in 1898 Nikola Tesla publicly demonstrated a wireless - controlled torpedo that he hoped to sell to the US Navy . </P> <P> Archibald Low, known as the "father of radio guidance systems" for his pioneering work on guided rockets and planes during the First World War . In 1917, he demonstrated a remote controlled aircraft to the Royal Flying Corps and in the same year built the first wire - guided rocket . </P> <P>' Robot' was first applied as a term for artificial automata in the 1920 play R.U.R. by the Czech writer, Karel Čapek . However, Josef Čapek was named by his brother Karel as the true inventor of the term robot . The word' robot' itself was not new, having been in the Slavic language as robota (forced laborer), a term which classified those peasants obligated to compulsory service under the feudal system widespread in 19th century Europe (see: Robot Patent). Čapek's fictional story postulated the technological creation of artificial human bodies without souls, and the old theme of the feudal robota class eloquently fit the imagination of a new class of manufactured, artificial workers . </P> <P> English pronunciation of the word has evolved relatively quickly since its introduction . In the U.S. during the late' 30s to early' 40s the second sylable was pronounced with a long "O" like "row - boat ." By the late' 50s to early' 60s, some were pronouncing it with a short "U" like "row - but" while others used a softer "O" like "row - bought ." By the' 70s, its current pronunciation "row - bot" had become predominant . </P>

Where did the word 'robot' come from