Robotics refers to the design, construction, and operation of a machine programmed to automatically carry out a complex series of actions. Robots frequently resemble humans in appearance but can take on any form.

Biorobotics is the sub-discipline of biomedical engineering, cybernetics, and robotics involved in creating machines that integrate biology with mechanical systems. Applications range from genetic engineering, e.g., the insertion of DNA into a bacterium, to bionics, e.g., prosthetic limbs or cochlear implants. In research, biorobots are proposed for use in disease diagnosis, drug delivery, cell surgery, and genetic engineering.