They explore the universe, weld car parts, assist in operations, vacuum living-rooms or have entered film history as R2D2. Supplied with new outfits by first-class designers, robots have long shed their one-sided image of people-replacing job killers. EX MACHINA is the first publication to outline the impact robots have had on the manufacturing and design of everyday products, and at the same time presents an extensive overview over the wealth of possibilities that exists for the use and design of these increasingly man-like machines. 50 milestones in robot history, selected according to technology and theory of design, illustrate the point. Additionally, the book presents the development and perspectives of machine design from 1950 to the present as well as a window into the future. Didactic materials are complemented by relevant essays by well-known authors in the field from the areas of technology science, natural sciences, philosophy, psychology, design theory and art history.