R. Daneel Olivaw

R. Daneel Olivaw
Robot series character/
Foundation series character
R. Daneel Olivaw as depicted on the cover of the novel The Naked Sun.
First appearanceThe Caves of Steel
Last appearanceFoundation and Earth
Created byIsaac Asimov
In-universe information
SpeciesRobot
GenderMale

R. Daneel Olivaw is a fictional robot created by Isaac Asimov. The "R" initial in his name stands for "Robot," a naming convention in Asimov's future society during Earth's early period of space colonization. Daneel is introduced in The Caves of Steel, a serialized story published in Galaxy Science Fiction from October to December 1953. The full story was published by Doubleday as a hardcover book in 1954.[1]

In his introduction story, Daneel is said to be not only made in the likeness of one of his creators but is also the first robot physically indistinguishable from humans. Like other robots in Asimov's stories, his "positronic brain" is governed by the Three Laws of Robotics.[2] Daneel's particular brain and system are more advanced than the average robot.[3] He can convincingly mimic human behavior and reactions, is better able to adapt and evolve through increased knowledge and experience, and can perform "cerebroanalysis", an ability defined as an "interpretation of the electromagnetic fields of living brain cells" that provides "information of the temperamental and emotional makeup of an individual."[1] Asimov's concept of cerebroanalysis in 1953 predicted magnetic resonance imaging (first demonstrated in 1973), and also its later (and currently debated) use to determine truthfulness or deceit.[4][5]

Daneel is one of the two protagonists of Asimov's Robot series books The Caves of Steel (1953), The Naked Sun (1956), and The Robots of Dawn (1983). In these books, he works with human detective Elijah Baley to solve unusual murders. Along with the murder mystery aspect, the stories focus on discussions regarding space exploration and human societal norms, and show an evolution in both the friendship developing between the two characters and Daneel's personal sense of morality.[1][6][7] He and Elijah also appear in the short story "Mirror Image" (1972).

Daneel also appears in Robots and Empire (1985), a book that acts as a bridge between Asimov's Robot series and his Foundation series, the latter of which takes place during and after the age of the galaxy's First Empire. In the prequels and sequels to the original Foundation trilogy, a character is revealed to be Daneel now living under a different identity, meaning he has survived for thousands of years, living through the entire era of the First Empire and beyond. By this point, he has replaced much of his body with new hardware, though his mind still operates under the Three Laws of Robotics.[8][9][10][11]

  1. ^ a b c "The Caves of Steel" - Galaxy science fiction magazine vol. 7 #1-3, published October,1953 - December, 1953. The Caves of Steel (first edition hardcover novel) - Doubleday, published 1954.
  2. ^ Liptak, Andrew (25 September 2021). "Apple TV's Foundation is also a stealthy adaptation of Asimov's Robot books". Polygon. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  3. ^ "How to Survive a Robot Invasion, book review: Humans are the problem". ZDNET. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  4. ^ "StackPath". www.electronicdesign.com. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  5. ^ Skopp, Sam (2 December 2021). "Where Does I, Robot Fit Into Apple TV+'s Foundation Universe?". Looper. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  6. ^ The Naked Sun. Published by Doubleday, 1957.
  7. ^ The Robots of Dawn. Published by Doubleday, 1983.
  8. ^ Prelude to Foundation. ISBN 0-385-23313-2. Published by Doubleday (publisher), 1988.
  9. ^ Forward the Foundation. Published by Doubleday, 1993.
  10. ^ Foundation's Edge. Published by Doubleday, 1982.
  11. ^ Foundation and Earth. Published by Doubleday, 1988.