Where did humans get the idea of robots?

The idea of robots has its roots in ancient mythology and literature, where stories of artificial beings and automatons appeared, such as the Greek myth of Talos, a giant bronze man. The term "robot" itself was popularized by Czech writer Karel Čapek in his 1920 play "R.U.R." (Rossum's Universal Robots), which depicted synthetic workers. Advancements in technology and engineering throughout the 20th century further inspired the development of actual robots, blending imaginative concepts with practical applications in industry and science.