Cyborg, Android or something else?

[MelanieShaman]

I'm working on my cyberpunk story and I have a completely synthetic "being". What should I call them? I know android is copy written, cyborg doesn't "feel" right... suggestions?

 

[Btq97]

Synths?

 

[MelanieShaman]

Synths?

Maybe. I used the word synth skin for any type of fake covering for cybernetics... I don't know if it sounds weird to use both... but I'll think about it. Thanks

 

[MrPixel]

Bishop.

 

[madelinemasoch]

Call it an AI.

 

[Winter_Fare]

I'm working on my cyberpunk story and I have a completely synthetic "being". What should I call them? I know android is copy written, cyborg doesn't "feel" right... suggestions?

Android is a word in the dictionary, it isn't under copyright. Unless you're talking about "Android" software you're good...

 

[MelanieShaman]

Call it an AI.

I'm using that as well, but not just for synthetic beings.

 

[Btq97]

I always took cyborg to mean a being with bits grafted on. Android to be a humam shaped robot. Is the synthetic being a machine or a artificial biological entity?

 

[Bramblethorn]

Android sounds right to me, and it's not something that can be covered by copyright.

 

[MelanieShaman]

I always took cyborg to mean a being with bits grafted on. Android to be a humam shaped robot. Is the synthetic being a machine or a artificial biological entity?

Yeah, same... but I was just looking for advice. I don't think, in my setting, that there are fully synthetic as in pseudo biological beings. Just mostly machine with synthetic parts/ skin.

 

[SimonDoom]

Android is not a subject of copyright. It's a generic term to describe a synthetic being that looks like a human. There is no legal limit on your ability to use that term in a story. Or a shortened version of it, like "Droid" in Star Wars.

Cyborg usually is used for a hybrid synthetic/organic being, like the Terminator.

You can come up with your own term, like Replicant in Blade Runner.

 

[MelanieShaman]

Android sounds right to me, and it's not something that can be covered by copyright.

I wasn't completely sure since I know the android brand has to pay Lucas film for the ability to use it... or they did at one time. I'm not sure if they still have to.

 

[MelanieShaman]

Android is not a subject of copyright. It's a generic term to describe a synthetic being that looks like a human. There is no legal limit on your ability to use that term in a story. Or a shortened version of it, like "Droid" in Star Wars.

Cyborg usually is used for a hybrid synthetic/organic being, like the Terminator.

You can come up with your own term, like Replicant in Blade Runner.

Yeah, I'm using android mostly... but I'm trying to see if something else... something cool comes to mind.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I'll see myself out...

 

[SimonDoom]

How about "Sim" -- short for simulant -- synthetic but similar to a human.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I'm working on my cyberpunk story and I have a completely synthetic "being". What should I call them? I know android is copy written, cyborg doesn't "feel" right... suggestions?

As with others…

1. Android is a fully synthetic manufactured being - it’s a common English word and can’t be copyrighted - Google can’t sue
2. Cyborg is a hybrid human / robotic being - again not copyrighted

I’d argue that androids are mecahncally based, although the book used the word “android” Blade Runner’s genetically engineered super humans were called replicants for a reason.

Or just make up your own term.

Em

 

[Rustyoznail]

Seriously, if you're writing a cyberpunk story, just create a cool name.

 

[madelinemasoch]

Or a shortened version of it, like "Droid" in Star Wars.

Droid is actually copyrighted by Lucasfilm, apparently.

 

[alohadave]

Android for male form
Gynoid for female form

 

[Winter_Fare]

With cyberpunk you could make it a cynical sort of slang name. Like dreamers because they obviously don't. Or screamers because they can't act to hurt people, even in self defense.

 

[onehitwanda]

Skinjob
Gooman
Pod
Rep
Syn
Synth
Golem
Newbie / Noob
Sparky
Gearhead
Sly

 

[alohadave]

Toaster

 

[EmilyMiller]

Android for male form
Gynoid for female form

Can I check your Guild of Pedants membership card? I’m responsible for issuing them and I can’t recall your application form.

Em

 

[SimonDoom]

Droid is actually copyrighted by Lucasfilm, apparently.

This is not correct. One cannot obtain copyright protection under US law for an individual word. Lucasfilm apparently has made efforts, some successful, to obtain TRADEMARK registration of the word DROID, but trademark ownership simply means it has the right to prevent others from using the mark in ways that would cause confusion in the marketplace regarding whatever goods or services it offers under that mark. Using the term "Android" as a descriptive term for a synthetic person in a work of fiction creates no risk of confusion, so one wouldn't have a problem. The term ANDROID has been around for a long time.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Droid is actually copyrighted by Lucasfilm, apparently.

Trademarked, rather than copyrighted.

Lucasfilm does indeed have a bunch of trademarks on "droid", and there are also unrelated companies that have trademarks on the same name for other kinds of products. (Trademarks apply to a specific category of good or services - so Lucasfilm's trademark on "droid" for action figures is separate to their trademark for "clothing, footwear and headwear", and somebody else has trademarked it for filtration equipment, etc.)

https://trademarks.justia.com/search?q=droid

None of that would stop people using the word "android" in a story, any more than the trademarks owned by Apple Music and Apple Computing stop me from writing a story about somebody eating an apple.