If you’re new to ASFR, some of the words used around the community can be confusing at first.
A few have been around for decades. Others came from science fiction, robotics, fandom or the community itself. Some have fairly clear meanings, while others are used slightly differently depending on who you’re talking to.
This isn’t intended to be an official dictionary.
ASFR has never had one.
Instead, this page explains how these terms are generally used around the community and on ASFR.net.
If you come across a word that isn’t here, let us know and we’ll consider adding it.
ASFR
ASFR comes from the old Usenet newsgroup:
alt.sex.fetish.robots
The initials eventually became a general name for the community and the interests surrounding robots, androids, artificial people, transformation and related themes.
Today, someone might say they are “into ASFR” without ever having used Usenet or even knowing that the name originally came from a newsgroup.
ASFR covers a very wide range of interests, so two people who both describe themselves as being interested in ASFR may actually like quite different things.
Android
A robot designed to resemble a human being.
In science fiction, an android may be almost indistinguishable from a real person or may simply have a recognisably human body shape.
Within ASFR, the word is often used for human-looking artificial people regardless of whether the fictional technology behind them would technically qualify as an android.
Gynoid
A female humanoid robot or android.
The term is sometimes used when somebody wants to distinguish specifically female androids from humanoid robots in general.
Some people prefer gynoid, while others simply use android or fembot.
Fembot
A female robot, particularly one with a humanoid or human-looking appearance.
“Fembot” is one of the most widely recognised terms within the ASFR community and is often used fairly loosely.
A fembot might be completely mechanical, almost perfectly human-looking, or anything in between.
For some people, “fembot” describes the character itself. For others, it has stronger associations with the particular style of female robots seen in science-fiction television and film.
Robot
The broadest term on this page.
A robot doesn’t have to look human at all.
Within ASFR discussions, however, “robot” is often used casually for humanoid machines, androids and other artificial characters even when another technical term might be more precise.
Nobody is going to make you hand in your robot membership card for using the wrong one.
Cyborg
A being containing both biological and artificial components.
This is different from a fully artificial android.
A human with extensive mechanical replacements could be described as a cyborg, while a machine built from the ground up to resemble a human would normally be considered an android.
The distinction becomes rather blurry in science fiction, particularly when very little of the original biological person remains.
Synthetic Human / Synthetic Person
A general term for an artificial being designed to resemble a human.
It can be useful when “robot” sounds too mechanical and “android” doesn’t quite fit.
Science fiction uses many variations of this idea: synthetics, replicants, artificial people, manufactured humans and other names.
Origins and Transformation
Built
A Built character was artificial from the beginning.
They were manufactured, constructed or otherwise created as a robot/android rather than originally being human.
For example, an android that leaves a factory looking completely human would still be Built.
Built characters can range from obviously mechanical robots to artificial people who are visually indistinguishable from humans.
Transformation / TF
Transformation, usually shortened to TF, means a character changes from one state into another.
Within ASFR, it normally refers to a human becoming robotic, mechanical or otherwise artificial.
The change might happen gradually or instantly.
It might involve technology, machinery, nanotechnology, programming, science-fiction devices, magic or simply something the story never explains.
Robotisation / Robotization
The process of turning somebody into a robot or robot-like being.
This is usually a form of Transformation.
Depending on the story, robotisation may involve physical changes, behavioural changes, mental programming or a combination of all three.
Both British and American spellings are commonly encountered.
Conversion
Another term sometimes used for the process of changing a person into an artificial being.
“Conversion” can imply a deliberate process, particularly when machinery or equipment is involved.
It can also be used more broadly for one type of artificial being being changed into another.
Partial Transformation
A transformation that does not affect the entire character.
For example, part of the body might become mechanical while the rest remains biological.
Whether somebody considers that ASFR, cyborg material or both largely depends on their own interests.
Appearance and Construction
Human-Looking / Human-Passing
An android designed to appear convincingly human.
Some characters may only look human from a distance, while others are intended to be completely indistinguishable from a biological person until something reveals their artificial nature.
That reveal is a major part of ASFR for some people.
Mechanical
A character whose artificial nature is clearly visible.
This may include visible joints, metal body parts, mechanical components or a completely robotic appearance.
“Mechanical” is often used informally rather than as a strict technical category.
Synthetic Skin
Artificial material designed to resemble human skin.
In fiction, synthetic skin can range from a thin covering over machinery to an extremely sophisticated artificial tissue that looks and feels completely natural.
Shell
The outer body covering of a robot or android.
A shell might consist of metal, plastic, carbon fibre, synthetic skin or fictional materials.
People sometimes use the term for the entire external body and sometimes specifically for removable outer panels.
Context usually makes the meaning obvious.
Chassis
The main structural body of a robot.
If the shell is the exterior, the chassis can be thought of as the structure underneath it.
The word is borrowed from engineering and vehicle construction but is commonly understandable when discussing fictional robots.
Panel / Access Panel
A removable section of an android’s outer body that provides access to internal components.
Chest panels, abdominal panels, back panels and cranial access panels are common examples in science fiction and ASFR artwork.
Faceplate
A removable or separate section forming part or all of an android’s face.
The term can refer to anything from a clearly mechanical facial covering to a perfectly human-looking artificial face that can be removed to reveal machinery underneath.
Internals
A general community shorthand for everything inside the android.
That might include electronics, processors, wiring, circuit boards, actuators, cooling systems, structural components and fictional technology.
It is deliberately broad.
Exposed Circuitry
Electronics that have become visible because a panel has been removed, opened or damaged.
For some people this contrast between an otherwise human-looking exterior and obviously artificial internals is a particularly important part of ASFR imagery.
Behaviour and Programming
Programming
Instructions controlling how an artificial character behaves.
In ASFR fiction, programming can mean literal software, behavioural conditioning or simply the rules a fictional robot is required to follow.
It doesn’t necessarily imply mind control or transformation.
A Built android can simply have programming because, well, it’s a computer.
Reprogramming
Changing an artificial character’s existing programming.
Depending on the story, that could mean changing a simple instruction, modifying personality or completely altering behaviour.
Robotic Behaviour
Behaviour that deliberately makes a character appear artificial.
Common examples include rigid movement, precise gestures, unusually formal speech, repeated actions or responses that feel programmed rather than spontaneous.
Exactly what counts as “robotic” depends heavily on the fictional setting.
Robotic Voice
Speech intended to sound artificial.
Older science fiction often represented this with monotone delivery, electronic effects or strange rhythms.
Modern fictional androids may sound completely human most of the time and only reveal something unusual under certain circumstances.
Loop / Repetition
A character repeatedly performing the same movement, phrase or action.
Within ASFR, looping behaviour is often associated with programming errors or malfunction.
Control
A broad term covering situations where a robot’s behaviour is controlled externally or through programming.
Control can involve remote commands, software, networks, direct programming or fictional technologies.
The term itself does not tell you whether the character was Built or transformed.
Operating States
Activation
The process of switching an artificial character on.
An activation sequence might be as simple as opening their eyes or as elaborate as a full startup procedure with diagnostics and system checks.
Deactivation
Switching an artificial character off.
Deactivation is often used when the shutdown is deliberate rather than caused by damage or failure.
Shutdown
The process of an artificial character ceasing operation.
A shutdown might be normal and controlled, or it might happen because of malfunction, damage, power loss or another problem.
Standby
A powered but inactive state.
The android isn’t necessarily fully switched off and may be capable of waking immediately when needed.
Think of it as the robotic equivalent of sleep mode rather than complete shutdown.
Startup / Boot
The process of an android’s systems beginning operation.
The terminology comes directly from computers.
A fictional startup might include system checks, memory loading, motor calibration, identifying surroundings or displaying diagnostic information.
Reboot
Restarting an artificial character’s operating system or control systems.
A reboot usually implies that the machine remains physically intact but its software needs restarting.
Reset
Returning an artificial character or system to a previous or default state.
A reset might simply clear an error, or in fiction it can sometimes have much larger consequences such as restoring factory settings or erasing learned behaviour.
Diagnostics
Tests performed to determine whether an android’s systems are working correctly.
Diagnostic sequences appear frequently in science fiction and can include checking processors, power systems, memory, motors, sensors and other components.
Failure and Damage
Malfunction
One of the most common terms in ASFR.
A malfunction is simply an artificial character behaving incorrectly because something has gone wrong.
That can range from a minor error to complete system failure.
Examples might include unusual movement, repeated speech, incorrect responses, twitching, loss of motor control or systems shutting down.
Glitch
Usually a smaller or temporary malfunction.
A glitch might be a brief visual error, strange movement, repeated word or momentary interruption rather than a complete breakdown.
Overload
A system receiving or attempting to handle more power, data or workload than it can safely manage.
Science fiction tends to use “overload” quite enthusiastically, sometimes with more sparks than electrical engineers would probably approve of.
Short Circuit
An electrical fault caused by current taking an unintended path.
In fiction, short circuits are frequently represented by sparks, smoke, flickering systems and sudden malfunction.
Real electronics are usually somewhat less theatrical.
System Failure
A general term for one or more important systems ceasing to operate correctly.
A system failure doesn’t necessarily mean the entire android is destroyed. One subsystem may fail while others remain active.
Critical Failure
A failure serious enough to threaten continued operation of the android.
The term is usually used when ordinary error recovery is no longer sufficient.
Damage
Physical harm to an artificial character.
Damage can be cosmetic, mechanical, electrical or structural.
A damaged android may continue functioning perfectly well, function with difficulty or shut down completely depending on the fictional technology involved.
Repair
Restoring damaged or malfunctioning systems to working condition.
Repair scenes can range from replacing a simple component to extensively dismantling and rebuilding an android.
Maintenance
Routine work intended to keep an artificial character functioning correctly.
Unlike repair, maintenance doesn’t necessarily mean anything is broken.
Reveal and Identity
Reveal
The moment when a character’s artificial nature becomes visible or known.
A reveal might happen through damage, opening a panel, unusual behaviour, exposed electronics or somebody simply discovering the truth.
For some ASFR fans, the reveal is much more interesting than seeing an obviously robotic character from the beginning.
Hidden Android
A robot whose artificial nature is not initially apparent to the people around them — and sometimes not even to the audience.
The character may pass completely as human until something gives them away.
Robot Double / Android Double
An artificial duplicate of a real person.
Science fiction has used this idea repeatedly: replace or impersonate somebody with a robot that looks exactly like them.
Sometimes the audience knows immediately.
Sometimes discovering which person is the robot is the entire point of the story.
Community Terms
Technosexual
A broad term associated with attraction involving technology, machines or artificial beings.
It overlaps with ASFR but isn’t necessarily identical to it.
Some ASFR community members use the term to describe themselves. Others don’t.
Fetish
A word that appears directly in the original name alt.sex.fetish.robots.
ASFR can certainly involve sexual attraction, but the modern community also includes people whose interest is creative, artistic, technological or based mainly around science fiction.
That is why ASFR.net uses ASFR as the broader community term rather than trying to define everybody by one particular motivation.
OC / Original Character
A character created by an artist or writer rather than taken from an existing film, television programme, game or other property.
You’ll see the abbreviation OC frequently in artwork and fiction communities far beyond ASFR.
Fan Art
Artwork featuring characters or settings from an existing work.
This is different from an original character created specifically by the artist.
Photomanipulation / Manip
An image created by digitally altering or combining photographs.
Before modern AI image generation became widespread, photomanipulation was one of the main ways people created realistic-looking ASFR imagery.
You’ll sometimes see older community artwork described simply as a manip.
CGI / 3D Render
Artwork produced using 3D modelling and rendering software.
3D artwork became a major part of online ASFR imagery long before modern generative AI appeared.
AI-Generated
Images, text or other material produced substantially using generative artificial intelligence.
Screen Capture / Screencap
A still image taken from a film, television programme, video or game.
Historically, collections of screen captures played a major role in identifying and preserving robot appearances that were otherwise difficult to find.
One Term Can Mean Different Things
ASFR terminology has never been completely standardised.
That’s partly because the community grew naturally rather than being organised by any one person or organisation.
A word might have one meaning on an old Usenet post, a slightly different meaning on a forum, and another interpretation among modern artists.
That’s okay.
The purpose of this glossary isn’t to tell anybody that they’re using ASFR “wrong”.
It’s here so that when somebody says:
“It’s a Built fembot with a human-looking shell that malfunctions during startup and exposes the circuitry behind her faceplate.”
…a newcomer has at least some idea what everyone is talking about.
And if after reading that sentence you immediately thought, “Yep, I know exactly what they mean,” you’ve probably been around ASFR for a while.
Something Missing?
This glossary will grow along with ASFR.net.
If there’s a common ASFR term you think should be included, or an older piece of community terminology that shouldn’t be forgotten, let us know.
Part of preserving ASFR history is preserving its language too.