Karel Čapek (9 January 1890 – 25 December 1938) was a Czech writer, playwright, critic and journalist. 

From Wikipedia:

R.U.R. is a 1920 science-fiction play by the Czech writer Karel Čapek. "R.U.R." stands for Rossumovi Univerzální Roboti (Rossum's Universal Robots, a phrase that has been used as a subtitle in English versions)

In the story, the author warns against possible negative effects of technology on humanity. He is influenced by his interest in technology, but also by concerns about the future of humanity (destruction during the First World War). The word robot was first heard in the game, which was proposed by his brother Josef Čapek at Karl's request.

By 1923, it had been translated into thirty languages.R.U.R. was successful in its time in Europe and North America.

R.U.R. had the premiere on 25th January 1921 in National Theater in Praha.

Synopsis

The play begins in a factory that makes artificial people, called roboti (robots), whom humans have created from synthetic organic matter. (As living creatures of artificial flesh and blood rather than machinery, the play's concept of robots diverges from the idea of "robots" as inorganic.  Robots may be mistaken for humans and can think for themselves. Initially happy to work for humans, the robots revolt and cause the extinction of the human race.

The word robot comes from the word robota. The word robota means literally "serf labor", and figuratively "drudgery" or "hard work" in Czech. It also means "work", "labor" in Slovak, archaic Czech, and many other Slavic languages (e.g., Bulgarian,Russian,Serbian, Polish, Macedonian, Ukrainian etc.

Though nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature seven times, Čapek never received it.

For the Czechs he is the most known and admired writer not only for his plays but also short stories, novels and travel books.

Let us hope robots will always help us - not enslave us !

                Thanks for reading

                                           Margaret

Source: Wikipedia