Automatons refer to devices or objects that can perform tasks with little to no human interference - on some level they make decisions themselves.

Suffice it to say, technology has really taken us far and beyond our wildest dreams as agriculture, transportation, and healthcare are now much more manageable, repeatable, and simple due to automatons and computers.

Two ways to think of automata would be software (process automation) and hardware (internet of things).

Process automation can make our lives easier by automating process like accounting, investing, retail, sending birthday greetings, and other awesome things like that.

Hardware automation can help us dominate the world and make it less harsh to our squishy little bodies - plough the fields, plant seeds, hoover the carpet, mow the lawn, surgery? (we're almost there) - stuff like that.