Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. A naturoid, as defined by the Theory of Naturoids, is a reproduction of an object or process that already exists in the natural world, using techniques and materials that differ from those found in nature. The term was coined in the 1990s, by Massimo Negrotti, professor of methodology at the University of Urbino, Italy, and refers to mankind''s ambition, present since ancient times, to reproduce natural objects and processes. More recent developments include the well-known 18th-century automata, prosthetics and modern-day robotics. Partially similar concepts include "synthetic" and "alternative" technological realizations.