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Roboticization (ロボット化,Robottoka?) is the process by which one is converted from their organic form into a robotic being. This is usually accomplished by a Roboticizer, though other species such as the Bem are able to roboticize without it. (StH: #3, #118)
The process was first developed on Mobius by the brilliant scientist, Sir Charles Hedgehog, who intended to prolong the life of the elderly and sick. He abandoned his project when it turned his wounded brother Jules Hedgehog into a mindless robot. Unbeknownst to Sir Charles Hedgehog, Julian Kintobor had sabotaged Charles' Roboticizer from helping Mobians to turning them into mindless robots. Once Charles had abandoned his project, Julian had stolen the Roboticizer and would later use it to roboticize the majority of the Mobians following his military coup. The Robians were unable to be restored to their former selves until the effects were undone by the Bem scientist Ceneca 9009. (StH: #43, #55, #78, #79, #123)
The process of roboticization tends to work best on Mobians, who can be roboticized whether they are willing or not. When performed on Overlanders, the subject must be willing to be roboticized, otherwise they become mere statues. (StH: #100, #105)
In the Archie Comics, SatAM and Sonic Underground continuities of Sonic the Hedgehog, the evil Dr. Robotnik uses a "roboticizer" machine to transform the anthropomorphic animals of Mobius into robotic slaves (initially called Badniks, then "Robians"). In the Archie comics and SatAM continuities, Sonic's UncleChuck was the one who invented the Roboticizer. Also in the Archie Comics and SatAM continuities, the character of Bunnie Rabbot was partially roboticized, and several other characters also underwent temporary roboticizations, either willingly as part of a plan to combat one of Robotnik's latest schemes, or unwillingly as part of a story arc.
Canonically, the Sonic series does feature roboticization, but uses robots created beforehand rather than actually changing animals to robots. There is, however, no existence of a roboticizer.
Recently, in either timeline, a roboticizer hasn't been used, in the comic continuity because of new foes such as the fourth Enerjak as well as the Bem's mass de-roboticization of Mobius, and in the games because they are powered by other means, such as Chaos Drives in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006) (and presumably other games, as well), respectively.
Knuckles: Looks like we were right about Eggman being involved.
Cream: But the animals... Oh no...
Sonic: It's okay, Cream. We will find Eggman and stop him.
Tails: The signal doesn't stop here, Sonic. We have to keep following it to find the source.
Sonic: Then let's go. Eggman will pay for this.
After defeating a second squad of mechanical armadillos, Tails salvages a box from the robot leader's head, which he says "must be what turned the animals into robots". The said box is presumably a portable roboticizer.
Trivia
The term was incorrectly referred to as "robotization" in StH #129. Some argue that this was the unique name of the Bem's process. However, Sonic refers to Dr. Robotnik's machine as the "Robotizor" instead of "Roboticizer", thus proving both terms were incorrectly spelled throughout the whole issue.
