History Main / CranialProcessingUnit

From an engineering standpoint it isn't strictly necessary to do it that way, and it has its pros and cons. Generally speaking, it would be safer to put the processing units in a more protected spot, like in the heavily armored chest, some random spot in the abdomen, or even completely decentralized and spread throughout the body. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools Then again]], Cranial Processing may become an Invoked Trope for that very reason; Real Life military units are taught to aim for center mass, so putting the vital things in a smaller target/easily salvageable extremity might be intentional.

** ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamThe08thMSTeam'' conspicuously averts this in one episode, where Karen's Gundam is beheaded by the first blow of an ambush, but still manages to destroy its attacker. She did need someone else to tell her where to aim, but only because the cockpit displays had been smashed in addition to the head being knocked off. The team then salvages a wrecked GM Ground-type to repair Karen's Gundam, turning it into a "GM-Head".
** In both ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeed'' and ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeedDestiny,'' a mobile suit was disabled if its head was destroyed. This is only relevant because only Kira Yamato aims for the head; he's a pacifist so he only aims to disable, not kill. When a suit shows up that does not have a head that Kira can detach, he simply just shoots out all the other limbs.

* {{Defied|Trope}} in an issue of ''ComicBook/SpiderMan'', in which Dr. Octopus has unleashed several giant robots on New York. Spidey tells the rest of the Avengers to just go for their legs, as their heads are just for show.

** Necron units are explained as being vulnerable to headshots because their brains are still in there (and sniuper rounds are handwaved as being acid-filled to explain how they punched through living metal).

* The ''Series/BlakesSeven'' episode "Headhunter" is about a killer android who keeps coming after our heroes even after a RoboticReveal involving his head getting knocked off. Turns out the head was [[TurnedAgainstTheirMasters that of its creator]], and the android's real head was a RestrainingBolt so it wouldn't KillAllHumans.

From an engineering standpoint it isn't strictly necessary to do it that way, and it has its pros and cons. Generally speaking, it would be safer to put the processing units in a more protected spot, like in the heavily armored chest, some random spot in the abdomen, or even completely decentralized and spread throughout the body. [[TropesAreTools Then again]], Cranial Processing may become an Invoked Trope for that very reason; Real Life military units are taught to aim for center mass, so putting the vital things in a smaller target/easily salvageable extremity might be intentional.

* Some robots do have a removable "head" with the computer and majority of censors contained inside. This is to make programming and testing the robot's perception easier and safer, since it eliminates the need to move the whole robot and the possibility it's body will turn on and damage itself. However robots with this design feature are just as, if not more, likely to be StarfishRobots as humanoid.

* In ''WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack'' Scaramouche is reduced to a head hopping ineffectually on the stump of his neck after fighting Jack.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': The robots in "The Robots of Death" have their 'brains' in their heads, as one is 'killed' by having a laser probe plunged into brain through its head. This makes sense given what we know of the society that created them: with the robots having being created as direct imitations of humans.

* Justified in ''Franchise/SlyCooper'', as Clockwerk was originally organic, replacing his organs one at a time.

* Android 16 in ''Anime/DragonBall'' had its head ripped from its body, but was still able to give Gohan the pep talk he needed to unleash the power required to stop Cell. It's unknown if the head could have kept going long term as Cell crushed it shortly after.

* ''WebAnimation/GenLock'': Averted but discussed. The [[BrainUploading cyberbrain]] is the most vulnerable part of the [[HumongousMecha Holon technology]]. There are no back-ups for a pilot's mind, so if the cyberbrain is damaged, the pilot is doomed. The brain unit is not stored in a Holon's head, but inside a module that's placed in the centre of the chest behind an armoured entry panel. The Union initially appears to believe that the head is where that brain is located, but it quickly becomes clear they know exactly where the chest module is located. The fact they have somehow obtained this knowledge concerns both [[TheLeader Chase]] and [[FatherlyScientist Weller]]. [[spoiler:When the [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver Nemesis mech]] first makes its appearance, it goes straight for [[TheBabyOfTheBunch Cammie's]] head, ripping it from her shoulders. It then pins the body to the ground and goes straight for the chest module. If it hadn't wasted time blinding Cammie by beheading her before going for the chest module, Chase would never have arrived in time to save Cammie's life. As it is, Nemesis still manages to rip open the entry panel before Chase arrives.]]

* Solidly averted in ''WebAnimation/GenLock'', where [[HumongousMecha Holon]] cyberbrains are stored in their (well-armored) chests.

** Although it is worth noting that some Transformers have survived greivous head wounds in some comics. One particularly noteworthy example comes from IDW's ComicBook/TransformersMoreThanMeetsTheEye, where [[spoiler: Autobot psychologist Rung has his [[IJustShotMarvinInTheFace accidentally head blown off]] by [[ImperialStormtrooperMarksmanshipAcademy Swerve]] and survives, although his brain module is damaged enough that he is left in a catatonic state for several issues.]]
** This trope is further PlayedWith in IDW's Transformers comics in regards to Cybertronians with [[AnimalMecha beast modes]]. Since a Transformer's brain module tends to be located in their robot mode head, a beast-former can survive the destruction of their beast mode's head if their robot head is located somewhere else. This is {{Lampshaded}} in ComicBook/TransformersRobotsInDisguise when the Dinobot Sludge has his brontosaurus head destroyed, only for him to immediately transform into robot mode none the worse for wear. When Ironhide questions this, Sludge points out that his "real" head is located under his dino mode's head.

[[folder:Films]]

* In ''Franchise/StarWars'' [[Film/AttackOfTheClones Episode 2]], [=C3PO's=] and a battle droid get their heads switched. They both remain quite functional.
** There may be some secondary processing going on in the body though, as C-3PO doesn't seem to be in control of the body's actions and even seems to temporarily take on aspects of a military droid - for instance, shooting at people while apologizing profusely, or screaming things like "Die, Jedi!" then wondering why he would say such a thing.
** The prequel movies had legions of Battle Droids with brainy heads, although they can sometimes walk around a bit after their heads have been cut off, for [[RuleOfFunny "comedic" effect.]]. [=MagnaGuards=], however, are an example of a droid that can battle on without a head -- something not common in the movies. It certainly surprises Obi Wan when it first happens. [[AllThereInTheManual They have backup processors and photoreceptors in their chest]].

* Most of the Jaegers shown in ''Film/{{Pacific Rim}}'' have their cockpits mounted in this fashion. This proves fatal for the crew of [[spoiler:Crimson Typhoon]] when [[spoiler:Otachi]] rips it off and nonchalantly crushes it during battle, effectively killing the entire mech.
** Averted by Cherno Alpha, whose cockpit is chest-mounted. The giant cylindrical "head" is a giant fuel storage container for the incinerator turbines above its shoulders (and makes a handy decoy for any Kaiju trying to kill the Jaeger via decapitation).

* TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}:

[[folder:Webcomics]]

[[folder:Web Originals]]
* Played straight and then lampshaded in ''Machinima/RedVsBlue''. Lopez the robot has his body blown up and spends season 4 onwards as a disembodied head. Later in season 4 Sarge wants to retrieve a secret message that was hidden in his databanks, and Grif asks if the data would actually be in his head and Sarge cites the logic behind this trope.
** Church is kicked out of his robot body if he's shot in the head, which would sorta count as a kill, except he can hop back in just as quickly.
* The ''Franchise/MegaMan {{MUSH}}'', unlike the games it's based on, generally averts this trope (except for old bots and, well, depends on the creator), as, for robots in general, their neural nets are, as a rule of thumb, in the chest. The head is just one big sensor node.

* Solidly averted in ''WebAnimation/GenLock'', where [[HumongousMecha Holon]] cyberbrains are stored in their (well-armored) chests.

* ''Literature/TheMurderbotDiaries'': Referenced twice, although robot processing units are located in their (much better shielded) abdomens. [[spoiler:[[BodyguardBetrayal Wilken]]]] makes the rookie mistake of trying to shoot [[spoiler:Miki]]'s head off, which would only have inconvenienced it. Murderbot makes the tactical decision to shoot a combat bot in the head, knowing that its weapon isn't enough to pierce the bot's abdominal shielding but ''is'' enough to scramble all its head-mounted sensors for a crucial moment.

* In ''Webcomic/CommanderKitty'', an android's head can function independently if hooked up to a power source, as demonstrated with [[spoiler: Nin Wah's android clone]] [[http://www.commanderkitty.com/2012/04/07/all-in-her-head/ here.]] Taken a bit more literally [[http://www.commanderkitty.com/2012/10/07/dressed-for-success/ later,]] where Fortiscue seems to be using [[spoiler: Zenith's head]] as a backup computer in an effort to get the generators back online.

** Averted in ''Literature/TheStainlessSteelRat'', where it's mentioned after [=diGriz=] drops a safe on one that police robots have their brains and their voice units in their midsection, surrounded by extra armour. (He knew that; the point of crushing its head was to disable its radio so it couldn't call for backup.)

** And then averted in the episode "Time's Arrow," in which Data's head isn't functional until re-united with his body.

* An example where this isn't beneficial can be found in ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOps3''[='s=] Multiplayer mode, where Reaper, one of the selectable "Specialist" characters, is a battle robot who can be felled [[BoomHeadshot via headshot]] just as readily as any of the other characters.

* Bender in ''{{WesternAnimation/Futurama}}'' is shown more than once to be able to completely remove his head and continue to function in any way his head normally would. His body is still able to move around without the head, it just can't see. He can also take considerable damage to his head without losing mental capacity.
** Played straight in the episode where he (literally) sells his body. (It's replaced with a toy car instead)

* The ''VideoGame/MegaMan {{MUSH}}'', unlike the games it's based on, generally averts this trope (except for old bots and, well, depends on the creator), as, for robots in general, their neural nets are, as a rule of thumb, in the chest. The head is just one big sensor node.

* Briefly discussed in ''MSPaintMasterpieces'', with Mega Man wondering why robot designers always put the [=CPUs=] in the robot brains, concluding that if it were up to him, he'd put the CPU in the robot's butt.

** It's deliberately invoked in ''[[Anime/MobileFighterGGundam G Gundam]]'', whose [[AMechByAnyOtherName Mobile]] [[MotionCaptureMecha Fighters]] are intentionally designed to shut down when their head is destroyed. This design choice is apparently intended to discourage pilots from aiming for the cockpit of their opponent.