The word came from Czech, first use being from Karel Capek (checked some more sources, including the work from Sevan Nişanyan[1], an Armenian-Turkish language researcher, who would probably be unbiased in this matter).
Another language with the same word used with a closer meaning does not always mean there is a connection. Etymology usually discovers connections which aren't intuitive at all.
Yeah, actually this is how I remembered it from Webster's Third International many years ago, which I don't have anymore. Since then, I've become reliant on etymonline, which is handy, but somebody's hobby project[0]. A good reminder to trust the memory over the internet once in a while.
Word robot comes from word "robota". In feudalism that was form of taxation, paid with labor. Feudalism in Austria empire put many restrictions on people (impossible to move, needed permission to marry, no free religion etc), but was not really a slavery.
Source: I read memoirs of guy who invented this word in theater play.
http://etymonline.com/index.php?search=robot