This trope applies to creatures which may or may not be robotic. They usually appear to have artificial mechanisms behind their creation, or perhaps they have what appear to be robotic parts connected to (or growing from) their bodies. Then again, they may have fur, or be salivating or perhaps move in a fashion too animalistic to be considered robotic. In short, the viewer will wonder "Cyborg, or machine with organic parts?" The ambiguity between machine and creature is never resolved. In fact, most of the time, it is never even mentioned. Often, it is deliberately creepy.