Probe is a generic term used to refer to a device used to gather information.
A robotic probe is a device that uses onboard instruments to gather and relay a variety of telemetry to controllers from remote, hazardous or otherwise difficult to reach locations. Probes may return their data over radio links or be physically tethered to controllers or another device, or to collect and return physical samples. Robotic probes operating in space are known as space probes.
The word probe is also used to describe surgical instruments, such as a laparoscope, a device that assists with surgery on the human body by allowing doctors to see and manipulate organs without making large incisions.
A probe can also describe a scientific instrument such as a Langmuir probe, an electrode inserted into a plasma to determine temperature and density.
In e-mail systems, a probe is often referred to as a test mail issued to see if a given mail address actually exist.
In surveys and interviews, a probe is a technique employed to encourage the respondent to give a more detailed answer to a question and elaborate on his previous responce. Example: "Anything more?"
Probe was a 1988 television pilot and subsequent TV series created by William Link and Isaac Asimov. The pilot and series starred Parker Stevenson as a misanthropic genius who solved high tech crimes.