These Hopeful Machines is the sixth studio album by American electronic musician BT. Released on February 1, 2010, the album sees collaborations with the likes of JES, Rob Dickinson, Christian Burns and Kirsty Hawkshaw, also featuring a cover of "The Ghost in You" by The Psychedelic Furs. Because some tracks exceed 10 minutes in length, the album spans two discs with six tracks on each. In an effort to make the album more accessible to casual listeners, the record was eventually re-issued as a single-disc version with shorter tracks, titled These Humble Machines. In addition, the album would later spawn a double disc remix edition titled These Re-Imagined Machines, also featured as a "Limited Collector's Edition Box Set". With great reception from critics, the album was nominated for the 2011 Grammy Awards under Best Electronic/Dance Album.

Robert Dickinson is a British musician, multi-instrumentalist, and singer-songwriter previously of the band Catherine Wheel. Dickinson was raised in Norfolk, England, and is the paternal cousin of Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson. He is now a solo artist and the founder and creative director of Singer Vehicle Design since 2009, which performs restoration and modification of client vehicles.