It seems like I'm at a Catch-22 here. To get a power cell from the robot I need to modify the ground mine with the displacer which I have. However, without the power cell I cannot make the displacer mine. I think I've reached the end of the line with this game.
K

Use a ground mine to destroy a robot. Get the robot's power cell. Get another ground mine. Go to the work bench.

Kay, did you go get a mine from the supply place? It's in the same screen as the mansion, I think (memory, memory)

You can use that mine in a room with the robots- I used it in Broadstreets chamber (I think) and it discombumulated those robots. That gave me 3 power cells to use for other things. Eventually, I got another one from the supply and used it on the robots in the village too.

You can only pick up one power cell at a time.

Can you identify everything in your inventory. I was running around stuck when it turned out I have a ground mine in my inventory and just did not realize it