Robotics timeline
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Updated: 1 Aug 2018
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Created byJordan Brownlow
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Leonardo da Vinci designed what may be the first humanoid robot though it
cannot be confirmed if the design was actually ever produced. The robot was
designed to sit up, wave its arms, and move its head via a flexible neck while
opening and closing its jaw.Blaise Pascal invented a calculating machine to help his father with taxes. The
device was called the Pascaline
and about 50 Pascalines were built. Only a
few can be found in museums such as the one on display in the Des Arts et
Metiers Museum in Paris.Jacques de Vaucanson’s most famous creation was undoubtedly "The Duck."
This mechanical device could flap its wings, eat, and digest grain. Each wing
contained over four hundred moving parts and even today it remains
something of a mystery. The original Duck has disappeared.The first patents were awarded for the construction of a “printed wire” which
came into use after World War 2. The concept was to replace radio tube with
something less bulky.Westinghouse creates ELEKTRO a human-like robot that could walk, talk,
and smoke. ELEKTRO was first unveiled at the 1939 world’s fair.Isaac Asimov wrote the "Three Laws of Robotics”. A zeroth law was later
added (law zero below).
Law One: A robot may not injure a human (or humanity), or, through
inaction, allow a human (or humanity) to come to harm.
Law Two: A robot must obey orders given it by human beings, except where
such orders would conflict with a higher order law.
Law Three: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection
does not conflict with a higher order law]
Law Zero: A robot may not injure a human being, oGeorge Devol patented a general purpose playback device for controlling
machines using magnetic recordings.W. Grey Walter created his first robots; Elmer and Elsie, also known as the
turtle robots. The robots were capable of finding their charging station when
their battery power ran low.Raymond Goertz designed the first tele-operated articulated arm for the
Atomic Energy Commission. This is generally regarded as a major milestone
in force feedback (haptic) technology.George Devol designed the first truly programmable robot and called it
UNIMATE for "Universal Automation." (US patent 2 998 237) [4]
Later, in
1956, George Devol and Joseph Engelberger formed the world's first robot
company “Unimation” which stands for “universal automation”. [2]
As a
result, Engelberger has been called the 'father of robotics’. [3]
Unimation is still
in production today, with robots for sale.History changed on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully
launched Sputnik I. The world's first autonomous, artificial satellite was 22.8
inches in diameter and weighed only 183.9 pounds.The first computer controlled walking machine was created by Mcgee and
Frank at the University of South Carolina.Victor Scheinman created the Stanford Arm, which was the first successful
electrically-powered, computer-controlled robot arm.Ichiro Kato created WABOT I which was the first full-scale anthropomorphic
robot in the world. It had a system for controlling limbs, vision, and
conversation! It was estimated that it had the mental ability of a 18 month old
child.The MITS ALTAIR was the first 8080 chip based kit computer and is
arguably the start of the personal computer.Created by the General Robotics Corp. the RB5X was a programmable robot
equipped with infrared sensors, remote audio/video transmission, bump
sensors, and a voice synthesizer. It had software that could enable it to learn
about its environment.NASA's PathFinder landed on Mars. The wheeled robotic rover sent images
and data about Mars back to Earth.iRobot released the first generation of Roomba robotic vacuum cleanersBaxter is the Robot of the year for 2012. He was created by Rodney Brooks. This robot do light repetitive duties such as packing and sorting.Periods
10-70AD
The Hero of Alexandria, a Mathematician, Physicist and Engineer (10-70AD)
wrote a book titled Automata (Arabic translation, or in Greek “moving itself”)
which is a collection of different devices which could have been used in
temples. The Hero of Alexandria designed an odometer to be mounted on a
cart and measure distances travelled. Among his other inventions are a wind powered
organ, animated statues and the Aeolipile. Although conceived
simply as a trinket, the Aeolipile can be considered the for
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