History of Robotics

By Badcc
  • 320 BCE

    Aristotle muses over automation.

    “If every tool, when ordered, or even of its own accord, could do the work that befits it... then there would be no need either of apprentices for the master workers or of slaves for the lords.”
  • 1495

    Leonardo Da Vinci sketches plans for a human-esque robot.

  • Period: to

    A number of different life-sized robotic contraptions are made.

    "Between 1700 and 1900 a number of life-sized automatons were created including a famous mechanical duck made by Jacques de Vaucanson that could crane its neck, flap its wings and even swallow food."

  • First functioning humanoid robot is created.

    "Elektro", the first functioning humanoid robot could use a audio player to produce more than 700 prerecorded different audios, and could move its arms and rotate its head.

  • The world's first functioning humanoid robot is made.

    The robot, named "Elektro" was created by the WestingHouse Electrical Company and could perform rudimentary movement actions, and twist its head.

  • Isaac Asimov complies the stories in "I, Robot".

    "Isaac Asimov writes the short story ‘Liar!’ in which he describes the Three Laws of Robotics.
    Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
    A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
    A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law."

  • First Industrial Robot is created.

    Unimate, a robotic arm is patented and constructed in the early 1960s. It is the first of its kind, and the first to be implemented successfully as an industrial entity.

  • Man walks on the Moon.

    "The U.S. successfully use the latest in computing, robotic and space technology to land Neil Armstrong on the moon."

  • Star Wars is released.

    "The first Star Wars movie is released. George Lucas‘s movie inspires a new generation of researchers through his image of a human future shared with robots such as the now famous R2-D2 and C-3PO."

  • First robotic arm with inbuilt joints is created.

    "Takeo Kanade created the first "direct-drive arm" in 1981. The first of its kind, the arm's motors were contained within the robot itself, eliminating long transmissions."

  • LEGO company creates and releases educational goods.

    "The first LEGO based educational products are put on the market."

  • A computer beats the best chess player.

    "On May 11, a computer built by IBM known as Deep Blue beat world chess champion Garry Kasparov."

  • Lego launches its robotics inventions system.

  • Honda debuts ASIMO, the next generation in its series of humanoid robots.

  • The ASIMO (Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility) robot is created.

    "ASIMO has the ability to recognize moving objects, postures, gestures, its surrounding environment, sounds and faces, which enables it to interact with humans. The robot can detect the movements of multiple objects by using visual information captured by two camera "eyes" in its head and also determine distance and direction."

  • The first mainstream robotic-vacuum is created.

    "After being first introduced in 2002, the popular Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner has sold over 2.5 million units, proving that there is a strong demand for this type of domestic robotic technology."

  • Smallest robot is created.

    "Epsom release the smallest known robot, standing 7cm high and weighing just 10 grams. The robot helicopter is intended to be used as a ‘flying camera’ during natural disasters."

  • First self-replicating robot is created.

    Researchers at Cornell University build the first self-replicating robot. Each ‘robot’ is made up of a small tower of computerized cubes which link together through the use of magnets.

  • Humanoid robot is created, capable of speech and simulating emotion.

    "Sophia is a social humanoid robot developed by the Hong Kong-based company Hanson Robotics. Sophia was activated on February 14, 2016, and made its first public appearance in mid-March 2016 at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, United States. Sophia is marketed as a "social robot" that can mimic social behavior and induce feelings of love in humans."

  • Ingenuity helicopter lands and lifts off the surface of Mars.

    "The Mars Helicopter technology demonstration, later named Ingenuity, achieved the first powered flight on another planet on April 19, 2021, when it rose vertically 10 feet and returned to its takeoff point. Ingenuity landed on Mars on February 18, 2021, stowed on the underside of the Mars Perseverance rover."