Robots

First water automaton

320 BCE

Philo of Byzantium constructed one of the first autonomous machines using water, a primitive form of a robot.

Mechanical Knight

1495

Leonardo sketched out plans for a robotic knight that could sit, wave its arms, and move its head. Although it was never built in his time, the design showcased da Vinci's visionary ideas for automata and engineering.

Jacquard Loom

1801

Invented by Joseph Marie Jacquard, the loom used a series of punched cards to control the weaving of patterns in textiles. This invention was a precursor to modern computing, as the concept of using punch cards for programming machines later influenced computer programming.

"Robot"

1921

The term "robot" first appeared in the play "R.U.R." (Rossum's Universal Robots). The story depicted synthetic beings created to work for humans, but eventually, the robots rebel. This marked the beginning of modern robot-related fiction and ideas about artificial intelligence.

Three Laws of robotics

1942

In his short story Runaround, Asimov proposed three fundamental rules to govern the behavior of robots: 1) A robot may not harm a human, 2) A robot must obey human orders unless it conflicts with the first law, and 3) A robot must protect its own existence unless it conflicts with the first two laws. These laws became a cornerstone in robot ethics and AI narratives.

Shakey

1966

Developed at the Stanford Research Institute (SRI), Shakey was a mobile robot that could perceive its environment, plan actions, and move. It was the first robot capable of logical reasoning and paved the way for future advancements in AI and autonomous systems.

Wabot-1

1973

Developed in Japan at Waseda University, WABOT-1 was a humanoid robot capable of walking, interacting with humans, and performing simple tasks like grasping objects. This robot was a groundbreaking step towards humanoid robotics.

NavLab

1994

Carnegie Mellon University created NavLab (Navigation Laboratory), a self-driving vehicle prototype equipped with sensors, cameras, and onboard computing. This was one of the earliest attempts at autonomous navigation, an essential precursor to modern self-driving cars.

Mars

2004

These twin robotic explorers were sent to Mars to search for signs of past water activity. Originally planned for 90 days, their missions lasted much longer (Opportunity operated until 2018), sending back unprecedented amounts of data and images of the Martian surface.

Optimus

2022

Tesla introduced its humanoid robot prototype, Optimus, designed for tasks such as assembly work, carrying objects, and interacting with humans in a factory setting. The robot represents Tesla's ambitions to integrate robotics into everyday life and industrial environments.