History of Robotics

320 BC

Greek philosopher Aristotle made this famous quote:

“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

Around 1495 Leonardo da Vinci sketched plans for a humanoid robot.

1700 - 1900

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.

1913

Henry Ford installs the world’s first moving conveyor belt-based assembly line in his car
factory. A Model T can be assembled in 93 minutes.
1920

Karel Capek coins the word ‘robot’ to describe machines that resemble humans in his play
called Rossums Universal Robots. The play was about a society that became enslaved by
the robots that once served them.

This idea is now a common theme in popular culture, ie Frankenstein, Terminator, The
Matrix etc.

1932

The first true robot toy was produced in Japan. The ‘Lilliput’ was a wind-up toy which
walked. It was made from tinplate and stood just 15cm tall.
1937

Alan Turing releases his paper “On Computable Numbers” which begins the computer
revolution.

 
1941

Legendary science fiction writer Isaac Asimov writes the short story ‘Liar!’ in which he
describes the Three Laws of Robotics. His stories were recompiled into the volume “I,
Robot” in 1950 – later reproduced as a movie starring Will Smith.
Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics:

1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to
come to harm.
2. A robot must obey any orders given to it by human beings, except where such
orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict
with the First or Second Law.

 
1950

Alan Turing proposes a test to determine if a machine truly has the power to think for itself.
To pass the test a machine must be indistinguishable from a human during conversation. It
has become known as the ‘Turing Test’.

1954

George Devol and Joe Engleberger design the first programmable robot ‘arm’. This later
became the first industrial robot, completing dangerous and repetitive tasks on an assembly
line at General Motors (1962).

1957

The Soviet Union launches ‘Sputnik’, the first artificial orbiting satellite. This marks the
beginning of the space race.

1964

The IBM 360 becomes the first computer to be mass-produced.

1968

Stanley Kubrick makes Arthur C. Clark's, 2001: A Space Odyssey into a movie. It features
HAL, an onboard computer that develops a mind of its own.
1969

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

1977

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.

1986

The first LEGO based educational products are put on the market and Honda launches a
project to build a walking humanoid robot.

1994

Carnegie Universities eight-legged walking robot, Dante ll, successfully descends into Mt
Spur to collect volcanic gas samples.
1997

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

The first Robocup tournament is held in Japan. The goal of Robocup is to have a fully
automated team of robots beat the worlds best soccer team by the year 2050.
1998

LEGO launches its first Robotics Inventions System.

1999

Sony releases the first version of AIBO, a robotic dog with the ability to learn, entertain and
communicate with its owner. More advanced versions have followed.

2000

Honda debuts ASIMO, the next generation in its series of humanoid robots.
2004

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.

2005

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.
2008

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.
 TYPES OF ROBOTS
QRIO

Made by: Sony

Height: 61cm
Pronounced “curio” the name stands for “quest for
curiosity” in Japanese.

Purpose: To live with you, make life fun and make you
happy.

What can it do? Walk, talk, run, dance, recognize voices and

faces, play ball games and surf the web.

Features:

 Foot sensors so it can play soccer.

 Ankles with ball joints so it can walk on uneven
surfaces.
 Picks itself up after falling and even checks itself for
damage.
 Moves with quick, smooth movements. Check out
this video of QRIO dancing.

 
HRP

Made by: Kawada Industries

Height: 1.5m
Weight: 58kg

Purpose: To work in human environments and use human

tools.

What can it do? Walk, get up from awkward positions, walk

on uneven surfaces and grasp objects.

Features:

 It can walk, crouch and get up off the floor as swiftly

and smoothly as a human.
 Capable of working alongside humans in a range of
industrial and domestic settings.
 Said to be the strongest and most agile of humanoid
 robots.

 
ASIMO

Made by: Honda

Height: 1.2m
ASIMO stands for: Advanced Step in Innovative Mobility, it
also takes its name from robotic visionary Isaac Asimov.

Purpose: Began in 1986 as a study into human movement

and has since evolved into a robot capable of a wide range of
tasks.

What can it do? It can walk, run, turn corners, recognize

hand gestures, carry objects, dance and climb up and down
stairs.

Features:

 May be the most advanced humanoid robot in the

world.
 Can perform simple tasks, such as switching on a light
switch.

 
PARO

Made by: The Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and

Technology (Japan)
Length: 45cm 
Weight: 2.7kg

Purpose: Paro is a therapeutic toy designed to comfort those

in need like the elderly and sick.

Features:

 Responds to stroking/cuddling through special touch

sensors beneath its fur and on its whiskers.
 Modeled on a baby harp seal.
 Has voice recognition and authentic seal sounds.

 
PaPeRo

Made by: NEC

Height: 38cm
PaPeRo stands for: Partner-type Personal Robot

Purpose: To both entertain and assist around the house.

What can it do? Recognizes speech, talks, moves, responds

to users, controls household devices.

Features:

 Recognizes 650 phrases and 3000 words.

 Can wirelessly control your TV and surf the internet.
 Designed to look cute so humans feel protective rather
than threatened.

 
AIBO

Made by: Sony (Japan) 

Height: 27cm
AIBO stands for: Artificial Intelligent Robot

AIBO features a variety of senses:

 Touch - Feels human contact through sensors on head,

back, chin & paws.
 Hearing - Detects sound through a pair of stereo
microphones, voice recognition.
 Sight - Color camera, distance sensors and facial
recognition.
 Balance - Keeps balance through acceleration sensors.

Other features:

 AIBO possesses 5 basic instincts: Love, Search,

Movement, Recharge & Sleep
 Each AIBO begins life as a newborn puppy, over time it
will develop its own unique personality based upon
how it is raised.
 AIBO likes to dance & play with his toys - An AIBOne
and pink ball, he also likes to perform tricks with
them.
 When AIBO is low on power he will seek out his energy
station on his own.
 AIBO can take photos on command or whenever he
 chooses to, these can be sent via email or stored on his
memory card.
 AIBO can look after you’re house when you are away,
he can detect movement and sound, taking a picture
and notifying you via email.
 As well as voice recognition, you can also
communicate to AIBO using his graphics cards, these
are useful when the surroundings are noisy.