This history of robotics is intertwined with the histories of technology, science and the basic principle of progress. Technology used in computing, electricity, even pneumatics and hydraulics can all be considered a part of the history of robotics.
The timeline presented is therefore far from complete. Robotics currently represents one of mankind’s greatest accomplishments and is the single greatest attempt of mankind to produce an artificial, sentient being. It is only in recent years that manufacturers are making robotics increasingly available and attainable to the general public.
1941 :Science fiction writer Isaac Asimov first used the word “robotics” to describe the technology of robots and predicted the rise of a powerful robot industry. The term robotics refers to the study and use of robots; it came about in 1941 and was first adopted by Isaac Asimov, a scientist and writer. It was Asimov who also proposed the following “Laws of Robotics” in his short story Runaround in 1942.
1942 :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, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm, unless this would violate a higher order law 1942 The first “programmable” mechanism, a paint-sprayer, was designed by Willard Pollard and Harold Roselund for the DeVilbiss Company. (US Patent No. 2,286,571).
1946 :George Devol patented a general purpose playback device for controlling machines using magnetic recordings.
1947 :On November 14, 1947, Walter Brattain had an accident while trying to study how electrons acted on the surface of a semiconductor. This accident brought about the creation of the first transistor.
1948 :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.
1951 :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. (US Patent 2679940)
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