Robotics and Automation – History and a Step Ahead

Industrial robots have come a long way today. They are used in every aspect of life possible – right from manufacturing the car to creating the human organs. Let’s go into origin of robotics.

History of Robot

Leonardo da Vinci was the first person who conceptualized the idea of a robot. He designed the first self-propelled wagon, which was powered by clockwork springs. He also created a drawing of the earliest recorded humanoid, his knight in armor. This early robot could in theory perform several movements including sitting and waving. It is unknown, if this humanoid was ever created.

William Grey Walter, a renowned scientist wanted to proof that a strong connection between a small number of brain cells can result in a complex behavior. To demonstrate that, in 1948, he created Walter’s tortoise. These tortoises were simple two cell systems, which demonstrated several behaviors like obstacle avoidance and the ability to move towards and away from light. These are seen as the first electronic autonomous robots.

Walter's turtle

George Devol made Unimate, the first digitally operated, programmable, material-handling robot, in 1954, which changed the production line around the world. A few years later, Unimate was employed in a General Motors automobile factory in New Jersey.

Unimate

Initially, Industrial robots were applied to hot, heavy and hazardous jobs. But, now they are used in a wide range of applications. Sensors used in robots, are making them too close to humans. Many robots do not require complex programming. The can even be taught new skills with the help of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. In the next few years robots are expected to be actively employed in industry, military, search and rescue, medical and research settings.

All this is just a glimpse how robotics and automation was developed. Lot of efforts, time and science went into making the robots, what we see today.