History of Robotics

Early Clocks

Jan 1, 1000

http://www.thocp.net/reference/robotics/robotics.htmlSometime during the turn of the first Millienium, brilliant Chinese engineers and monks used the power of water to create mechanismes that could keep at clock ticking. This was one of the earliest examples of none human powered machines.

Hero of Alexandria

Jan 1, 1000

http://www.thocp.net/reference/robotics/robotics.htmlAround the year 1000, Hero of Alexandria created and detailed a few automata that were apparently created for religous or theatrical purposes. There were also automata that were created to open gates using hydraulics.

1st-15th century

Period: Jan 2, 1000 to Dec 31, 1499

Al-Jazari's writings

Jan 1, 1200

http://www.thocp.net/reference/robotics/robotics.htmlArab thinker, Al-Jazari, wrote Automata, which contained many writings and diagrams about complex machinery.

The Carillon

Jan 13, 1400

http://www.essentialvermeer.com/music/carillon/carillon_d.html
During the middle ages, Christian towns and cities found themselves in need of a way to signal to public that it was time for church. As bells got more complicated so did the clocks. Soon Automated clock and chiming systems were created.

Leonardo da Vinci's Robot

Jan 1, 1495

In 1495, Leonardo started work on a robotic suit of arms. This robot was created to model a few human motions such as waving sitting and moving its jaws.
http://www.thocp.net/reference/robotics/robotics.html

16th-19th Century

Period: Jan 1, 1500 to Dec 31, 1899

Jacques de Vaucanson's 3 Automatons

Jan 1, 1738

http://www.thocp.net/reference/robotics/robotics.htmlJacques de Vaucanson created 3 different automatons. Each one increased in complexity. The first played flute. The second plyed flute, drums and the tambourine. And the last and most famous, was a very complex duck that walked, quacked, and ate.

Automated Loom

Jan 1, 1801

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bl_jacquard.htmJoseph Jacquard, son of a silk weaver created an automated loom that functioned using punch cards not unlike early computers. This allowed textiles to get ride of weavers.

IT'S ALIVE

Jan 1, 1818

http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/ROV/history.htmlAuthor Mary Shelley's book Frankenstein was the first of it's time about artifical intellengence. This book created a huge fear around the creating of robots's particularly in artifical intellengence.

A new use for punch cards

Jan 1, 1822

http://www.kerryr.net/pioneers/babbage.htmCharles Babbage showed the prototype of his "difference engine" which used the same punch card technique as Joseph Jacquard's automated weaver. This is considered the first computer.

Early R/Cs

Jan 1, 1898

In 1898, http://www.pbs.org/tesla/ins/lab_remotec.html wanted to be able to show of his new invention of radio. So he created a boat that would recieve radio signals that he could control wirelessly.

20th century

Period: Jan 1, 1900 to Dec 31, 1999

Laws of Robotics

Jan 1, 1942

American author Issac Asimov wrote the book http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/ROV/history.html which contains his Three Laws of Robotics. They are:
1: A robot can not harm a human
2: A robot must listen to humans unless it violates rule 1
3: A robot protect itself as long as it doesn't violate ruls 1 and 2

Industialized Robots

Jan 1, 1961

http://prime.jsc.nasa.gov/ROV/history.htmlGeneral Moters became the first industry to use robot help in 1961. The Unimate was given the task of transporting dye castings, which was dangerous work for people, but easy enough for the robot.

Droids n' stuff

May 25, 1977

The release of Starwars created a new love for space and Robots. R2-D2 and C3P0 are an inseperable duo of robots that each have there own abilities. R2-D2:Walking toolbox; C3P0: Walking translator. Source: Starwars IV(The movie)

The Stanford Cart

Jan 1, 1979

http://www.stanford.edu/~learnest/cart.htmIn 1979, students at Stanford successfully tested a robotic rover in a chair filled room that could search it's surroundings, compute a path free of obsticals and travel on that path.

Lego joins Robots

Jan 1, 1998

http://web.mit.edu/6.933/www/Fall2000/LegoMindstorms.pdfIn 1998, Lego released a new product of Mindstorm products that would eventually evolve into the Lego Mindstorm NXT robot. The early Mindstorm included motors, sensors and the RCX control brick.

Now and into the future

Period: Jan 1, 2000 to Jan 1, 2050

iRobot

Jan 1, 2004

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343818/iRobot is a 2004 Will Smith movie that takes place in the year 2035. A crime has been commited that could have been carried out by a robot and it is up to Will to find out how.

Martian Rovers

Jan 1, 2004

http://realitypod.com/2010/06/top-10-modern-robots/In 2004, NASA's Spirit and Opportunity landed on the surface of Mars in order learn more about the planet. The rovers were comepletely solar powered and didn't require any human control.

BigDog on campus

Jan 1, 2008

http://www.bostondynamics.com/robot_bigdog.htmlThe Boston Dynamics: BigDog is a highly advanced robotic quadrapod with the ability to move and function even in harsh or unstable ground. It seems as if it would have great military use as a cargo carrier.

Ping Pong Bot

Nov 25, 2009

http://topio.tosy.com/history.shtmlThe Topio Ping Pong Playing Robot is a highly advanced robot that not only has 39 degrees of freedom, but its own highly developed learning system that allows it to become better overtime.

Roomba

Jan 1, 2011

http://www.irobot.com/sp.cfm?pageid=203
The iRobot started selling the Roomba in 2011, the same year that its total sales hit 6 mil. worldwide. iRobot proves that a simple home robot is not only possible, but profitable.