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During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, ideas about automatons continued to evolve. Figures like Leonardo da Vinci designed machines such as a robotic horse or a war machine that could be considered precursors to modern ideas about robotics. Da Vinci, for example, left sketches of what appeared to be a 'human automaton' or a 'knight robot', a mechanical device with autonomous movements. However, these designs were not implemented due to the technological limitations of the era. -
The automaton of Jacques de Vaucanson: In 1738, the French engineer Vaucanson created one of the most famous automatons in history: a mechanical duck that ate, digested, and excreted. Although it was not a robot in the modern sense, it represented a step toward the creation of machines capable of performing complex tasks. -
19th Century - The Industrial Revolution At the end of the 19th century, with the emergence of electricity and advances in mechanical engineering, the first machines with greater capacity for performing automated tasks appeared, although they were still far from what we today understand as robots. 4. Early 20th Century - Vision of Robotics and -
Vision of Robotics and Science FictionKarel Čapek: In 1920, the Czech writer Karel Čapek coined the term "robot" in his play R.U.R. (Rossum's Universal Robots). In the play, the robots were artificial beings created to work for humans, but eventually, they rebel. This work popularized the idea of the robot as a human creation that could perform tasks, but with the potential for conflict. -
Isaac Asimov popularized the concept of 'robotics' with his famous 'Three Laws of Robotics': First law: A robot must not harm a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. Second law: A robot must obey the orders given it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. Third law: A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law. -
First industrial robot: American engineer George Devol and his partner Joseph Engelberger created the first industrial robot, named Unimate. This robot was installed on a General Motors production line in 1961 to perform repetitive and dangerous tasks, such as welding automotive parts. This was one of the first significant steps toward industrial robotics. -
During the 1980s and 1990s, industrial robots continued to improve in precision, speed, and work capacity in factories. At the same time, robots designed for other fields such as medicine, customer service, and the home began to be developed. Notable advancements were made in the development of surgical robots and assistant robots. Advances in educational robotics also grew, with robots like LEGO Mindstorms, which allowed students and enthusiasts to build and program simple robots.
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Humanoid robot: One of the most notable advancements in modern robotics is the development of humanoid robots, such as ASIMO (by Honda), which can walk, run, and perform a variety of simple tasks. Advances in artificial intelligence allow humanoid robots to interact more naturally with humans. -
With the rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, robots are increasingly equipped to make autonomous decisions and adapt to new situations. Examples such as cooking robots, social robots (like Pepper), or personal assistant robots are becoming more and more common.