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~ 350 B.C
The brilliant Greek mathematician, Archytas ('ahr 'ky tuhs') of Tarentum builds a mechanical
bird dubbed "the Pigeon" that is propelled by steam. It serves as one of history’s earliest studies
of flight, not to mention probably the first model airplane.
~ 322 B.C.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle writes “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 hinting how nice it would be to have a few robots around.
~ 200 B.C.
The Greek inventor and physicist Ctesibus ('ti sib ee uhs') of Alexandria designs water clocks
that have movable figures on them.
1738
Jacques de Vaucanson begins building automata in Grenoble, France. He builds three in all. His
famous one was the flute player that could play twelve songs.
1770
Swiss clock makers and inventors of the modern wristwatch Pierre Jaquet-Droz and later joined
by his son Henri-Louis Jaquet-Droz start making automata for European royalty. They create
three dolls, each with a unique function. One can write, another plays music, and the third draws
pictures.
1801
Joseph Jacquard builds an automated loom that is controlled with punched cards. Punch cards are
later used as an input method for some of the 20th centuries earliest computers.
1822
Charles Babbage demonstrates a prototype of his "Difference Engine" to the Royal Astronomical
Society.
1898
Nikola Tesla builds and demonstrates a remote controlled robot boat at Madison Square Garden.
1921
Czech writer Karel Capek introduced the word "Robot" in his play R.U.R (Rossuum's Universal
Robots). "Robot" in Czech comes from the word "robota", meaning "compulsory labor".
1926
Fritz Lang's movie Metropolis is released. "Maria", the female robot in the film, is the first robot
to be projected on the silver screen.
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1940
Issac Asimov produces a series of short stories about robots starting with A Strange Playfellow
(later renamed Robbie) for Super Science Stories magazine. Issac Asimov's most important
contribution to the history of the robot is the creation of his 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 the orders given 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. Asimov later adds a "zeroth law" to the list:
Zeroth law: A robot may not injure humanity, or, through inaction, allow humanity to come to
harm.
1946
George Devol patents a playback device for controlling machines.
1951
The Day the Earth Stood Still premieres in theaters. The movie features an alien named Klaatu
and his robot Gort.
1956
Alan Newell and Herbert Simon create the Logic Theorist, the first "expert system". It is used to
help solve difficult math problems.
1962
The first industrial arm robot - the Unimate - is introduced. It is designed to complete repetitive
or dangerous tasks on a General Motors assembly line.
1966
The Stanford Research Institute (later to be known as SRI Technology) creates Shakey, the first
mobile robot to know and react to its own actions.
1967
In response to an article written by Hurbert Dreyfus in which he declares a computer program
could never beat him in a game of chess.
1968
Stanley Kubrick makes Arthur C. Clark's 2001: A Space Odyssey into a movie. It features HAL,
an onboard computer that decides it doesn't need its human counterparts any longer.
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1970
Stanford University produces the Stanford Cart. It is designed to be a line follower but can also
be controlled from a computer via radio link.
1980
Seymour Papert publishes Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas in which he
advocates “constructionism”, or learning through doing.
1981
Takeo Kanade builds the direct drive arm. It is the first to have motors installed directly into the
joints of the arm. This change makes it faster and much more accurate than previous robotic
arms.
1982
Blade Runner is released. This Ridley Scott film is based on the Philip K. Dick story Do
Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and starred Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, a retired blade
runner who hunted replicants (illegal mutinous androids).
1986
The LEGO® Group and the MIT Media Lab collaborate to bring the first LEGO-based
educational robotics and control products to market.
1989
A walking robot named Genghis is unveiled by the Mobile Robots Group at MIT. It becomes
known for the way it walks, popularly referred to as the "Genghis gait".
1993
Dante, an 8-legged walking robot developed at Carnegie Mellon University descends into Mt.
Erebrus, Antarctica. Its mission is to collect data from a harsh environment similar to what we
might find on another planet. The mission fails when, after a short 20 foot descent, Dante's tether
snaps, dropping it into the crater.
1997
The first node of the International Space Station is placed in orbit. Over the next several years
more components will join it, including a robotic arm designed by Canadian company MD
Robotics. The Pathfinder Mission lands on Mars. Its robotic rover Sojourner rolls down a ramp
and onto Martian soil in early July. It continues to broadcast data from the Martian surface until
September.
1999
LEGO releases The Robotics Discovery Set, Droid Developer Kit and the Robotics Invention
System 1.5. SONY releases the AIBO robotic pet.
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2000
Honda debuts new humanoid robot ASIMO. The Battlebots event is held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
LEGO releases the MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention SystemTM 2.0
2002
Honda's ASIMO robot rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. iRobot releases
the first version of Roomba, the robot vacuum cleaner.
2003
NASA launches both the “Spirit” and “Opportunity” Mars exploration robot rovers.
SONY releases the AIBO ERS-7, it's 3rd generation robotic pet.
2004
The robot rover “Spirit” and “Opportunity” land safely on Mars. The second generation of
LEGO MINDSTORMS is launched, spawning a new generation of robotics enthusiasts at home
and in schools.