A Timeline of Robot History and Development
History of Robots
Research in this area began in the 1950s, promising rapid progress. However, it stalled due to seemingly simple problems. In 1960, a robot could see a tower of cubes and copy it, but the lack of common sense led it to build the tower from the top down, releasing the blocks into the air. David Freedman, recognized as one of the best U.S. science writers, documented in his book Brain Makers two major projects under development in the area of artificial intelligence.
Key Milestones in Robot History
- Mid-18th Century: J. de Vaucanson built several human-sized mechanical dolls that performed musical pieces.
- Early 19th Century: J. Jacquard invented his loom, a programmable machine for weaving.
- 1805: H. Maillardet built a doll capable of making drawings.
- 1946: American inventor George Devol developed a device that could record electrical signals using magnetic fields and use them to power a mechanical machine. The corresponding U.S. patent was issued in 1952.
- 1951: Development of work with TV operators (remote manipulators) to handle radioactive materials.
- 1952: A numerical control machine prototype was shown at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after several years of development. A part programming language called APT (Automatically Programmed Tooling) was developed later, in 1961.
Pneumatically-Powered Robots
The programming of these robots involves connecting plastic tubes in the pneumatic control unit. This unit is composed of two parts: an upper part and a lower part. The lower part is a sequencer that provides pressure and vacuum in a controlled sequence. The upper part is the connection set that activates each of the robot’s moving parts. These connections determine the direction of movement and the different steps. By changing the connections, different step sequences can be scheduled. These are the simplest type of programmable, automatic robots that can perform a variety of movements.
Robots Equipped with Servomechanisms
Another, more sophisticated type of robot, from the viewpoint of control and the benefits offered, are those that use servomechanisms. The use of servomechanisms is linked to the use of sensors, such as potentiometers, that report the position of the arm or part of the robot that has moved. This position is compared with the position the arm or part should actually take after the execution of the order. If they are not the same, further movement is made to find the correct position.
Point-to-Point Robots
Adding servomechanisms to an electronic memory capable of storing programs and a set of digital control circuits results in more powerful and easier-to-use robots. The programming of this third type of robot is done via a control box that has a speed control, allowing the robot to be directed through the execution of movements step by step. The execution order of the steps the robot must follow is classified, and the position of each step can be recorded in memory. This is how the robot is programmed to execute.
Once programmed, the robot begins its work as directed by the program. In this type of robot, the path laid out for the realization of its work is defined by a few points, hence the name “point-to-point.” To illustrate this method of programming, consider a remote-controlled toy car.