Modified 2020-09-04 by Cesar
HISTORY
Evolution of Robotics Wired Episode 1
When we think of robots we tend to reference lots of pop culture films like; Star Wars with the famous duo of R2-D2 and C3-PO, The Iron Giant, Transformers, or the infamous T-1000 Terminators. But where does the word for these mechanical creations originate from?
Originally the word “robot” comes from the Czech language meaning slave. It was first used in the Czech playwright R.U.R (Rossum’s Universal Robots) written by Karl Capek in 1921. Soon after the word “robotics” originated in the short story “Runabout” written by Russian-American author Isaac Asimov in 1942.
Robotic inventions have been around for a very long time. The concept of artificial intelligence manifested through mythology planted the seed for modern concepts of robots. For example, the giant Talos who served the gods of Greece was a bronze giant created by Hephaestus (god of invention and smithing) as an autonomous defense unit for the island of Crete. Another example are Golems part of Jewish folklore, which according to its definition are animated anthropomorphic beings created entirely from inanimate matter (circuits or scrap metal). Humanities ability to imagine artificial life before the time of intelligent or self moving machines is remarkable.
Inventions are documented as far as 3,000 B.C. in Ancient Egypt, following Ancient Greece, starting to take off in the 1700s, and began to be more prominent in the 19th century. Greek engineers and mathematicians made first designs of autonomy when inventing water clocks with self moving limbs and mechanical animals (The Pigeon) propelled by steam. In both America and Europe the Industrial Revolution (1760s - 1840s) introduced complex mechanics and the implementation of electricity making the powering of machines through compact motors possible. Although these inventions set foundations for the mechanical aspects, it was not until the 20th century that scientific efforts made great progress in Robotics leading up to the present day state of the art 21st century machines.
The first digitally operated and programmable robots were created by an inventor from Louisville, Kentucky named George C. Devol in 1954. Initially the programmable manipulator was patented under the name “Unimate” branded under “Universal Auto Animation”, but was sold in the late 1960s to Joseph Engleberger after failing to be sold to the industry by its original creator. Engleberger happened to be a businessman/engineer and took the original design of the Unimate to redesign it into an industrial robot. Successfully marketing and mass producing the design gave Engleberger the title of “Father of Robotics”, making way into the designs for modern assembly line models.
THE IMPACT
Without a doubt the world we know today is reliant on much of the technology that was just concepts and schematics decades ago. The first use of modern robots evolved to aid humans in performing jobs too dirty or dangerous for workers that require higher levels of precision,efficiency, and stength. Commercial and Industrial robots are in use everywhere across the globe today. Manufacturing, assembly, and packaging are commonly assigned to serial robots which are composed of a series of joints and linkages. Parallel robots are another version of the serial model, with the difference being their smaller workspace and its arms being closer together. These two look like ceiling mounted spiders with super high speed loops in assembly lines for automotive components, computers, medical devices, or house appliances.
Robotics in medicine are used to facilitate surgeries and minimize invasive approaches when doing procedures on a patient. The most recent advances were showcased by the “da Vinci Surgical System’‘. Being controlled by a surgeon from a console in the same room as the patient, the mechanical arms on this machine are so precise it is able to skin a grape without damaging the fruit. While there is lots of criticism on the use of these robots, it sure is an advancement in the medical field worth taking notice of. Another example aiding doctors in hospitals is the “Xenex Zapping Robot’‘. Humans can not always sterilize a room 100% of germs and bacteria, but this robot combats the issue by pulsating full-spectrum UV rays that kill the harmful infectious microorganisms. A world of innovative robots is on the horizon as robots are constantly becoming more sophisticated and responsive.
While the Xenex Zapping Robots design is comparable to a droid from the Star Wars franchise, the following are orbiting and programmed outside of our atmosphere. In the past animals would be sent to space for research, but as technology improved that has now been delegated to robots. Records show that humans have physically only set foot on the moon and all scientific data on Mars, Titan, Jupiter, and Venus has been collected by robots. The first robot ever sent to space was the Sputnik 1 sent by the USSR in 1957. Its launch sparked the “space race” which brought to life better engineered space robots like the; Mariners, Vikings, and the Voyagers to be launched on space missions for close up photography for signs of life on these non terrestrial planets. The Vikings 1 and 2 arrived on Mars in 1976 disclosing both lander robots were powered by radioisotopic thermonuclear generators that enabled the transmission of data back to Earth. Close to present day achievements, SpaceX funded by Elon Musk launches version 2 of “C.I.M.O.N.” (an artificial intelligent robot) to the International Space Station on December 5, 2019. It is equipped with cameras and voice commands that guide it, and it’s even able to hold full conversations while relaying information to commanders on the ground. The acronym of its design stands for Crew Interactive Mobile companiON, and is programmed for tasks equivalent to those of “Alexa” but for space.
Modified 2020-09-04 by Cesar
With rise in computer industries, academia has advanced these inventions into the realm of A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) technology and while growth of this craft is expanding these robots have not made human workers absolete. But what does the future in robotics hold for the world? In 2013 the first safety standards for collaborative robotics was released, allowing for a broader use of robotics with regulations in other trades than the existing industries using robotic technology. Updates such as the Kalman filter, which is commonly used for guidance, navigation, and control in the field of robotics it applies motion planning and trajectory optimization. Putting that together with companies like Boston Dynamics who are recognized for their series of highly mobile robots and the the future of robotics seems to be getting closer and closer to what we may see on a scifi film, hoping the robot uprising is not part of the algorithm.
Modified 2020-09-04 by Cesar
Autonomous: denoting or performed by a device capable of operating without direct human control.
Programmable: able to be provided with coded instructions for the automatic performance of a task.
Radioisotopic: an unstable form of a chemical element that releases radiation as it breaks down and becomes more stable.
Thermonuclear: of, relating to, or employing transfomations in the nuclei of atoms of low atomic weight that require a very high temperature for their inception.
Digitally operated: operated remotely through a digital switch or remote.
Algorithm: a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.
Useful Resources and References
Standford University History of Robotics
Standford University Ancient Lore of Robots
Wikepidia Definition of Golems
Thought Co. History of Robotics
Wikepidia History of Robotics
Acieta.com Industry Use
Future Market Magazine Transport Robots
Automation.com Future of Robot Industries
Bliley.com Space Robots
Washington Post Space X Robot Program