Unimation starts developing the Unimate robot following its acquisition by the Condec Corporation in 1960.
In 1961 George Devol is granted a patent (filed 1954) for a “Programmed Article Transfer Machine” otherwise known as an industrial manipulator.
1962 sees General Motors install the world’s first robot (a Unimate) on a production line.
IBM introduce the 360 computer in 1964, capable of 2MIPS.
In 1968 Stanford Research Institute develop what is generally recognised as the world’s first intelligent robot, “Shakey”
Also in 1968 General Electric build a four legged walking “truck” for the US army. It’s movements are slaved to those of the operator.
1970 sees Lunakhod 1 driving on the moon.
Milacron Corporation produce “The Tomorrow Tool” or T3, the first microcomputer controlled industrial manipulator in 1973.
Intel launch the 8080 microprocessor in 1974
The Altair microprocessor kit is launched in 1975 for $397
A brief history of Robotics
