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The Robotic Arm
 |
This Soft Robotic Arm Allows Exploring
the Delicate Sea Life Without Any Harm |
Robotic arms have a
long and rich history. Let's look at where robotic arms got their start and see
what the future holds for these machines.
By Megan Ray Nichols
Today, we use robotic arms for everything from
building a computer's motherboard to assisting with open heart surgery.
We've come a long way from the first incarnation of
robotic arms.
When they first became available in 1954, these arms
were controlled with electronic servo motors, programmed with paper tapes and
were only capable of rudimentary commands.
Let's take a look at the history of robotic arms, and
where the technology is going in the future.
1480 — da Vinci and Innovation
The concept of robotic arms isn't a new one. It dates
back to the late 1400s.
In the 1950s, researchers studying Leonardo da Vinci's
notebooks found drawings and sketches of everything from robotic arms to
complete humanoid figurines that could have theoretically run on the clockwork
technologies available at the time.
These devices used pulleys, weights, and gears to
provide semi-autonomous motion, centuries before we ever imagined using them
for assembly or manufacturing.
A 2002 prototype of this robotic knight, based on da
Vinci's blueprints, proved the concept — the knight could walk and wave without
any intervention from its operator.
1954 — Paper Tape and Beginnings
Four years before inventors filed the first robotic
arm patent, Isaac Asimov published I, Robot, and introduced the world to the
Three Laws of Robotics:
-
A robot may not
injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human to come to harm.
-
A robot must obey
orders from humans, except where such instructions would conflict with the
First Law.
-
A robot must
protect its existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the
First or Second Laws.
Inspired by these laws, and the use of robotics in the
book, engineer Joseph Engelberger and inventor George Devol filed for a patent
for a programmed article transfer device — the first incarnation of the robotic
arm.
The goal was a version of the medical Hippocratic
Oath, to do no harm, employing these robots in positions that would normally be
harmful to humans.
By 1961, General Motors employed roughly 450 of
these robotic arms in their diecasting plant in Trenton, N.J.
1961 — Unimation, Inc. and the Tonight Show
In 1961, Devol and Engelberger launched Unimation,
Inc. — a company focused on the creation of industrial robots.
The Unimate 1900, the same simple arm employed in the
GM diecasting factory, became the company's flagship.
Engelberger showcased it at a trade show at Cow Palace
in Chicago, and even took it on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, where the robot
wowed viewers with its ability to knock a golf ball into a cup, pour a beer and
also conduct the show's band!
These tricks won over the audience and brought the
concept of industrial robotics into the minds of the nation.
1963 — The Rancho Arm
Automotive manufacturing isn't the only application
for robotic arms.
In 1963, researchers at the Rancho Los Amigos Hospital
developed the Rancho Arm to help move disabled patients.
It was the first computer-controlled robotic arm and
was equipped with six joints to let it move like a human arm.
1966 — Expanding Their Borders
Not content with introducing industrial robotics to
the United States manufacturing market, Engelberger traveled to Tokyo, Japan,
in 1966 to lecture about his creations.
His audience was 700 strong, and after a two-hour
Q&A, he became convinced Japan was the next profitable market for
Unimation.
In 1967, Unimation partnered with Kawasaki Aircraft
and Kawasaki Heavy Industries to market and produce their robots in Japan.
These two Japanese companies are the ancestors of Japan's Kawasaki Robotics,
which still exists today.
1968 — Marvin Minsky's Tentacle Arm
Taking a page from the Rancho Arm's playbook, Marvin
Minsky created the Minsky Tentacle Arm.
This robotic arm had 12 joints, and users could
control it with a computer or a joystick.
Minsky designed the arm for use in medicine rather
than manufacturing, capable of lifting a person but gentle enough to do so
without harming them.
1969 — Domestic Growth and Competition
In 1969, Unimation, Inc. received a massive order from
GM. The automotive manufacturer was rebuilding its plant in Lordstown, Ohio,
with the goal of creating the most automated automotive plant in the world.
By the time the factory was up and running, it was
capable of producing 110 cars every hour. This rate was more than double the
production rate of any other plant at the time.
This productivity jump encouraged other car
manufacturers, from BMW and Volvo to Leyland, Fiat and Mercedes-Benz, to do the
same, effectively securing Unimation's European market in the process.
1969 also proved to be the last year Unimation had a
monopoly over the robotics market. Nachi Robotics launched an industrial
robotics program in 1969 in Tokyo.
1973 — KUKA and Six-Axel Robotic Arms
In 1973, Germany joined the robotic arms race. Its
company, called Kuka, developed the first industrial robotic arm driven by six
electromagnetic axels.
Dubbed "Famulus," this robotic arm was the
first of its kind, moving the industry away from the traditional hydraulically
operated arms.
1974 — A Boom in the Robotic Arm Industry
1974 was an exciting year for robotics. David Silver,
at the time a student at MIT, invented the Silver Arm.
Designed for small parts assembly, it was the first
robotic arm to feature touch sensors to provide tactile feedback to its
operator.
Also, Stanford University mechanical engineering
student Victor Scheinman created a similar arm, known as the Stanford Arm,
which a company called Vicarm, Inc. marketed.
In this same year, FANUC — Factory Automation
Numerical Control — developed and installed robotic arms for assembly in their
factory in Japan.
1977 — Introductions and European Versatility
Yaskawa Robotics introduced its first robotic arm in
1977 — the Motoman L10. This robot had five axes and could manipulate up to 10
kilograms, or 22 pounds.
ASEA also introduced two electric industrial robots
which were programmable with microcomputers. Unimation purchased Vicarm toward
the end of this year as well.
1978-1979 — Unions and Programmable Machines
The new alliance between Unimation and Vicarm proved
fruitful. In 1978, they created the PUMA — Programmable Universal Machine for
Assembly.
This assembly robot is still in use in many research
labs to this day. In 1979, Nachi also developed a motor-driving arm explicitly
designed for spot-welding.
1980s — Industry Growth
While 1974 might have been an exciting year for
robotics, the 1980s proved to be the most significant decade for industry
growth.
In 1980, robotics startups or new robots hit the
market nearly every month.
1981 brought about the introduction of the first
direct-drive arm — a robotic arm with motors installed directly into each of
its joints. It was the most accurate robotic arm of its time.
1981 also saw the introduction of pneumatic robotic
arms — ones that use compressed air instead of electricity or hydraulic fluid.
In 1985, OTC Daihen began supplying robots to the
Miller Electronics company, and ASEA and BBC Brown Boveri Ltd. merged into a
single company with each member holding half of the company's assets.
Nachi established a branch in the United States, and
Yaskawa Robotics introduced a new control computer that was capable of
controlling up to 12 axes at a time.
1990s — Intelligent Robots
1992 saw the introduction of the world's first
intelligent robot prototype, which came out of FANUC's Robot School that was
established the same year.
The Motoman ERC, which originally became available in
1985, got upgraded in 1994 to be able to handle up to 21 axes.
It soon lost ground to the XRC controller, which could
control up to 27 axes across up to 4 robots. This controller debuted in 1998,
backed by Honda for use in their factories.
Robotic arms also saw the first applications in
prosthetics in this decade.
In 1993, a Scottish man named Campbell Aird received
the first cybernetic robotic arm after he lost his arm to muscular cancer in
1982.
Aird could manipulate this arm by flexing the muscles
in his shoulder.
2000s — Innovation Into the Modern Day
The 2000s, through today, have proven to be the most
exciting time for the robotics industry. Advances in technology enabled robots
to become even more efficient and effective in their duties.
2000 saw the introduction of the da Vinci Surgical
System — a collection of robotic arms capable of precise microsurgery.
To date, this system has been installed in more than
1,700 hospitals and performed three-quarters of a million surgeries.
Nearly every automotive manufacturer in the world now
has robotic arms installed in its factories, speeding up the assembly process.
In a single shift, the average factory can now
assemble more than 200 cars — more than 600 if they run the factory 24/7.
The history of the robotic arm is long and varied,
from da Vinci's original designs to the advanced robotics that are widespread
today.
Right now, robots are roaming the surfaces of planets
in our solar system, collecting data that will advance our knowledge of our
universe for years to come.
The applications for these robotic arms will continue
to grow and evolve, and our imaginations will only limit its potential
applications.
We can't wait to see where this technology goes in the
future!
Megan Ray Nichols
Freelance Science Writer | Editor of
Schooled By Science
Greater Philadelphia Area
I am a recent college graduate of
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. Through my studies I gained experience
in both professional and creative writing. I moved to the greater Philadelphia
area in 2014 to start my writing career. I'm an amateur astronomer and love
keeping up with and discussing latest scientific news. To join in, check out my
blog, http://www.schooledbyscience.com/
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