American robotics
Encyclopedia
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United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
include simple household robots such as Roomba to sophisticated autonomous aircraft such as the MQ-9 Reaper that cost 18 million dollars per unit. The first industrial robot, robot company, and exoskeletons as well as the first dynamically balancing, organic, and nanoscale robots originate from the United States.
History
In 1898 Nikola TeslaNikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
publicly demonstrated a radio-controlled torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
. Based on patents for "teleautomation", Tesla hoped to develop it into a weapon system
Weapon system
Weapon System is a United States military term that designated, along with a weapon system number , military experimental systems prior to official naming Weapon System is a United States military term that designated, along with a weapon system number (e.g., WS-110), military experimental (MX)...
for the US Navy.
In 1926, Westinghouse Electric Corporation created Televox, the first robot put to useful work. In the 1930s, they created a humanoid robot known as Elektro
Elektro
Elektro is the nickname of a robot built by the Pittsburgh-based Westinghouse Electric Corporation in its Mansfield, Ohio facility between 1937 and 1938. Seven feet tall, weighing 265 pounds, humanoid in appearance, he could walk by voice command, speak about 700 words , smoke cigarettes, blow up...
for exhibition purposes, including the 1939 and 1940 World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
s.
Unimate
Unimate
Unimate was the first industrial robot,which worked on a General Motors assembly line at the Inland Fisher Guide Plant in Ewing Township, New Jersey, in 1961.It was created by George Devol in the 1950s using his original patents...
was the first industrial robot
Industrial robot
An industrial robot is defined by ISO as an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose manipulator programmable in three or more axes...
,
which worked on a General Motors assembly line
Assembly line
An assembly line is a manufacturing process in which parts are added to a product in a sequential manner using optimally planned logistics to create a finished product much faster than with handcrafting-type methods...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in 1961.
It was created by George Devol
George Devol
George Charles Devol, Jr. was an American inventor who was awarded the patent for Unimate, the first industrial robot. Devol's patent for the first digitally operated programmable robotic arm represented the foundation of the modern robotics industry.As an inventor he had over 40 patents and was...
in the 1950s using his original patents. Devol, together with Joseph F. Engelberger started Unimation, the world's first robot manufacturing company.
In 2008 the U.S. Air Force 174th Fighter Wing
174th Fighter Wing
The Air National Guard's 174th Fighter Wing is a Close Air Support fighter unit located at Hancock Field in Syracuse, New York.-History:The 174th Fighter Wing was formed on 28 October 1947 as the 138th Fighter Squadron . The 138th FS was the first post-WWII Air National Guard flying unit in New...
transitioned from F-16
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
piloted planes to MQ-9 Reaper
MQ-9 Reaper
The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper is an unmanned aerial vehicle , capable of remote controlled or autonomous flight operations, developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for use by the United States Air Force, the United States Navy, the CIA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Royal...
drones
Unmanned aerial vehicle
An unmanned aerial vehicle , also known as a unmanned aircraft system , remotely piloted aircraft or unmanned aircraft, is a machine which functions either by the remote control of a navigator or pilot or autonomously, that is, as a self-directing entity...
, which are capable remote control
Remote control
A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
led or autonomous flight, becoming the first all-robot attack squadron.
Modern robots
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Domestic
- PatrolBotPatrolBotPatrolBot is a programmable autonomous general purpose service robot rover built by MobileRobots Inc. PatrolBots are manufactured in various configurations and serve as bases for companies developing delivery robots, security robots, environmental monitoring rovers, robot guides and other indoor...
a configurable guide/delivery/surveillance robot - RoombaRoombaThe Roomba is a series of autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners sold by iRobot. Under normal operating conditions, it is able to navigate a living space and common obstacles while vacuuming the floor...
a vacuum cleanerVacuum cleanerA vacuum cleaner, commonly referred to as a "vacuum," is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors, and optionally from other surfaces as well. The dirt is collected by either a dustbag or a cyclone for later disposal... - ScoobaScoobaScooba is an automated robotic floor washer produced by iRobot. It was released in limited numbers in December 2005 for the Christmas season with full production starting in early 2006...
a floor washer - LoojLoojThe Looj is a rain gutter cleaning domestic robot made and sold by iRobot.The Looj is not an autonomous robot but rather a remote-controlled robot patterned after a toy tank with a power drill mounted on it.-Operation:...
a rain gutterRain gutterA rain gutter is a narrow channel, or trough, forming the component of a roof system which collects and diverts rainwater shed by the roof....
cleaner
Terrestrial
- Black KnightBlack Knight (Unmanned Combat Vehicle)The Black Knight is a prototype Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle designed by BAE Systems. Similar in size and appearance to a tank, it is armed with a turret-mounted 30mm gun and a coaxial machine gun...
tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities... - GladiatorGladiator Tactical Unmanned Ground VehicleThe Gladiator Tactical Unmanned Ground Vehicle was a remotely operated unmanned ground vehicle employed by the United States Marine Corps. It is described as the world's first multipurpose combat robot....
- MarkV-A1MarkV-A1The MarkV-A1 is a bomb disposal robot designed by Northrop Grumman. It is part of the Remotec ANDROS line, which includes other robotic EODs. MarkV weighs 800 pounds and is about the size of a riding lawn mower. With its manipulator arm fully extended, the robot's height is 8 feet. The tread system...
- MULEMultifunctional Utility/Logistics and EquipmentThe Multi-Mission Unmanned Ground Vehicle, previously known as the Multifunction Utility/Logistics and Equipment vehicle , was an autonomous unmanned ground combat vehicle developed by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control for the United States Army's Future Combat Systems and BCT Modernization...
/ XM1219Armed Robotic VehicleThe XM1219 Armed Robotic Vehicle was an unmanned ground combat vehicle based on the MULE Platform. The ARV-A-L MULE Vehicle would feature integrated anti-tank and anti-personnel and reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition systems remotely operated by network linked soldiers... - PackBotPackBotPackBot is a series of military robots by iRobot. More than 2000 PackBots are currently on station in Iraq and Afghanistan, with hundreds more on the way.-Current PackBot 510 variants:...
/ SUGVSmall Unmanned Ground VehicleThe XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle is a Future Combat Systems specific, man packable The XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) is a Future Combat Systems specific, man packable The XM1216 Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle (SUGV) is a Future Combat Systems specific, man packable (The XM1216... - TALONFoster-Miller TALONThe Foster-Miller TALON robot is a small, tracked military robot designed for missions ranging from reconnaissance to combat. Over 3000 TALON robots have been deployed to combat theaters. -Overview:...
Terrestrial
- ACERArmored Combat Engineer RobotThe Armored Combat Engineer Robot is a military robot created by Mesa Robotics. Roughly the size of a small bulldozer and weighing 2.25 tons, ACER is among the larger of the terrestrial military robots. Nonetheless, like many other military robots, it has a modular body, allowing for adjustments...
- Battlefield Extraction-Assist Robot
- BigDogBigDogBigDog is a dynamically stable quadruped robot created in 2005 by Boston Dynamics with Foster-Miller, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Harvard University Concord Field Station. BigDog is long, stands tall, and weighs , about the size of a small mule. It is capable of traversing...
dynamically balancing quadruped - CrusherCrusher (robot)Crusher is a autonomous off-road Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle developed by researchers at the Carnegie Mellon University's National Robotics Engineering Center for DARPA. It is a follow up on the previous Spinner vehicle...
- Dragon RunnerDragon RunnerDragon Runner is a military robot built for urban combat. At 9 pounds it is light enough to be carried in a Marine's backpack. The original project was funded by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab in conjunction with Carnegie Mellon University...
- MATILDAMATILDA (Military robot)Mesa Associate's Tactical Integrated Light-Force Deployment Assembly is a remote control military robot designed by Mesa Robotics. As with many other contemporary military robot designs, it is small and relatively portable; MATILDA is 30 inches long, 12 inches tall, 21 inches wide, and weighs 61...
Nanoscale
- New York UniversityNew York UniversityNew York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
walking DNADNADeoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
robot Smallest Robot: Science Videos - Science News - ScienCentral
Walker
- BigDogBigDogBigDog is a dynamically stable quadruped robot created in 2005 by Boston Dynamics with Foster-Miller, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Harvard University Concord Field Station. BigDog is long, stands tall, and weighs , about the size of a small mule. It is capable of traversing...
dynamically balancing quadruped - AnybotsAnybotsAnybots Inc. is a robotics company founded in 2001 by Trevor Blackwell. It is located in Mountain View, CA.- QA :QA, debuted at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show is the first of Anybots' two telepresence Robots. QA, a , robot, balances on two wheels, like a Segway, has 5-Megapixel cameras, two...
Dexter, the first dynamically balancing biped - TimberjackTimberjackTimberjack was a manufacturer of forestry machinery for both cut-to-length and whole tree logging who have been a subsidiary of John Deere since 2000.-History:Timberjack was owned by the Eaton Corporation in the 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s...
Walking Machine logger
Non-autonomous (human operated)
These machines are human operated and not autonomous. Therefore they do fit the classical description of a robotRobot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
.
Exoskeleton
- Berkeley Lower Extremity ExoskeletonBerkeley Lower Extremity ExoskeletonThe Berkeley Lower Extremity Exoskeleton is a robotic device that attaches to the lower body. Its purpose is to complement the pilot's strength by adding extra force to one's lower extremity bodily movements...
- SarcosSarcosSarcos is an American engineering and robotics firm based in the University of Utah Research Park in Salt Lake City, Utah. It specializes in robotics, microelectromechanical systems, medical devices, artificial limbs, and powered exoskeletons...
/RaytheonRaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
XOS Exoskeleton, currently the most advanced exoskeleton, research for the XOS is funded by DARPA and NIST for use in the military and to "replace the wheelchair".
Research
- Tufts UniversityTufts UniversityTufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
morphing chemical robot Tufts to develop morphing 'chemical robots'
Software
- Microsoft Robotics StudioMicrosoft Robotics StudioMicrosoft Robotics Developer Studio is a Windows-based environment for robot control and simulation. It is aimed at academic, hobbyist, and commercial developers and handles a wide variety of robot hardware....
- .NET.NET FrameworkThe .NET Framework is a software framework that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows. It includes a large library and supports several programming languages which allows language interoperability...
based - VxWorksVxWorksVxWorks is a real-time operating system developed as proprietary software by Wind River Systems of Alameda, California, USA. First released in 1987, VxWorks is designed for use in embedded systems.- History :...
- operating systemOperating systemAn operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
, notably used by ASIMOASIMOis a humanoid robot created by Honda. Introduced in 2000, ASIMO, which is an acronym for "Advanced Step in Innovative MObility", was created to be a helper to people. With aspirations of helping people who lack full mobility, ASIMO is used to encourage young people to study science and mathematics...
American robotics companies
- Boston DynamicsBoston DynamicsBoston Dynamics is an engineering and robotics design company best known for the development of BigDog, a quadruped robot designed for the U.S. military with funding from DARPA, and DI-Guy, COTS software for realistic human simulation...
- Evolution RoboticsEvolution roboticsEvolution Robotics is an American company specializing in robotics technologies from Pasadena, California. The product range covers computer vision, localization and autonomous navigation....
- Foster-MillerFoster-MillerFoster-Miller, Inc., is a United States based military robotics manufacturer, a division of the United Kingdom's QinetiQ North America. Its two best-known products are TALON robots and LAST Armor....
- Intuitive SurgicalIntuitive SurgicalIntuitive Surgical Inc. is a corporation that manufactures robotic surgical systems, most notably the da Vinci Surgical System. The da Vinci Surgical System allows surgery to be performed remotely using robotic manipulators. The company is part of the Nasdaq-100 and S&P 500...
- iRobotIRobotiRobot Corporation is an American advanced technology company founded in 1990 and incorporated in Delaware in 2000, the iRobot Corporation designs robots such as an autonomous home vacuum cleaner , the Scooba that scrubs and cleans hard floors, and military and police robots, such as the PackBot...
- Willow GarageWillow GarageWillow Garage is a robotics research lab and technology incubator devoted to developing hardware and open source software for personal robotics applications. It was started in late 2006 by Scott Hassan, an early Google employee who helped develop Google's technology. Steve Cousins is the president...