Robots! Merging Man and Machine
June 10 - September 25, 2005
We think of robots as modern aspects of our technology-driven culture, but the concept of the mechanical man goes back to antiquity and recurs in many cultures and civilizations throughout the ages. Today we take robots almost for granted. They are staples of literature and entertainment as well as essential elements in the production of goods.
What is a robot, anyway? Do they have to look like people? How did they get their name? When did the concept of mechanical man first surface? What makes a robot work? What can they do well, and where do they fail in comparison with living creatures? How have robots influenced popular culture? And what do you expect from robots in the future?
Robots exist in many forms and perform many functions, from entertainment and education to manufacturing and service. Here you can learn about robots past and present - from the earliest appearances of mechanical men and animals to robots that the military uses today to explore caves in Afghanistan.
The notion of artificial or mechanical men is at least as old as ancient Greece, but the word "robot" was not coined until the early 20th century when it appeared in the play R.U.R., for Rossum's Universal Robots, by Czech playwright Karel Capek. Shortly afterwards German filmmaker Fritz Lang showed a bleak vision of a totalitarian future in his film Metropolis, featuring a beautiful female robot named Maria.
In the United States, science dominated and robots took on a more practical aspect. At the 1939 Worlds Fair in New York, Westinghouse exhibited the robotic man Elektro and his dog, Sparky. These robots were clearly here to serve mankind, not to dominate.
Since then, engineers have developed robots that can assemble automobiles, do surgery, perform precision handling of semiconductor components and chemical substances, and explore other planets. Authors and movie-makers have incorporated robots, both friend and foe, into works to amuse or terrify us, such as R2D2, HAL, B9, Robby, Gort and other cyber-stars of film and TV.
The Technology Challenge
Robot History
Industrial Robots
Robots in Society
Robots in Medicine
Robotic Vehicles
Robots in Space
Robots in the Home and Office
Quotes about Robots
Exhibit photos
Robot Roundup day
Bibliography
Websites
ASIMO Robot A look at Honda's ASIMO Robot
Babbage Difference Engine in LEGO How to build a LEGO-based computing machine.
Bay Area LEGO User's Group Website for BayLUG, with news, links and contacts
DARPA Grand Challenge The Robotic Vehicle race is won by Stanford! What's next?
History of Robotics 6th grade (Junior Division), 1999 History Day project: 1st place California State competition, Best Historical Website
LEGO MINDSTORM Website See what's new with LEGO robotics
PC in LEGO Making a PC from LEGO elements. This article from PC magazine includes a video of the construction.
Mars Rover videos NASA/Jet Propusion Laboratory site with videos of how the Mars Rover robot operates and navigates.
NQC website NQC is an expert-level way to write programs for LEGO robots.
Robotics Research Group Robotics at the University of Texas
Short History of Robots A short summary as seen by NASA
Snake robots Videos of robots that slither!
Universal Robots Robotics as seen by TheTech
Publications
LEGO MINDSTORMS Idea Book, Joe Nagata, No Starch Press, San Francisco, 1999
Robot Building for Beginners, David Cook, Apress, 2002
Robotics Past, Present & Future, David C. Knight, William Morrow & Company, New York, 1983
Robots: Reel to Real, Barbara Krasnoff,Arco Publishing, Inc., New York 1982
Credits and acknowledgements
The Museum of American Heritage acknowledges the many contributions of individuals and organizations who contributed their time, knowledge, equipment and support to the great benefit of this exhibit.
Kyle Barriger, Jr.
Wendy Breu
Bay Area Lego User's Group
Castilleja School
Ri-Chee Chou
Computer History Museum
Exponent, Inc.
Gary Guthart
Dr. Gavin Miller
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
Immersion Corporation
Intuitive Surgical, Inc.
iRobot Corporation
Camp Peavy
Monroe Postman
Emily, Jeff & Brandon Risberg
Dr. Victor Scheinman
Bob Schneeveis
Dr. Mike Van der Loos
David Wegmuller
MOAH Exhibits Committee
Theodora Nelson, Chair
Beth Bunnenberg
Dick Clark
Sierra Gonzalez
Bob Katzive
Isabel Kennedy
Art Nothoff
Kim Pack
Beryl Self
Bill Wehrend
2005 Museum of American Heritage Sponsors
The Frank Livermore Trust * The Moore Family Foundation * See's Candies
This page last updated: May 1, 2006
Original content: Copyright © 2000 - 2006 Museum of American Heritage
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