The pioneers

c.10–70

Greek engineer who described self-operating machines, including a programmable cart driven by falling weights.

1136–1206

Author of 'The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices'; built early programmable automata.

1452–1519

Designed a mechanical knight able to sit, wave its arms, and move its head and jaw.

1709–1782

Built celebrated automata including the 'Digesting Duck'; a pioneer of mechanical automation.

1752–1834

Invented the punched-card loom — programmable machinery that later inspired computing.

1791–1871

Designed the Analytical Engine, a general-purpose programmable computing machine.

1815–1852

Wrote what is regarded as the first algorithm intended for a machine.

1856–1943

Demonstrated a radio-controlled boat in 1898 — an early teleoperated 'automaton'.

1890–1938

Czech writer whose 1920 play R.U.R. introduced the word 'robot' to the world.

1898–1969

Co-created the first mathematical model of a neural network (with Walter Pitts).

1903–1957

Pioneered the theory of self-replicating automata and modern computer architecture.

1910–1977

Built autonomous electronic 'tortoises' that showed lifelike, goal-seeking behaviour.

1912–2011

Invented Unimate, the first industrial robot, and held its foundational patent.

1912–1954

Founder of theoretical computer science; proposed a test for machine intelligence.

1916–2001

Father of information theory; built 'Theseus', a maze-solving robotic mouse.

1920–1992

Science-fiction author who formulated the influential Three Laws of Robotics.

1921–2017

Founded fuzzy logic, widely used in robotic and control systems.

1925–2015

Known as the 'father of robotics' for commercialising the industrial robot.

1927–2016

Co-founder of the field of artificial intelligence.

1927–2011

Coined the term 'artificial intelligence' and helped found the field.

1928–2016

Created the Logo language and the constructionist theory of learning by making.

1928–1971

Built the Perceptron, an early machine that could learn from data.

1942–2016

Designed the Stanford Arm and the PUMA, defining the modern robotic arm.

1961

The first industrial robot, installed on a General Motors assembly line in 1961.

1966–1972

The first mobile robot able to perceive and reason about its own actions (SRI).

1973

The first full-scale anthropomorphic robot, built at Waseda University.

1970

The first roving remote-controlled robot to operate on the surface of the Moon.