PRESENTED BY PRESENTED BY iLoveFUN Robots FACTS Word Bank Our love of robots dates back to Ancient Greece. Automatons, or moving mechanical devices, have been on the scene for at least 2,000 years. A ANDROIDS are robots that physically look stage play in 1920 used the word “robot” forPRESENTED these mechanical BY devices, like us, from the eyes, to the skin texture to and it stuck. (Let’s face it–it’s easier to say than “automaton.”) Through the the movements. years, science fi ction writers have dreamt up more advanced robots–and HUMANOIDS are robots that have our scientists strive to make these fi ctional robots real. movements and general shape. SIMPLE MACHINES alter the magnitude or When you think of a robot, what do you imagine? direction of a force. They are the lever, wheel and Does it look and act like a person? What can it do? axle, pulley, screw, wedge, and inclined plane. Will it clean your room? 1495 1963 1986 400-350 1939 TODAY BCE Old 'Bot, New 'Bot The basic idea behind robots–getting machines to do work for us–hasn’t changed much over time. What has changed is the technology that makes them move, look and behave more and more life-like! 400-350 BCE: 1495: Leonardo da robots used by NASA body. Yes, it was a one of the fi rst robotic and grasp. It even A mechanical pigeon, Vinci designed a and the International giant. But it could arms controlled by a understands simple created by ancient “Mechanical Knight” Space Station today. walk–slowly. Sparko, computer. And that commands and can Greek mathematician which is thought to the robot dog, could changed the game in recognize some faces. Archytas, is thought to be the fi rst humanoid 1939: Westinghouse wag its tail, bark and the world of robotics. be the fi rst robot. It robot design. Cables created ELEKTRO and stand on its hind legs. Today: Androids are was powered by steam and pulleys allow the in 1940, SPARKO, for Good ‘bot! 1986: Honda began the next generation and fl ew more than armored “knight” to the World’s Fair in New research in robotics of robots. The most 600 feet (200 stand, sit, and move York. Using motors and 1963: Rancho Arm, that eventually led to realistic androids meters) until it its arms, neck and jaw, telephone technology, an artifi cial robotic ASIMO, a humanoid remain on screen ran out of, though it can’t walk. Elektro could perform arm with six joints, is robot. Starting as just in our favorite sci-fi well, steam. Da Vinci’s sketches and 26 movements and fl exible–like a human a pair of legs, ASIMO shows, but every year concepts of robotic “speak” more than arm. It was initially changed over the technology gets closer movement were 70 words, which were designed for the years. Now it has a to making fi ction reality. so advanced, they played on turntables disabled, but when whole body and can Will you be able to tell inspired the creation of inside its seven-foot the project moved to walk, run, climb stairs the difference? Stanford, it became The Perfect 'Bot What is the perfect robot for you? Think about what you would want a robot to do, how it would move and what it would look like. Then plan and draw your robot below. Q Y J L P B N S X M V A P G K I Find M D M P H U M A N O I D J C Z U the Robot A W G T K F X V K R E L Q A T A The more we learn, the more C A E Q Y J L P B N I R L T M T robots we make–and name! H I L A Y L Q Y C M W C U L F V Can you fi nd these robots? I C E Y J L P B N I R G A A Y E ANDROID N P K I R O B O N A U T D S A J ROBONAUT E J T U T D K A Y S G R Y I P A ICUB P Q R A Q K B V I I S D G J L V ASIMO D L O T A L C P U M E Z V N S X ATLAS K U G V Y T N X A O Q Q S C H A MACHINE L A Y C M W C U T X V K R E A N ELEKTRO T V A N D R O I D M A L C P U X HUMANOID S P J L P B N I Z F L I C U B O F X V K R E A N W G T K F X V X Copyright © 2015 National Geographic Society.