History's 10 Most Influential Robots

13.04.2012
It wouldn't be right if GeekTech didn't do something for , and if there is one thing this blog loves, it's robots. Robots are all around us, from the coffee machine in the kitchen at home, to the assembly lines in factories at work. But where did robots first come from? Which were the most significant in delivering the kind of machines we have today?

While there are hundreds of incredible robots to choose from throughout the ages, here is a list of just a few of the most significant or memorable robots throughout history, arranged in chronological order.

That's right--the first robot is really that old. , the Greek philosopher, astronomer, mathematician, and statesman, may very well have laid down the principle of mathematical mechanics. Why? One of his many projects was a wooden mechanical bird, dubbed , which was propelled by steam and could apparently fly for up to 200 meters. This feat might not only be the first robot ever created, but also one of the first flying contraptions.

Even Leonardo Da Vinci is responsible for part of robotics history--he made the first human-like bot. In 1495, he created which, according to sketches, would stand, sit, lift his visor, and move its arms.