George Charles Devol youngest was 9 years old, when the word "robot" first appeared in 1921 in the work of Karel Capek's RUR (Rossum Universal Robots).Robots in the play were outwardly similar to humans were created in the tank, as beer.Unlike robots Capek's robots are Devol invented decades later, there were electromechanical machines.The first digitally programmable robot control, who invented Devol, a revolution in the production process, which continues to this day.Devol, was a prolific inventor and entrepreneur.His main work is the creation of the first industrial robot «Unimate», which was the first of a series of machines that are now automate assembly lines worldwide.But the creation of the first industrial robot was only one of his contributions.With more than 40 patents in his hands, Devol spent his life transforming ideas into real products.
Devol was always humble, receptive, and interest in the future.He loved to talk about their inventions, but it was not boastful statements.He came in the excitement of all the technology that created and all that he used as his ideas.Being in his presence, all felt that interacted with one of those minds that seldom come to change the world as the inventor Edison or Tesla.
George was born in a wealthy family in Louisville, Kentucky.George Devol interested in electricity and machines at an early age.He did not go to college with an engineering bent, instead he created his own company.
It was a take-off of electric motors, generators, power transmission and radio technology.The first films with sound, known as the "talkies" were not the best quality and Devol he said that to improve the sound he could use his experience with vacuum tubes, photocells, and diagrams.Later, he tries to get a position in the movie as a specialist in sound.
competition pushed him to turn off the sound on ways to improve the way to improve other technologies.Using photocells and vacuum tubes he knew so well that he eventually created one of the greatest creations of the modern world: the automatic doors.Later, he licensed the technology of photovoltaic door.
Devol continued to work with color printing and packaging machines, and invented an early kind of bar coding, and later a digital magnetic recording.Every new invention moves it closer to the robot.
In 1939, "Vestinhaus" at the World Fair in New York, puts an electronic robot.It was a major breakthrough, it was something out of science fiction, which dominated the newsstands.
During World War II, he worked in Devol "Sperry Gyroscope", where he participated in the development of radar systems and equipment, microwave conducted tests.Later, he organized the headquarters of the "Electronic Industries" in Greenwich, Connecticut, which will be one of the largest manufacturers of radar and kontrradarnyh devices.
After the war, he worked on several other inventions.He was part of the team that developed the first product, a microwave "Speedy Uini", which automatically cook hot dogs.
In 1954, Devol filed documents of the patent for a device called "Programmable transmission device."He was looking for a partner for a new business, and found him at the party, it turned out, Joseph Engelberger, an engineer from Columbia University.Engelberger only one who shares the passion for science fiction Devol and took the idea to build the machine is close to the heart.
marketing purposes Devol and Engelberger turned his utroystvo of "programmed transmission device" in the "manipulator", and then "robot."
first industrial robot «Unimate» (article about modern industrial robots and systems integration), the product of the new company «Unimation Corp», was equipped with a hydraulic drive control system, the memory on magnetic drums and discrete solid-state management component.In 1961, the first «Unimate» was installed at the factory "Dzheniral Motors" in Trenton, New Jersey, to help the car with a hot casting.«Unimation Corp» quickly develop robots for welding, as well as other kinds of robots.Patent №2988237 for the first robot was the seed that gave birth to robots for industry.
In the following conversation Devol said that none of his inventions were not accepted so quickly and easily.His perseverance and 99 years of life - made the world another.
George Devol was not August 11, 2011, he died at the age of 99.
