The first robot was steam-powered in 1898
In 1898, a pioneering steam-powered mechanical figure, often called the first robot, walked using boiler-generated pressure, foreshadowing modern automation and its challenges.
Long before the word 'robot' existed, a groundbreaking steam-powered mechanical figure, widely considered the first humanoid robot, emerged in 1898. This four-foot-tall, 100-pound invention used a small chest-mounted boiler to power pistons, allowing it to take rudimentary steps. While clockwork automatons had entertained for centuries, steam offered greater power for sustained motion, a significant leap in animating artificial life.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.
Continue Reading in App
1 more paragraphs · plus a 3-question quiz