Learn the Latest in Today's Technology

The term "robotics" was not coined by a scientist or even an industrialist. Science fiction writer Issac Asimov created the term, and the name stuck. The first industrial robot patent came about in 1954, and by the 1960s, industrial robots entered the automotive industry, but industrial applications of robotic automation has evolved far beyond that.

Building everything from washing machines to automobiles, industrial and robotic automation saves millions or even billions of dollars a year in labor costs. Although robots might seem more science fiction than fact, thousands of simple industrial robots populate several industries. Technically, a robot is a device that is reprogrammable, runs automatically, manipulates objects and can move in three axes. In most cases, this includes robot arms.

Today, simple manipulation of objects features as a secondary function. With improved technology and artificial intelligence, now industrial robots can actually solve problems and deal with unknowns. With this many advances in a short amount of time, the use of robotic automation in industrial applications is likely to continue to grow over the coming decades.