I have finally created the list of my ten favorite robots. This was a very difficult task. Choosing ten from hundreds of worthy candidates is never easy. I decided to restrict myself to robots that were developed in the last twenty years. I focused on robots that have been available for at least two years and have a significant track record of demonstrating outstanding performance. Here is my list in the alphabetical order of robot names.
1. Asimo from Honda: This was the first humanoid robot capable of running and walking on uneven slopes and surfaces and climbing stairs.
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| Asimo from Honda (Image Source: http://asimo.honda.com/) |
2. Baxter from Rethink Robotics: This was the first human-safe robot to offer bimanual capabilities at an affordable price and learning from demonstrations.
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| Baxter from Rethink Robotics (Images Source: http://www.rethinkrobotics.com/baxter/) |
3. Curiosity Mars Rover from NASA JPL: This was the first space robot that attracted wide attention from the public and inspired numerous K-12 students to get involved in science.
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| Curiosity Mars Rover from NASA JPL (Image Source: https://www.facebook.com/MarsCuriosity/) |
4. da Vinci Surgical System from Intuitive Surgical: This was the first widely used robot in minimally invasive surgeries.
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| da Vinci Surgical System from Intuitive Surgical (Image Source: http://www.intuitivesurgical.com/) |
5. LBR IIWA from Kuka: This was the first human-safe lightweight robot suitable for industrial applications involving dexterity and force sensing.
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| LBR IIWA from Kuka (Image Source: http://www.kuka-robotics.com/) |
6. LS3 from Boston Dynamics: This was the first quadruped robot capable of walking on rough terrains and stabilizing itself in the presence of large external disturbances.
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| LS3 from Boston Dynamics (Image Source: http://www.bostondynamics.com/) |
7. Nao from Aldebaran: This was the first widely used social robot in education related applications.
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| Nao from Aldebaran (Image Source: https://www.aldebaran.com/) |
8. PackBot from iRobot: This was the first robot to be widely used in bomb disposal and surveillance and was responsible for saving many lives.
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| PackBot from iRobot (Image Source: http://www.irobot.com/) |
9. Phantom from DJI: This was the first affordable quadrotor that has all the capabilities a user wants in a flying robot.
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| Phantom from DJI (Image Source: http://www.dji.com/) |
10. Roomba from iRobot: This was the first robot widely used in homes.
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| Roomba from iRobot (Image Source: http://www.irobot.com/) |
This list was restricted to ten robots, so I had to leave out many worthy candidates. I would like to hear about your favorites.
