Keywords
Citation
Engelberger retires, J. (2001), "Joe Engelberger retires", Industrial Robot, Vol. 28 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ir.2001.04928eab.007
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2001, MCB UP Limited
Joe Engelberger retires
Joe Engelberger retires
Keywords: Robotics, HelpMate, Robotics
Dr Joe Engelberger (Plate 3), well known as the "father of robotics" has retired. He was the founder of Unimation Inc., the world's first industrial robot manufacturer, and is generally considered to have been the driving influence in the creation of the industrial robot industry. The Robotics Industries Association annually presents the Joseph F. Engelberger Awards to "persons who have contributed outstandingly to the furtherance of the science and practice of robotics".
Plate 3Dr Joe
Engleberger
More recently he has been chairman of HelpMate Robotics Inc. (formerly known as Transitions Research Corporation). The mission of HRI is to give robots a spectrum of sensory perception so that mobile, sensate robots can work shoulder to shoulder with human mentors in service activities. The company's flagship product is HelpMate®, a robotic hospital courier, installed in over 80 US hospitals as well as in Europe and Japan.
Dr Engelberger's latest cause celebre has been a two-armed, mobile, sensate and articulate robot that could be a servant-companion for elderly cognitive but mobility impaired individuals (see "A day in the life of Isaac", Industrial Robot, Vol. 27 No. 3,pp 176-80).