Joseph Engelberger
“Father of robotics” who co-created the first industrial robot
- Lived
- 90 yrs
- 1925 – 2015
- Works listed
- 1
- Book
- Honours
- 1
- Most recent 1997
- Profile views
- 0
- 0 followers
Joseph Engelberger was an American engineer who, with inventor George Devol, founded Unimation and built the Unimate, the first industrial robot, installed at a General Motors plant in 1961. Often called the father of robotics, he later developed hospital service robots. He died in 2015.
Biography
Background
Engelberger studied physics at Columbia and was a fan of Isaac Asimov’s robot stories.
Meeting Devol
At a 1956 cocktail party he met George Devol, who had patented a “programmed article transfer” machine. They founded Unimation.
Unimate
The first Unimate robot arm began handling hot die-cast parts at General Motors in New Jersey in 1961. Robots spread through car factories worldwide, especially in Japan.
Service robots
In 1984 he founded Transitions Research, which made HelpMate robots to carry supplies in hospitals. The Engelberger Robotics Award is named after him.
Timeline
-
1925
Born in New York City, United States
-
1956
Meets George Devol
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1961
First Unimate at GM
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1966
Unimate on The Tonight Show
-
1980
Robotics in Practice
-
1984
Founds Transitions Research
-
2015
Dies
-
2015
Died, aged 90
Notable works
-
1980
Robotics in Practice Book
Awards and honours
-
Japan Prize
1997
Did you know?
-
1
A Unimate robot poured beer and putted a golf ball on The Tonight Show in 1966.
-
2
He was inspired by Asimov’s I, Robot.
-
3
He shared the Japan Prize in 1997.
Connections
Frequently asked
Who is Joseph Engelberger?
Joseph Engelberger was an American engineer who, with inventor George Devol, founded Unimation and built the Unimate, the first industrial robot, installed at a General Motors plant in 1961. Often called the father of robotics, he later developed hospital service robots. He died in 2015.
When did Joseph Engelberger die?
Joseph Engelberger died on 1 December 2015 at the age of 90.
Where is Joseph Engelberger from?
Joseph Engelberger was born in New York City, United States.
What is Joseph Engelberger known for?
Joseph Engelberger is best known for Co-founding Unimation; the Unimate robot (1961); HelpMate service robots.
What awards has Joseph Engelberger received?
Notable honours include Japan Prize (1997).
References
- Joseph Engelberger — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Joseph Engelberger — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Joseph Engelberger (Q1398876) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Joseph Engelberger”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Joseph Engelberger.” TrackFame, last updated 4 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/joseph-engelberger
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