05/02/2017 GeorgeDevol:ALifeDevotedtoInvention,andRobotsIEEESpectrum

George Devol: A Life Devoted to Invention, and Robots

By Bob Malone
Posted 26 Sep 2011 | 12:51 GMT

GeorgeDevolwasonly9yearsoldwhentheword"robot"firstappeared,in1921,introducedinKarelCapek'splay
R.U.R.(RossumsUniversalRobots)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.U.R._%28Rossum%27s_Universal_Robots%29).Therobotsintheplayhada
humanformandweremanufacturedinvatslikebeer.Incontrast,therobotsthatDevolwouldinventdecadeslater
wereelectromechanicalmachinesthefirstdigitallyoperatedprogrammableroboticarmsandtheywouldstart
arevolutioninmanufacturingthatcontinuestothisday.

Devol(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Devol),whodiedAugust11,2011,attheage99,wasaprolific
inventorandentrepreneur.Hisworkledtothedevelopmentofthefirstindustrialrobot,calledUnimate[photo
above],aprecursorofthemachinesthatnowautomateassemblylinesallovertheworld.Buttheindustrialrobot
wasonlyoneofhiscontributions.Withover40patentsunderhisbelt,Devolspenthislifetimetransformingideas
intorealproducts.

IwasfortunatetospeaktoDevolseveraltimes,inpersonandbyphone,
andinhisconversationshewasalwayshumble,perceptive,and
interestedinthefuture.Heenjoyedtalkingabouthisinventions,but
nevermadeboastfulclaims.Aboveallheseemedexcitedbyallthe
technologycomingalongthathemightstilluse.Beinginhispresence,
IfeltlikeIwasinteractingwithoneofthosemindsthatonlycomealong
veryrarely,aworldchanginginventorlikeEdisonorTesla.

BornintowealthinLouisville,Kentucky,GeorgeCharlesDevol,Jr.
becameinterestedinelectricityandmachinesatanearlyage.He
attendedRiordanPrepandgainedsomepracticalexperiencehelpingrun
theschool'selectriclightplant.Buthedidn'tgotoanengineeringschool
upongraduation.Hestartedacompany.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/industrialrobots/georgedevolalifedevotedtoinventionandrobots 1/3
05/02/2017 GeorgeDevol:ALifeDevotedtoInvention,andRobotsIEEESpectrum

Itwasatimewhentheageofelectricmotorsandgenerators,controlengineering,electricaltransmission,andradio
technologywasinliftoff.Thefirstsoundfilms,knownas"talkingpictures"or"talkies,"criedforbettersound
integration,andDevolsawanopportunity.Heusedhisexperiencewithvacuumtubes,photocells,andcircuitsto
formUnitedCinephoneCorp.,in1932,tryingtogainapositioninfilmsound.

Butthecompetitiondrovehimtootherpastures.Usingthephotocellsandvacuumtubesheknewsowell,heended
upcreatingoneofthetechnologicalmarvelsofthemodernworld:theautomaticdoor.Helicensedthetechnologyto
afirmcalledYale&Towne,whichcommercializeditasthe"PhantomDoorman"photoelectricdoor.

Devolwentontoworkwithcolorprintingpressesandpackagingmachines,andeventuallydevelopanearlyformof
barcoding,andlater,digitalmagneticrecording.Hewasmovingeverclosertorobots.

In1939,WestinghousedisplayedElectrotherobotattheNewYorkWorldsFair.Itwasalargeclanking,talking
theatricalfulfillmentofallthosepulpandsciencefictionimagesthatdominatedthenewsstandssomeofwhich
werereadbyDevol.

Infact,in1941IsaacAsimovcoinedtheword"robotics"inhisstory"Liar!(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liar!)"in
AstoundingScienceFictionmagazine.AsimovtoldmeingreatdetailwhenwemetoneeveninginNewYorkwhyhe
coinedtheword.Hewastiredoflistingalltheactivitiesaroundrobotssuchasdesign,construction,operations,
manufacturing,etc.Hewantedawordtocoverallofthis.HedidnotknowatthetimethatDevolwasalreadythe
livingembodimentofrobotics.

DuringtheWorldWarIIperiod,DevolworkedatSperryGyroscope,wherehehelpeddevelopradarsystemsand
microwavetestequipment.LaterheorganizedGeneralElectronicsIndustriesinGreenwich,Conn.,whichwould
becomeoneofthelargestproducersofradarandcounterradardevices.

Afterthewar,heworkedonseveralotherinventions.Hewaspartofateamthatdevelopedthefirstmicrowaveoven
product,theSpeedyWeeny,whichautomaticallycookedanddispensedhotdogs.

In1954,DevolappliedforapatentforadevicecalledtheProgrammedArticleTransfer.Lookingforan
entrepreneurialpartner,Devolfoundone,atacocktailparty,bythenameofJosephEngelberger
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Engelberger),anexecutivewithengineeringdegreesfromColumbia
University.Engelberger,whosharedanenthusiasmforsciencefictionwithDevol,tookthetransfermachinetohis
heart,hetoldmeduringaninterviewin1977.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/industrialrobots/georgedevolalifedevotedtoinventionandrobots 2/3
05/02/2017 GeorgeDevol:ALifeDevotedtoInvention,andRobotsIEEESpectrum

Theirdevicemorphedfrom"programmedarticletransfer"to"manipulator"to"robot."DevolandEngelbergermade
thisdecisiontohelpimprovetheirmarketingopportunities.Sellingtheconceptevenwithaworkingprototypewas
anuphillchore.Butitpaidoff:Therobotconnectiongavetheprojectanextradoseofenergythathelpeditsucceed.

ThefirstUnimate,aproductoftheirnewUnimationCorp.,washydraulicallypowered.Itscontrolsystemrelied
upondigitalcontrol,amagneticdrummemory,anddiscretesolidstatecontrolcomponents.In1961thefirst
UnimatewasinstalledataGMplantinTrenton,NewJersey,toassistahotdiecastingmachine.Unimationwould
soondeveloprobotsforweldingandotherapplications.PatentNumber2,988,237
(http://www.google.com/patents?id=nBlQAAAAEBAJ&zoom=4&pg=PA13#v=onepage&q&f=false)wastheseed
thatspawnedtherobotindustry.

InoneofmyencounterswithDevol,atthe1997AutomationHallofFame
(http://www.pearcedesign.com/ahof/index.html)ceremony,Ipresentedhimwithanaward
(http://www.pearcedesign.com/ahof/honorees.html).Duringthereception,Sico
(http://www.internationalrobotics.com/comrobots_mil.htm),anentertainmentandeducationalrobot,rolledover
toDevolandsaid,Father,sogoodtoseeyou!AsmilebrokeoverDevolskindface,andwealllaughed.

InasubsequentconversationDevoltoldmethatnoneofhisinventionswereacceptedquicklyoreasily.His
persistence99yearsofitmadetheworldadifferentplace.Maywhateverrobotangelsexistliftyouupandlet
yourestinpeace.

Images:BobMalone

http://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/industrialrobots/georgedevolalifedevotedtoinventionandrobots 3/3