Robotics pioneer Joseph F. Engelberger dies at age 90

Joseph F. Engelberger, an engineer and entrepreneur who pioneered the robotics field, died Dec. 1, 2015, in Newtown, Conn. Widely known as the “Father of Robotics” and creator of the world’s first industrial robot, Engelberger revolutionized modern industrial and automotive manufacturing processes and went on to establish robotics in human services. He was 90 years old.

Born July 26, 1925, in Brooklyn, N.Y., Engelberger earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Columbia University. He founded Unimation Inc. in 1956, the world’s first industrial robotics manufacturer. Working closely with inventor George Devol, he developed the first industrial robot in the U.S., called “Unimate,” which was installed for industrial use in a General Motors plant in 1961. Since then approximately 3 million industrial robots have been installed in manufacturing facilities around the world.

Engelberger has been inducted into the U.S. Manufacturers Hall of Fame, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. The Robotic Industries Association named its annual award the Joseph F. Engelberger Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of robotics.

Other accolades include the SME Progress Award, the Nyselius Award from the American Die Casting Institute, the Leonardo da Vinci Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Machinist Award, the Golden Omega Award at the Electrical Electronics Insulation Conference, the McKechnie Award from the University of Liverpool, the Egleston Medal from Columbia University, the Beckman Award at the LabAutomation Conference, and the Japan Prize.

Engelberger received honorary doctorates from the University of Bridgeport, Briarwood College, Spring Garden College, Trinity College, and Carnegie Mellon University.