Robot Education Resources
- 1977: Star Wars is released. George Lucas' movie about a universe governed by the force introduces watchers to R2-D2 and C-3PO. The movie creates the strongest image of a human future with robots since the 1960's and inspires a generation of researchers.
- 1986: LEGO and the MIT Media Lab collaborate to bring the first LEGO based educational products to market. LEGOs are used by in the classrooms of thousands of elementary school teachers.
- 1986: The Society of Manufacturing Engineers Robotic Technology and Engineering Challenge (now known as the National Robotics Challenge) was started under the guidance and inspiration of Tom Meravi, Associate Professor from Northern Michigan University and the late Dr. James Hannemann.
- 1989: FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded by Dean Kamen to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology.
- 1992: In an attempt to build a radio controlled vacuum cleaner Marc Thorpe has the idea to start a robot combat event.
- 1992: FIRST holds its first competition in a New Hampshire high-school gym. There are 28 teams to compete in the "Maize Craze" challenge.
- 1994: Marc Thorpe starts Robot Wars at Fort Mason center in San Francisco, CA.
- 1995: The second annual Robot Wars event is held at Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, CA.
- 1998: Tiger Electronics introduces the Furby into the Christmas toy market. It quickly becomes "the toy" to get for the season. Using a variety of sensors this "animatronic pet" can react to its environment and communicate using over 800 phrases in English and their own language "Furbish".
- 1998: LEGO releases their first Robotics Invention System 1.0. LEGO names the product line MINDSTORMS after Seymour Papert's seminal work of 1980.
- 1999: LEGO releases The Robotics Discovery Set, Droid Developer Kit and the Robotics Invention System 1.5.
- 2000: Humanoid robots, Honda Asimo, Sony Dream Robots (SDR), and the AIBO robot dog are showcased.
- 2000: The Battlebots event is held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
- 2000: LEGO releases the MINDSTORMS Robotics Invention System 2.0
- 2001: LEGO releases the MINDSTORMS Ultimate Builder's Set
- 2001: The SME announced the end of sponsorship for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Robotic Technology and Engineering Challenge.
- 2002: Honda's ASIMO robot rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
- 2003: SONY releases the AIBO ERS-7, its 3rd generation robotic pet.
- 2004: The humanoid, Robosapien is created by US robotics physicist and BEAM expert, Dr. Mark W Tilden.
- 2004: The previously held Society of Manufacturing Engineers Robotic Technology and Engineering Challenge evolves into the National Robotics Challenge under the leadership of Marion, OH, educators Ed Goodwin, Ritch Ramey, and Tad Douce.
