- The Driver's Seat
- Posts
- 🦾 Chicago's Robotics Revolution
50th Edition
⏪ Highlights from Last Week:
We celebrated our first year in the Drive Chicago office. 👇🏽
Day 1️⃣ in the new Chicago office 🚙 @drivecapital
— Landon (@landon20s)
Mar 17, 2023
Investor Mark Cuban joined us at UChicago for a two-hour long conversation on entrepreneurship. 👇🏽
Great discussion at @UChicago with @mcuban
— Landon (@landon20s)
Mar 12, 2024
📍 This Week’s Lineup:
🦾 Chicago's Robotics Revolution
📊 Chart of the Week
🗺 8 Events Around the City
🔙 Previous Editions of the Driver’s Seat
🦾 Chicago's Robotics Revolution
Chicago has a rich history in the field of robotics, driven by our manufacturing roots and passion for cutting-edge technology. Let’s take a look at how we got here:
From Steel to Silicon
Chicago's prime location near the Great Lakes and key rail networks propelled its dominance in the steel industry during the 19th and 20th centuries.
In 1955 at the Chicago Machine Tool Show, Monarch Machine Tool demonstrated the Numerical Controlled Lathe (NC lathe), which automated material shaping with programmed commands.
During the 1960s and 70s, Chicago's manufacturing industry led in adopting CNC machines (the successors to NC lathes), alongside early CAD systems.
The first NC lathe debuted in Chicago. This was the predecessor to the CNC (Computer numerical control)
The First Industrial Robot
In 1961, Chicago hosted a public demonstration of the Unimate 1900 model, which was the first industrial-use robot that could store commands and move parts in a factory.
The Unimate marked the beginning of automation in manufacturing, demonstrating how robots could take on hazardous or monotonous tasks to improve productivity and safety.
Companies like FANUC America (which has a base in Illinois) have also been pivotal by providing robotic solutions that revolutionize production lines.
The Unimate 1900 model
University Robotics Research
Illinois Tech focuses on developing autonomous systems for applications like self-driving cars, UAVs, and AUVs, emphasizing navigation, control, perception, and autonomy.
Northwestern Engineering's legacy in robotics was established in the 1950s when Professor Dick Hartenberg and his PhD student, Jacques Denavit, introduced a mathematical framework to represent the movements of mechanisms, marking a pivotal advancement in robotics.
In 2000, the University of Illinois at Chicago performed the first robotic-assisted gastric bypass.
📊 Chart of the Week
Chicago has the second-largest number of Fortune 500 HQs in the country at 31.
This doesn’t even include the numerous Fortune 500 companies that have significant offices and operations within the city.
🗺️ 9 Events Around The City
AI Tinkerers Chicago March Meetup
Hosted by Drive Chicago and AI Tinkerers
Tuesday
Chicago Climate Connect
Hosted by CCC
Tuesday
Women's History Month Luncheon
Hosted by Chicago:Blend
Tuesday
Chicago Payments Happy Hour
Hosted by 1871
Tuesday
Biotech Unblocked: Advancing Science & Medicine with AI & Blockchain
Hosted by ETHChicago
Wednesday
Women in Tech Chicago
Hosted by OutGeek Women
Thursday
EmpowerHER Series: The Next Generation
Hosted by TechNexus
Thursday
mHouse
Hosted by mHub
Friday
ChicagoBooth TechCon
Hosted by UChicago
Friday
👋 See you next week!
Tinkerer communities are catalysts for innovation.
@stevewoz started the Homebrew Computer Club 49 years ago, and we’re pursuing a similar mission with AI Tinkerers in Chicago.
Join us for our 6th meetup on March 19th. Link below.
— Landon (@landon20s)
Mar 14, 2024