Robotic hand gripping a pole, c. 1990
Credit: Computer History Museum

Games and Robots

Processing power became inexpensive in the 1970s, which made products for entertainment economically practical. Early arcade games came first. They were followed by home video game consoles, which became the largest user of microprocessors. Early handheld electronic games paved the way for handheld video games -- now a multi-million dollar industry. Robots were first developed in research labs in the early 1960s to experiment with computer control and sensing, artificial limbs and automated manufacturing. As they increased in ability and size, many industries adopted robots to perform repetitive or dangerous tasks. Inexpensive robots are used as classroom teaching tools, home educational toys, and entertainment curiosities.