On the path to the ideal assistant: the story of humanoid robots in the Hall of Inventions

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Alongside smart machines and equipment, humanity has long dreamed of having humanoid robots as assistants. The main milestones in turning this useful idea into reality are reflected in the Hall of Inventions exposition at the National Centre RUSSIA.

The first sketch of a humanoid robot was created as early as 1495 by the greatest master of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci. He designed a robot frame that was programmed to perform human-like movements. However, the idea remained on paper due to the lack of the necessary technical foundation. 

In 1949, American inventor Tony Sale created George, one of the first humanoid robots. More than half a century later, in 2007, Canadian robotics enthusiast Trung Le introduced Aiko, the first female humanoid robot (gynoid), from a workshop in his home basement.

In 1886 — 121 years before the creation of the first version of Aiko — an entire novel was dedicated to a humanoid robot, "The Future Eve." Its author, the French writer and playwright Philippe-Auguste-Mathias de Villiers de l’Isle-Adam, described the "functionality" of the mechanical woman Hadaly (which means "ideal" in Hebrew) as follows: "If you press the ruby on the ring on the middle finger of Hadaly's right hand, she will walk straight ahead without any external help or languidly lean on her companion's arm." 

In Russia, 2023 saw the nationwide fame of the humanoid robot Ardi, created by the Perm-based company Double U Expo using the Robo-C robotic platform from Promobot. This cutting-edge Promobot with artificial intelligence was first showcased to the public at the International RUSSIA EXPO at the Perm region stand. Ardi moves like a human, can hold conversations on any topic, sings well, and even composes hits.

At the National Centre RUSSIA, visitors can see the programmable humanoid toy robot Alpha 1 Pro. This charming little robot is designed for both entertainment and learning. Flexible, durable, and smart, it makes a great companion for both children and adults.

These and other technological innovations await you at the National Centre RUSSIA every day except Monday, from 10:00 to 20:00. Free tours start every 15 minutes from the main information desk.