Joseph F. Engelberger is an engineer and entrepreneur who is often credited with being the "Father of Robotics". Along with George Devol, Engelberger developed the first industrial robot in the United States, the Unimate. Later he worked as entrepreneur and vocal advocate of robotic technology beyond the manufacturing plant in a variety of fields, including service industries, health care, and space exploration. George Charles Devol Jr. ...

Engelberger founded the first major industrial robotics manufacturer in the United States, Unimation while Devol secured patents for the technology. The first industrial robots were installed at General Motors in the late 1950s by Unimation. Over the next two decades, the Japanese took the lead by investing heavily in robots to replace people perfoming tasks made onerous by "the three D's" (dull, dirty, and dangerous). In Japan, Engelberger is widely hailed as a key player in the postwar ascendancy of Japanese manufacturing quality and efficiency. General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM), also known as GM, is a United States-based automobile maker with worldwide operations and brands including Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Daewoo, GMC, Holden, Hummer, Opel, Pontiac, Saturn, Saab, and Vauxhall. ...

In 1966, Engelberger and a Unimate robot appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. In the segment, the robot poured a beer, sank a golf putt, and directed the band. The Tonight Show is NBCs long-running late-night talk and variety show. ... Johnny Carson John William Johnny Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American actor, comedian and writer best known for his iconic status as the host of The Tonight Show from 1962 until 1992. ...

The Robotics Industries Association annually presents the Joseph F. Engelberger Awards to "persons who have contributed outstandingly to the furtherance of the science and practice of robotics. " The 2000 World Automation Congress was dedicated to Mr. Engelberger, who delivered the keynote address.

An early proponent of increased investment in robotic systems, Engelberger published articles and gave Congressional testimony on the value of using automation in space long before successes of the NASA's Mars landers, Galileo, and other unmanned space science missions. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (established 1958) is the government agency responsible for the United States of Americas space program and long-term general aerospace research. ...

Engelberger's 1980 book, Robotics in Practice, has been translated into six languages. This was followed by Robotics in Service (1989).

Engelberger was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1984. Additional honors include the Progress Award of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Leonardo da Vinci Award of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the 1982 American Machinist Award, the McKechnie Award from the University of Liverpool, the Egleston Medal from Columbia University, the 1997 Beckman Award for pioneering and original research in the field of automation, and the 1997 Japan Prize, the highest Japanese technology honor, for the establishment of the robot industry. Founded in 1964, the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in the United States provides engineering leadership in service to the nation. ... The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering. ... The University of Liverpool is a university in the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. ... Columbia University is a private university in New York City. ...

Engelberger holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from Columbia University.

Engelberger was the founder of Unimation Inc. and served as chief executive until it was acquired by Westinghouse in 1982. Shortly after that, he founded Transitions Resarch Corporation which became HelpMate Robotics Inc. HelpMate was acquired by Cardinal Health in 1997. In his more recent work, Engelberger has focussed on mobile, sensate robots can work with human mentors in service activities. The HelpMate, a robotic hospital courier, is the most widely known and has been installed in over dozens of hospitals around the world. Engelberger has been active in the promotion and development of robots for use in elder care. Westinghouse logo (designed by Paul Rand) The Westinghouse Electric Company, headquartered in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, is an organization founded by George Westinghouse in 1886. ...