Rise of the robot: Celebrating 40 years of industrial robotics at ABB

In this centenary edition of ABB Review, one other important anniversary can be celebrated: It has been 40 years since ABB (then ASEA) introduced its first robot, the ASEA IRB 6, thus launching ABB's fascinating story in robotics. As the world's first allelectric, microprocessorcontrolled, commercially available industrial robot, the IRB 6 was a historically significant machine. Since its launch, the field of robotics has changed drastically - almost beyond recognition. While many new and groundbreaking robotic developments have come along over the years, it is the technologies that have made robots easier to use and that have lowered the barriers to robot implementation that have made the biggest difference and accelerated the pace of robotic adoption.