Robot Hall of Fame

Replica of the Metropolis character Maria on display at the Kamin Science Center

The Robot Hall of Fame, established in 2003 by Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, honors significant robots in science, society, and technology. As of 2025, 34 real and fictional robots have been inducted.

The organization was established by the CMU's School of Computer Science as an acknowledgement of Pittsburgh's achievements in the field of robotics and with the aim of creating a broader awareness of the contributions of robotics in society.<ref name="Creation">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The idea was conceived by School of Computer Science dean James H. Morris, who described it as a means of honoring "robots that have served an actual or potentially useful function and demonstrated real skill, along with robots that entertain and those that have achieved worldwide fame in the context of fiction."<ref name="Creation" /> The first induction ceremony was held at the Kamin Science Center on November 10, 2003.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> An exhibit named Roboworld was present at the Kamin Science Center from June 2009 until June 2022, featuring a physical embodiment of the hall of fame.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Now some of them may be found in the lobby of Rangos Giant Cinema.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

From 2003 to 2010, inductees to the Robot Hall of Fame were chosen by a panel of jurors.<ref name="Wired">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Members of the public could nominate a robot for induction with a one-paragraph explanation.<ref name="Creation" /> In 2012, the voting process was altered. Nominations were gathered through a survey of 107 authorities on robotics, then divided into four categories: Education & Consumer, Entertainment, Industrial & Service, and Research.<ref name="Wired" /> Members of the public were allowed to vote online for one of three nominees per category.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Officials subsequently derived the final list of inductees from the survey and the public vote.<ref name="Wired" /> Robot Hall of Fame director Shirley Saldamarco said of the changes:

The technology and art of robotics are advancing at an increasingly rapid rate and so the Robot Hall of Fame also must evolve. As more students, workers and consumers become accustomed to robots, it seems like a natural step to give the public a voice in selecting inductees.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>{{#if:|

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Inductees

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HAL 9000, inducted in 2003

A humanoid robot walking.

ASIMO, inducted in 2004

A robotic dog sitting.

AIBO, inducted in 2006

A rover being observed by several scientists.

Opportunity, inducted in 2010

A military robot being demonstrated.

PackBot, inducted in 2012

List of robots in the Robot Hall of Fame

Template:Tooltip	Name	Description	Category	Template:Tooltip
2003	HAL 9000	Character from the film 2001: A Space Odyssey	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	R2-D2	Character from the Star Wars franchise	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Sojourner	Mars rover developed by NASA	Research	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Unimate	Industrial robot developed by George Devol and Joseph Engelberger; first industrial robot	Industrial & Service	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2004	ASIMO	Humanoid robot developed by Honda	Research	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Astro Boy	Character from the Astro Boy franchise	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	C-3PO	Character from the Star Wars franchise	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Robby the Robot	Character from the film Forbidden Planet	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Shakey	Mobile robot developed by the Stanford Research Institute; first mobile robot able to reason about its own actions	Research	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2006	AIBO	Robotic pet manufactured by Sony	Education & Consumer	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	David	Character from the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Gort	Character from the film The Day the Earth Stood Still	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Maria	Character from the film Metropolis	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	SCARA	Industrial robotic arm developed by the University of Yamanashi	Industrial & Service	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2008	Data	Character from the Star Trek franchise	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Lego Mindstorms	Robot kit toy series manufactured by the Lego Group	Education & Consumer	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Navlab 5	Autonomous robotic vehicle developed by the Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science	Research	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Raibert Hopper	Hopping robot developed by Marc Raibert; first self-balancing hopping robot	Research	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2010	da Vinci Surgical System	Robotic surgical system manufactured by Intuitive Surgical	Industrial & Service	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Dewey	Character from the film Silent Running	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Huey	Character from the film Silent Running	Entertainment	<ref name="RHOFOrgNominate"/><ref name="DHL"/>
	Louie	Character from the film Silent Running	Entertainment	<ref name="RHOFOrgNominate"/><ref name="DHL"/>
	Opportunity	Mars rover developed by NASA	Research	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Roomba	Autonomous robotic vacuum cleaner manufactured by iRobot	Education & Consumer	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Spirit	Mars rover developed by NASA	Research	<ref name="RHOFOrgNominate"/><ref name="OS"/>
	Terminator (T-800)	Character from the Terminator franchise	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2012	BigDog	Quadrupedal military robot developed by Boston Dynamics	Research	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Nao	Autonomous humanoid robot manufactured by Aldebaran Robotics	Education & Consumer	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	PackBot	Military robot developed by iRobot	Industrial & Service	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	WALL-E	Character from the film WALL-E	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2015	Robot (B-9)	Character from the TV series Lost in Space	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2017	Template:Sortname	Character from the film The Iron Giant	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2021	Template:Sortname	Character from the TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000	Entertainment	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
	Template:Sortname	Character from the TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000	Entertainment	<ref name="2021 inductees"/>

See also

• Robotics Institute

External links

• Robot Hall of Fame at Kamin Science Center's official website