QUANTUM LEAP
History of Robots: From Leonardo to Optimus
By Rebecca Pedrazzi
Quantum Leap is a new programme where past and future meet in a journey through art, technology and innovation. From ELIZA to ChatGPT, from Duchamp to Klingemann, from Klee to Nake; we will explore together how yesterday’s innovations are shaping tomorrow. A dialogue between human creativity and digital tools, from virtual reality to synthetic landscapes, redefining the boundaries of the possible. An appointment for those who want to understand the future through the processes that build it.
When was the first robot created?
The idea of building machines capable of imitating human actions has ancient roots and has developed through different eras, from Greek insights to modern advancements in robotics. Aristotle, in the 4th century BCE, envisioned autonomous tools, anticipating the modern concept of the automaton. In the 1st century CE, Hero of Alexandria designed mechanical devices capable of performing actions like pouring liquids, using ingenious systems of pressure and counterweights.
During the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci marked a turning point: in addition to his famous inventions, he designed a mechanical lion in 1515 to celebrate the alliance between Francis I and Pope Leo X. This self-propelled automaton, which opened its chest to reveal lilies, showcased Leonardo’s ingenuity in combining art, mechanics, and political symbolism.
In the following centuries, the tradition of automata flourished in Asia and Europe. In Japan, 17th-century Karakuri were mechanical dolls that could dance or serve tea. In the 18th century, Jacques de Vaucanson built modern automata, such as the flute player and the mechanical duck, capable of simulating complex actions. However, the word “robot” was only coined in 1921, with Karel Čapek’s play R.U.R.
Optimus and Modern Robotics
Today, the term “robot” encompasses new technologies that integrate artificial intelligence, achieving continuous improvements. Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot presented by Elon Musk, embodies this evolution. Designed to revolutionize factory automation and assist with domestic tasks, Optimus is not just a mechanical machine but a system capable of adapting and learning, thanks to AI derived from Tesla’s vehicles.
The successes of robotics in science and medicine are remarkable. The Da Vinci surgical robotic system enables operations with extreme precision, while explorers like Perseverance push the boundaries of knowledge on Mars. The journey from the first automata to Optimus Gen 2 represents humanity’s dream of overcoming its limits, combined with the awareness that robotics can become a valuable ally. Will we be able to maintain a firm grip on ethical boundaries?
Rebecca Pedrazzi
Rebecca Pedrazzi is an art historian and critic specialised in AI Art, curator and journalist. Born in Milan, she graduated in Art History and Criticism at the University of Milan with the thesis ‘Il Mercato dell’Arte Contemporanea’ (The Contemporary Art Market) and began working as an Art-Advisor in an art management company, also developing an in-depth knowledge of Old-Masters. In 2017 he founded the online art and culture magazine NotiziArte.com, and in 2018 he became a freelance journalist. Since then he has written more than 3,500 articles on national and international art and culture events, now with a targeted focus on the most current topics of the latest technologies applied to the art world. In 2021, he published the book ‘Possible Futures. Art Scenarios and Artificial Intelligence’ – Publisher Jaca Book. She currently lectures for courses and masters on AI and the world of Art and is active, on the educational side, with publications, conferences and dedicated webinars. She has collaborated with various organisations such as VAR Digital Art for the VDA Award, and with CINECA for the GRIN S+T+ARTS Residencies project. She is a member of the Gallery Climate Coalition (GCC) and collaborates with the Neuromarketing and Metaverse Department AINEM and the European project PERCEIVE. She co-curated the exhibition ‘L’opera d’arte nell’epoca dell’Intelligenza Artificiale’ – Parma, Palazzo Pigorini, the first collective exhibition dedicated to Italian AI Art. In 2024 she worked in the Artificial Intelligence Observatory team at the European Institute of Design (IED) where she currently teaches ‘Phenomenology of Contemporary Arts’.
