Automation's Surprising History

“Automation.”

The word itself sounds fancy, doesn’t it? It sounds like a term that, in our modern age, is practically synonymous with progress, efficiency, and innovation. The concept, however, is far from novel. Rooted deep in our history, humanity's journey towards automation began when our ancestors first picked up simple tools, setting us on a path that would intertwine inexorably with the evolution of technology and civilization.

From water wheels to windmills, steam engines to computer systems, and finally, the advent of home automation, we explore the notable milestones that have brought us to our current state of advanced automation.

Automation and Mechanization: An Inextricable Link

In the infancy of our species, early humans began to shape their environment using basic tools, representing primitive attempts to augment physical strength through intelligence. Over thousands of years, simple mechanical devices, like the wheel, the lever, and the pulley, were developed, each repres…