Having graduated from Columbia University in 1947, Joseph Engelberger was working at a railroad supply firm when he seized an opportunity to develop and introduce the first industrial robot to the United States. Known now as the “Father of Robotics”, Engelberger has founded three robotic companies over the course of his lifetime, has been a vocal supporter of robotics technology throughout the world, and has won numerous awards/honors for his work, including his election to the National Academy of Engineering, the Leonardo Da Vinci Award (from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers), and the Japan Prize (for establishing the robot industry in Japan). His most recent work has centered on robots in the field of elderly care.