The Muslim scientist who invented the world's first robotic device!
Beginning:
Muslim civilization has been the source of creativity and innovation in all areas of world development. But due to the lack of extensive study of these histories among us, the burning truths are being suppressed. Many people think that Muslims have no contribution in the knowledge and science of the developed world. But this is not the real picture.
Robert Briffault writes in his 'The Making of Humanity', 'Arab civilization has an important role in the knowledge and science of the developed world. There is no stage in the development of European culture and civilization in which Arab influence is absent' (The Making of Humanity, p. 202). Muslims are occupying the seat of parents in every department in the knowledge and science practice of the developed world. Muslims gave the first gifts to the world in the fields of medicine, chemistry, physics, mathematics, optics, astronomy, geography, philosophy, literature and poetry. You can read this CNN post to get a brief idea about this.
Today we will get to know a great scientist from among them. Who is called the father of robotics. He was also a scholar, inventor, mechanical engineer, craftsman, artist and mathematician.
Badiuz Zaman Abul Eez Ibn Ismail Al-Jazari. He was born in 1136 AD in Jazeera Ibn Umar, on the banks of the Dazla (Tigris) River in Turkey. He was an eminent scholar, inventor and mechanical engineer. He was a great scientist of Muslim civilization. From 1174 to 25 long years, he continued to pursue science. This great scientist invented the first robotic device in science. He was assisted in his research by the ruler of Adir region, Nasir-ud-Din Mahmud (he was a descendant of Salah-ud-Din Ayyubi). It was at his request that Ismail al-Jazari preserved his researches in booklet form. Which is named, 'Kitabul Hiyal'. As he was also a skilled painter, his theories of invention were illustrated in Arabic pictorial style in a way that helped the reader to understand and reconstruct his theories easily. (One Thousand and One Inventions Muslim Heritage in Our World, p. 15)
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| Badiuz Zaman Abul Eez Ibn Ismail Al-Jazari ; Image Source: Roar Media |
The book has been restated into numerous languages of the world. Some of its original copies are preserved in some of the world's famous museums. Among which the famous 'Louvre Museum' of France and the 'Arts Museum' of Boston, USA are one of them. Visitors to museums look at the book with great care. 100 years after his death, European scientists invented various devices based on those ideas. The English historian Donald R. Hill in his book "Studies in Medieval Islamic Technology" mentions: "There is no way to deny the importance of Al-Jazari in the history of engineering. Until modern times, no other civilization has written such a description of the design, manufacture and various instructions of comparable instruments. Its influence can be seen in the design of later steam-engines and internal combustion devices.
In the middle of the 19th century, the English orientalist and scientist Donald Hill (1922-1994 AD) translated the book and brought it out of the museum and into the eyes of the curious. Which is named, 'The Book of Knowledge of Engineers Mechanical Devices'. (Wikipedia)
American historian and engineer Professor Lane White Jr. (1907-1987 AD) writes in the introduction to 'The Book of Knowledge of Engineers' Mechanical Devices' that the basic ideas and designs of many automatic devices invented in Europe today are taken from Al-Jazari's book.
Al-Jazari did not stop with the idea of automation. Rather, he also invented some valuable tools through his practical application. Among which is a washing machine with automatic flush mechanism. Through which King Nasiruddin Mahmud performed ablution. Today's scientists believe that this is the world's first robotic device! This is where other robotic devices are conceived. (previously)
Also among his inventions is the Elephant Clock, a specimen of which is currently displayed at the Ibn Battuta Shopping Mall in Dubai. There is Al-Jazari's 11 feet high Astronomical Fort-Clock which shows the zodiac and the solar and lunar orbits in addition to telling the time.
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| Medieval Robot; Image Source: National Geographic |
Al-Jazari also built water-powered peacock-robots and automatic doors as part of a water-powered clock. He created a humanoid robot waitress, which could serve drinks. Al-Jazari invented an automatic basin with flush technology, which is used in modern flush toilets today. It features a woman-robot standing near a basin filled with water. When the user pulls a lever, the water goes down and the woman-robot refills the basin. A boat with four musical robots built by Al-Jazari will float in an artificial lake to entertain royal guests. By rotating its programmable drum sticks, the drummer can play the drum in different rhythms and rhythms. He credited the world with many more such inventions.