Setting the Record Straight: The Forgotten First Robots of Myanmar
Recently, an article began circulating that claimed Myanmar's first robot was a boat-spraying machine invented in 1986 by U Kyi of the Insein G.T.I Civil Department. The author proudly stated that this invention predated similar technology in Japan. While that 1986 achievement is certainly noteworthy and deserves its own recognition, the historical record is missing a vital chapter.
As someone who lived through that era and walked the very halls of Insein G.T.I., I feel a profound duty to ensure future generations are not mistaken. Myanmar’s true leap into robotics actually happened two decades earlier.
A Spark of Curiosity in 1966
In February 1966, I was an eighth-grade student diligently preparing for my upcoming entrance exams. During that time, the annual Union Day was being celebrated with grand exhibition galleries at the Kyaikkasan Stadium in Yangon. I desperately wanted to go, but my studies kept me tied to my desk, forcing me to swallow my curiosity.
However, word quickly spread about a technological marvel on display at the galleries: a mechanical walking robot created by the brilliant minds at the Government Technical Institute (G.T.I.) in Insein. I did not know exactly who built it at the time, but the legend of that early automaton captured my imagination.
The "Man on the Moon" Takes the Stage in 1969
By 1969, I had proudly enrolled at Insein G.T.I. to study Industrial Power. That year, the institute brought an even more advanced creation to the Union Day Gallery, and this time, I was able to see it with my own eyes.
The mastermind behind this second robot was U Hla Than Win, the esteemed Head of the Telecommunications Department. Implemented alongside his dedicated second- and third-year telecommunications students, this new marvel was a massive leap forward—it could not only walk but also talk. Aptly nicknamed the "man on the moon," it became the undeniable star of the exhibition.
The event was so significant that Dr. Nyi Nyi, the Minister of Education at the time, personally attended. The exhibition was wonderfully interactive; visitors could ask the robot preset sample questions from a posted list. For example, a visitor could ask, "What color shirt am I wearing?" Watching the robot respond was nothing short of magical and demonstrated a staggering level of innovation for the late 1960s.
Honoring the Real Pioneers
I write this account today driven by a deep sense of historical responsibility. We recently lost our visionary teacher, U Hla Than Win, who passed away in the United States over forty days ago. The brilliant young students who helped build that talking robot in 1969 are now over seventy years old, living out their later years scattered across Myanmar and abroad.
Even though I was a Mechanical Engineering student and the two teachers were not obviously close, I cannot let the true pioneers of our country’s robotics history be overshadowed by an article claiming 1986 as the starting point. The innovation born at Insein G.T.I. in the late 1960s was decades ahead of its time. By sharing these memories, I hope to preserve the legacy of U Hla Than Win and his students, ensuring that Myanmar's true technological history is remembered accurately by the generations to come.
