PeopleofSuperintelligence

Builder

Robert Kinoshita

Also known as Bob Kinoshita

Robert Kinoshita was a Japanese American designer of screen robots, including Robby the Robot and the B9 robot for Lost in Space. Born in Los Angeles in 1914, he grew up in Boyle Heights, studied architecture at USC and earned a bachelor's degree in architecture and design in 1940. After leaving Poston with a sponsor's help in 1945, he worked as an industrial designer in Wisconsin and returned to California production design in the 1950s. Robby entered Carnegie Mellon's Robot Hall of Fame in 2004; Kinoshita retired with more than 1,200 television and motion-picture credits and died in Torrance in 2014 at age 100.

Badges

Timeline

  1. 1914–1940

    A USC architecture degree

    Born in Los Angeles in 1914, he grows up in Boyle Heights and studies architecture at USC. He earns a bachelor's degree in architecture and design in 1940.

  2. 1945–1950s

    From Poston to California

    A couple in Milwaukee agrees to sponsor his release from Poston in 1945, and he works as an industrial designer in Wisconsin. He returns to California in the 1950s, resumes production design and moves into television.

  3. 1956

    Robby for Forbidden Planet

    In 1956, he designs and builds the Robby the Robot suit for Forbidden Planet.

  4. 1965–1968

    Designing the B9 robot

    Lost in Space runs from 1965 to 1968, and he designs the B9 robot for the series. In an interview, he identifies himself as the designer of both B9 and Robby the Robot.

  5. 1976

    Farewell to Manzanar

    In 1976, he serves as production designer on the telefilm Farewell to Manzanar.

  6. By 2014

    More than 1,200 credits

    By retirement, he has more than 1,200 television and motion-picture credits.

  7. 2004

    Robot Hall of Fame induction

    In 2004, Robby joins Carnegie Mellon's Robot Hall of Fame, and Kinoshita accepts the award on the robot's behalf.

  8. 2014

    Death in Torrance

    He dies in Torrance in December 2014 at age 100.

  1. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labsIncludes University of Southern California. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labs. We compare publishing careers, recent citations, dual appointments and job moves across 2,420 university researchers and 308 frontier-lab researchers.
  2. Universities had a net outflow of 2,068 moves in AI careersIncludes University of Southern California. Our estimates of career flows and median h-index across universities and companies in AI, including the role of joint appointments and earlier academic jobs.
  3. People shaping AI work at a median of 3 organizations over a career: 3 for university starters and institute and lab starters, versus 2 for company startersIncludes University of Southern California. Across 6,853 people shaping AI with a dated work role, we estimate a median of 3 parent organizations over a career (mean 3.6), comparing role groups, starting sectors and starting decades from the 1950s to 2020–2026.
  4. Google has the highest combined h-index among AI organizationsIncludes University of Southern California. We estimate that Google holds the highest combined h-index at 8,016, while universities account for 73% of the deduplicated total across AI organizations.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Robert Kinoshita yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Robert Kinoshita dies at 100; designer of famed film robots - Los Angeles Times latimes.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Pan-Asian Metropolis — Robert Kinoshita & His Remarkable Robots – Eric Brightwell ericbrightwell.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Robert Kinoshita | Emmy Awards and Nominations | Television Academy televisionacademy.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. R.I.P. Robert Kinoshita, designer of famous robots | The A.V. Club avclub.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Lost in Space - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. The B9 Robot Builders Club b9robotbuildersclub.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. OCHAZUKE: Celebrating a Century! - Rafu Shimpo rafu.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  8. Carnegie Mellon Inducts Second Class into Robot Hall of Fame™ cmu.edu. Checked 21 October 2026.