Industrial robotics milestone: the first successful industrial robot (Unimate) was installed in a General Motors plant in the USA in the year 1961.

Introduction / Context:
The history of industrial robotics includes a pivotal deployment that demonstrated practical value on an automotive assembly line. Identifying the correct year of this breakthrough helps anchor timelines for automation in manufacturing and provides context for subsequent advances in control, sensing, and safety standards.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The robot referenced is Unimate, developed by George Devol and Joseph Engelberger.
• The installation site was a General Motors facility in the United States.
• The task involved repetitive, hazardous operations suitable for early robot capabilities.

Concept / Approach:
Early industrial robots were hydraulic or electromechanical manipulators designed for pick-and-place, die casting, and spot welding. The GM installation validated that robots could operate reliably in production, setting the stage for widespread adoption. The specific date most commonly cited for the first successful installation is 1961, not merely the patent date or later expansions.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Identify the robot (Unimate) and its creators.Connect the robot to the GM plant deployment that proved viability.Recall the historically recorded year: 1961.Select 1961 among the options.

Verification / Alternative check:
Multiple historical accounts of industrial robotics point to 1961 as the year of the first successful operational installation at GM for tasks like die-casting handling and spot welding.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1960: preceding development/pilot phases; not the widely cited successful production installation year.1963 or 1967: later milestones and expansions, not the first installation.None of the above: incorrect because 1961 is correct.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing patent grant or company founding dates with production deployment; overlooking the difference between demonstration and sustained industrial operation.

Final Answer:
1961