This article caught my eye. History’s 10 Most Influential Robots

They apply a somewhat loose definition of the term “robot.” But check this out:

1738: The Duck
French inventor Jacques de Vaucanson created a number of autonomous robots in his time, but The Duck is one of his more revered works.

The mechanical duck had over 400 different parts, which isn’t too surprising considering what it could do. It could flap its wings, and it could eat, digest, and subsequently defecate. That’s a pretty impressive robot!

No mention of the coming robot apocalypse however.