When did we start using Automatic Doors?

According to The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM), automatic door technology started in the 1940s with the introduction of floor mat devices. The introduction of automatic sliding doors, the use of pneumatic powered doors with emergency breakout feature, and electric floor mat activation were present in the 1960s. In the 1970s electric operators for sliding and swinging doors were introduced, as well as motion detectors to activate sliding doors. The low energy swing door concept and the first handicapped access door operator were also introduced in the 1970s. The automatic revolving door was introduced in the 1980s, along with the introduction of active infrared presence sensors for automatic swing door safety. Motion detector activation became a standard on sliding doors in the 1980s. Automatic folding doors were introduced in the 1990s, and active infrared sensors became common items on all types of automatic doors in the 1990s.

Michael Panish is the nation's leading automatic door expert witness and author of many informative articles relating to automatic doors, how automatic doors work, and automatic door injuries. Read this article for more information about the Ins and Outs of Automatic Door Operation, by Michael Panish