a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
Nellie at Sandy Bay Museum. Photo courtesy Larry Gavette. Nellie's control panel. Photo courtesy Larry Gavette. Caption: Perhaps the earliest model built still in existance, this elephant was in the Sandy Bay Country Museum in Exmouth when this video was taken in 1980 or so. This model is the one sold at auction and ended …
Read More “1950 – “Nellie” the Mechanical Elephant – Frank Stuart (British)”
SABOR with younger "brother" Nico (left) in Chicago. A video clip of SABOR's younger brother and sister can be found on the Archivio Storico Istituto Luce site here. The site is in Italian. Check box "archivio cinematografico" and search on "Notizie brevi da Gossau". Girl reading brochure on SABOR as handed out by Nico (Gossau, St Gallen, …
Read More “1959 – Nico, St. Nikolaus and SamiKlause – Peter Steuer (Swiss)”
The Wonderful Electric Elephant Written in 1903 by Frances T. Montgomery, The Wonderful Electric Elephant is children's story in which Harold and Ione take a trip around the world in a life-sized mechanical elephant. The tale describes their magnificent adventure and journey. Interestingly for this site though, the book was illustrated by Cassius M. Coolidge, …
Read More “1903 – “The Wonderful Electric Elephant” – Frances T. Montgomery (American)”
I have very little information on Voltaire and his "robot". The information below is from the link now dead www.magician.org.uk/hmc/archive-2-2005-01.html 9.2 In Town Tonight – Voltaire posted 29/01/05 by Richard Morrell in Oracle Articles [No comments] Many magicians know the wonderful act of Mr. Electric – Marvyn Roy. The subject of my In Town Tonight …
Read More “1945c – Voltaire – William Jean Arrendorff – (British)”
The popularisation of “Man-Amplifiers” was largely due to the movie “Aliens” directed by James Cameron and released in 1986. Earlier scenes introduce it as it is, a power loader for heavy materials. Ripley later uses it as an equaliser for a “mano e mano” with the queen alien. Earlier concept by Syd Mead. Later designs by …