1950 – “Tinius” the Cybernetic Turtle – Rice University (America)

Tinius the Cybernetic Turtle c1950 – An engineering student takes a robot through its paces, 1950.  [RH-2013- Although looking like a turtle (tortoise) which suggests being a Grey Walter-inspired machines, With it two "eyes" appearing as though it is fixed to the steering, suggests more that it is just phototropic i.e. it is attracted to and will follow …

1950 – General Electric Robotic Manipulator – (American)

Five-ton robot on wheels sticks out it arm to turn a "hot" valve in Hanford plutonium plant. One-Armed Robot Tackles Hot Jobs A ONE-ARMED robot is turning the valves in the giant plant at Hanford, Wash., that makes A-bomb plutonium out of uranium. The new robot looks like a railroad handcar with a small Navy …

1950 – Toy Unicycle Pedaling Clown – Wilfredo Perez (American)

A gyroscopic toy, that imparts a walking motion via a reciprocating crank, driven via a worm off the flywheel shaft. The bottom part is interchangeable so that the pedaling unicycle can be replaced by walking stilts, or a leg arrangement for tight-rope walking. Patent number: 2588040 – see full patent details here. Filing date: Apr …

1950 – Elliptical Walking Wheels – John Kopczynski (American)

Source: MECHANIX ILLUSTRATED August, 1949 Truck Walks on Wheels ADMIRAL Richard E. Byrd's transport troubles in the Antarctic ten years ago started John F. Kopczynski, a student engineer, thinking: "Why can't wheels walk?" Conventional wheels merely spun and bogged down helplessly in the deep snow. Walking wheels could pull like the tracks on a tractor …

1950 – “Nellie” the Mechanical Elephant – Frank Stuart (British)

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 …