1820 РProsopographus, the Automaton Artist РCharles Herv̩

Prosopographus Selected extract from the full post by Patrick Feaster here. Between 1820 and 1835, a machine was exhibited around Great Britain that was advertised as taking people’s portraits by strictly automatic means.  Someone had only to pay a shilling and sit perfectly still next to it for the space of a minute to obtain …

1976 – MOB-1002 Submersible – (French)

MOB 1002 (Manipulation & Observation Bell 1002), built by Comex Industries, France, is a specially designed bell for underwater work. It has one manipulator with 6 degrees and one with 2 degrees of movement. It is also fitted with a lifting winch capable of lifting loads with a weight in water of up to 300 …

1961 – Archimede Bathyscaphe – Pierre Willm and Georges Houot (French)

Manipulator is shown 6:50 into video clip. Archimède bathyscaphe. Some pics by Alain Houot. Text souce: Wiki The bathyscaphe Archimède is a deep diving research submersible of the French Navy. It used 42,000 US gallons (160,000 l) of hexane as the gasoline buoyancy of its float. It was designed by Pierre Willm and Georges Houot. …

Early Fictional Underwater Robots and Underwater Manipulators

1907 – LE TRESOR DANS L'ABIME "LE TRESOR DANS L'ABIME" par Jean de LA HIRE –  Edition ORIGINALE datée de 1907 1907 – "Le Fulgur" « Le Fulgur » – « Le Fulgur » Publication en épisode dans la revue « Le Globe Trotter » du Jeudi 21 Mars 1907, N° 268 au Jeudi 15 …

1958 – RUM – Remote Underwater Manipulator – Victor Anderson (American)

RUM – Remote Underwater Manipulator Press Release: U.S. Navy reveals new remote control vehicle for exploring ocean bottom.: A unique remote control undersea vehicle for exploring and conducting scientific studies of the ocean bottom for prolonged periods at great depths has been developed for the Office of Naval Research. The new vehicle was demonstrated for …