1923-8 – Robot – Capt. Alban J. Roberts (New Zealand/Australia/U.K.)

Captain Alban J. Roberts – mobile, light operated automaton 1920’s (responsible for robots attributed to Jasper Maskelyne (music halls). I have also seen this automaton incorrectly attributed to Capt W. H. Richards -Eric (in error due to similar names) . We also see the name Alan Roberts pop up as well. See video clip here.  Note that clip …

1951 – La Tortue Cybernetique (Cybernetic Tortoise) – Paul-Alain Amouriq (French)

In late 1951, Paul-Alain Amouriq, a Frenchman then aged 17, built a cybernetic tortoise inspired by Grey Walter's as published in a French science magazine Science et Vie (February 1951). Several years later Science et Vie became aware of Amouriq's tortue, and Pierre de Latil visited him and the subsequent article was published in the March …

Dr. W. Grey Walter (cont.)

Before I introduce Elmer, the first of Grey’s tortoises, a little background on Grey’s technical skills. We already learnt from the previous post that Grey was building "wireless" sets with his Dad in 1919.  The BNI Archives have a photo of a young Grey Walter at a metal turning lathe, so  he appears to be quite …