a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
"Bottle Suit" Wernher von Braun holding model of the Bottle Suit. Bottle Suit The Bottle Suit shows that when you plan to make your dreams come true, you have to create a number of intermediate solutions to problems you didn't anticipate. Problems like how to assemble a Space Station in Space. In order to assemble …
Read More “1954 – “Bottle Suit” – Wernher von Braun / Walt Disney (American)”
Space Tug – 1949 The above image from a 2010 calendar with Bürgle's illustrations. I don't know if the Space Station illustration was previously published and if so, where? The caption suggests it was unpublished at the time. The Space Tugs are being used to hold and manoeuvre large panels during construction. Klaus Bürgle – …
Read More “1949 – Space Tug (Illustration) – Klaus Bürgle (German)”
Manned/Unmanned Lunar Explorer (MULE) Another Dual-Mode (Manned/Unmanned) LRV for Post-Apollo missions. This one with manipluator arms. Courtesy of one of NASAs system engineering courses. Source: here. See other early Space Teleoperators here. See other early Lunar Robots here.
1.0 INTRODUCTION Teleoperator technology is presently being studied within NASA for on-orbit applications, including assembling of large structures, servicing and retrieval of satellites. The orbital teleoperator program is being conducted by MSFC and is designed to produce a suitable system for a series of Earth Orbital Teleoperator. The orbital teleoperator system will include small dextrous …
Read More “1972 – Extendable Stiff Arm Manipulator (ESAM) – Marshall Space Flight Center (American)”
The Rancho Anthropomorphic Manipulator (RAM) was built to test manipulator arms for use aboard the Space Shuttle. Orthotic manipulator arms. A man in space is relatively helpless in many respects; to perform useful work, he has to have special tools and some kind of assisting control mechanisms. The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) has long been …