a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
The vehicle ПрОП-Ф (PrOP-F), designed by the Russian Mobile Vehicle Engineering Institute, was sent in a space mission to Phobos in 1989 (Kemurdjian et al., 1995). This 45 kg robot was able to move using hops, perform scientific experiments and transmit the collected data and the experiments results to the Earth through a radio communication …
Taking 400-foot 15-second hops, lunar "pogo sticks" could most forward at about 20 miles an hour—much faster than the four to five miles an hour of vehicles now being considered for moon exploration. The moon leaper was devised by Dr. Howard S. Seifert, scientist at the United Technology Center at Sunnyvale, Calif. This artist's concept …
Read More “1967 – “Lunar Leaper” – Dr. Howard S. Seifert et al (American)”
Patent number: 2371368 Filing date: Oct 16, 1942 Issue date: Mar 13, 1945 See full patent details here. Blurb from patent describiting capabilities and uses. This invention relates to a vehicle, and more particularly to a tank which is propelled by means of an operating leg. One Of the objects of this Invention is to …
Source: How to Invent: M.W. Thring and E.R. Laithwaite, 1977. In the first stage of an attempt to make a powered artificial leg I analysed the essential mechanism of human walking and produced the device shown above which walks on two legs by bending the knee as the thigh begins to swing forward and straightening …
Read More “1963c – Two-Legged Walker – Meredith Thring (Australian/British)”
A Tractor that Walks? Originally posted here on August 11, 2011 by heidrickaghistorycenter The Fageol 9-12 “Walking” Tractor, 3500lbs, 1919. Heidrick Ag History Center.Our collection here at the Heidrick Ag History Center includes this little tractor. Nestled in a line of other comparably sized tractors, you might first notice its because of its brown color. But …
Read More “1917 – Fageol 9-12 “Walking†Tractor – (American)”