Author: cyberne1

An Expo'70 [Osaka, Japan) postcard showing Kuro-Kun. Two post-cards (one cut down) showing Kuro-Kun (Mr. Kuro).  The image is covered in a thin prismatic film so that when tilted, the robots internals can be seen. The images below show a very similar robot. Most likely the same robot, but the chest pattern and hands were possibly …

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Mr. Testu [Tetsu-Kun], unconfirmed name, also called Mr. Stamp. I've dated him as 1973, but I've also seen a reference to 1971. Mr. Tetsu on display after being restored at the Kanagawa Institute of Technology in Japan, 2008. The author with Mr. Tetsu in November, 2010. See the full Jiro Aizawa story here .

(Source: Mechanix illustrated September 1951) Robots in Ragtime The Japanese have come up with something new in toys. It’s a mechanical orchestra and its tinny music has captured the hearts of the youngsters. Jiro Aizawa, an ex-Kamikaze plane designer, is the creator. Loath to discard his mechanical training after the war, he turned to experimentation …

Read More “1940-70 – Mini Musician Robots – Jiro Aizawa (Japanese)”

Mr Hachiro appearing on the cover of a 1967 Model Magazine. Mr Hachiro (small robot second from left). A later picture of Mr. Hachiro (third from the left, front, small) with his brothers. See the full Jiro Aizawa story here .

Mr. Ryo [Ryo-Kun] on display after his restoration. Ryo-Kun during  restoration at the Kanagawa Institute of Technology in Japan in 2008. The robot's left arm follows the X-Y directions from a master arm seen here at the base being guided by a person. Close-up of the drawing hand. Close-up of the master arm. I do …

Read More “1967 – Mr. Ryo the Drawing Robot – Jiro Aizawa (Japanese)”