a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
A catalogue of Cybernetic Animals, including pre-Cybernetic Creatures
ASTOR V1 [Image from "Cybernetics" , John Frederick Young, 1969] As from the text below, ASTOR V1 used discrete components and was built by P. A. Kidd and C. J. Lloyd. It was probably built earlier than the book date, but I have not found any other record of this. ASTOR V2 [ no …
Read More “1969 – “Astor” – Aston Cybernetics Laboratory (British)”
Les amateurs de « zoologie » électronique sont aujourd'hui légion. Ici, une « tortue » réalisée par le chercheur belge André[sic] Delsemme et qui, comme ses consoeurs, est capable d'apprentissage (arch. ph. Boulanger/Ministère de l'Éducation nationale — Service Cinématographique, Bruxelles). English Translation The amateurs of electronic “zoology” are now legion. Here, a “cybernetic tortoise” made …
Read More “1964 – Cybernetique Tortue (Cybernetic Tortoise) – Armand Delsemme (Belgian)”
Pic and article from The Machine: As Seen at the End of the Mechanical Age by Pontus Hulten (Beautiful pressed-metal Hardcover – 1968) Robin Parkinson. American, born 1943 (artist) Eric Martin. American, born 1943 (engineer) Toy-Pet Plexiball-Ball. 1968 Plexiglass, electrical equipment, motor, microphone, synthetic fur bag; sphere, 11" diameter. The Toy-Pet Plexi-Ball has three …
Read More “1968 – Toy-Pet Plexi-Ball – Robin Parkinson and Eric Martin (American)”
From: Cybernetic Serendipity : The computer and the arts. Studio International special issue 2nd Ed revised Sep. 1968 Bruce Lacey – Mate 1967 Electronic parts, aluminium, batteries, motors, etc. 24 X 24 X 72 in. Built as a companion to R.O.S.A., which it follows automatically and generally interacts with. Using ultrasonics, infra-red and sonic signals. …
Read More “1967 – MATE for R.O.S.A.B.O.S.O.M. – Bruce Lacey (British)”
Charles Rosen with "Shakey" c1970. Shakey is one of the more well known and documented autonomous automaton. With the then more topical name of "Artificial Intelligence", the "Cybernetic" world starts to lose favour. We are now entering the era of "Intelligent Automata". The research proposal for "APPLICATION OF INTELLIGENT AUTOMATA TO RECONNAISSANCE" presented on 22 …
Read More “1967 – “Shakey” – Charles Rosen, Nils Nilsson, Bertram Raphael et al (American)”