a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
Humaniform automatons, mechanical men, robots covering late 19th century and the 20th century
Popular Mechanics May 1949 WILLIE the ROBOT WILLIE is a dapper little citizen of Hammond. Ind., with a leer in his eye and a stomach chock full of wires and gears. He's a robot, the mechanical child of Andy Bober. If you ever meet Willie, there's any number of things he may do. He introduces …
Read More “1933 – Willie the Robot – Andrew Bober (American)”
Popular Mechanics June 1913 A French Talking Automaton A new French talking automaton, just placed on the market, is said to be a great improvement over previous automatons of this kind. Located in its base are mechanisms for working the eyes, eyelids, head, mouth, arms, and the hands and fingers. Fourteen different parts may be …
Although called a "radio robot", there is no "Radio" about him. The article gets around this by refering to a previous article on "The Radio Robot". To that extent, this is a "mechanical man" to that earlier "radio robot". Otherwise he is controlled by a simple switch box. Above images and the Radio-Craft article courtesy of Linda …
Read More “1935 – Mr. X – a Radio Robot – Ted Muralt (American)”
circa 1935: Two women with Mac the Mechanical Man the radio-controlled robot invented by Leighton Hilbert. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) [Note: I don’t think Mac is radio-controlled, but there is certainly is a visual suggestion of being remotely controlled via a umbilical cord and a control box. Most likely part of the illusion. Mac is …
Read More “1934 – Mac the Mechanical Man – Leighton Hilbert (American)”
Westinghouse's first robot was "Herbert Televox" built by Roy Wensley out at their East Pittsburgh, Pensilvania plant. Wensley left Westinghouse, but another man of metal was born. Referred to as the son of "Herbert Televox", "Mr. Vocalite", later called "Willie Vocalite" was conceived and designed by Joseph (Barney) M. Barnett, member of the Westinghouse Engineering Department at their plant …
Read More “1931 – Willie Vocalite – Joseph M. Barnett (American)”