a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
Humaniform automatons, mechanical men, robots covering late 19th century and the 20th century
Ft. Lauderdale – TOMATON and his creator Lenny Schectman. July 1979. Tomaton, short for Automaton, is 6-foot tall. Lenny Schectman became involved in robotics mainly because of his interest in technology allowing the brain to be tapped to signal function in limbs of paraplegics and quadraplegics. He wanted to enter the biomedical engineering field but lacked …
Read More “1979 – “Tomaton” the Robot – Lenny Schectman (American)”
Source: (I've lost and been unable to relocate the source to this image. Please contact me if you do know the source.) This early Robot may have been in the Boston area in 1935. It looks capable of standing and sitting, raising and lowering either arm, and appears to have microphones in its ears. Like most …
Grinter & Woolich with robot – University of Florida ASEE (American Society for Engineering Education) 1957 © 2004 – 2013 University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries. State Fair, Florida (same robot as above) © 2004 – 2013 University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries.. WOW! It's A Real Robot 8 Mar 1965 Otto Matrix, a …
ROBOT DRIVER: In Frankfurt, Germany—A motorcycle with a robot driver was one of features of a spring fair. Exhibited by the N.S.U. Motor Company of Neckarsulm, Germany, the robot showed the crowds how to drive the manufacturer's motorcycle. By a system of switches and electromagnets, the robot starts the engine, changes the three gears, drives …
Read More “1950 – N.S.U. Motorcycle Robot Driver – (German)”
Jayson the robot, named after the Jaycee organisation he was built for, it is said to be built from aluminium sheeting, with flashing lights and built-in sound effects, it is operated by an electronic control panel worn by its attending master. Whilst appearing to be a man in a suit, further study suggest that the …