a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
Growing up in Australia in the 1960s, "Mini-Computer" by Ken Reinhard was my first encounter with Computers and Art. Who can tell… ART? SCULPTURE? MACHINERY? What would you expect to see at on art exhibition featuring on "environ machine" and a "mini-computer"? Something resembling office furniture? That's what I thought, until I opened my program …
Read More “1968 – “Mini-Computer” – Ken Reinhard (Australian)”
Not quite an "art robot", but Kotkowski's Laser Chromason Mark II impressed me greatly in 1974 in terms of Electronic art and Laser art. Its design even has a robotic look about it. The above images sourced from here, and flipped for correct orientation. MEANJIN QUARTELTY Vol 68 No. 1, 2009. http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/82683/20090515-0729/www.meanjin.com.au/editions/volume-68-number-1-2009/article/light-becomes-the-medium/index.html Light Becomes the Medium …
Read More “1972-4 – Laser-Chromason Mk II – J. S. Ostoja-Kotkowski (Polish-Australian)”
Fred – a light-seeking robot by Peter Holland. from Radio Control Models & Electronics, December 1964. Fred is a light seeking elictrically propelled tricycle with a light sensitive automatic homing device. The basic principles of light sensitive circuits have been combined with a simple scanning device to give proportional automatic steering to a single driving …
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Lux' protozoon * This device is a model of a unicellular animal: it consists of a short rubber cylinder with two slots (Fig. 98). According to the ideas of its inventor, it is anchored in a brook, half submerged in the water. The water in the "protozoon" is considered as the "food" it is in …
Read More “1920 – Electro-mechanical “protozoon” – Fritz Lux (German)”
The published posts for W. Grey Walter and his Tortoises. ELMER – a new species of animal – M. speculatrix ELSIE – M. speculatrix ELSIE – upgraded CORA – the tortoise – M. docilis Grey Walter’s Tortoises – the video clips Time-Lapse Photographs of ELMER with ELSIE W. Grey Walter and the Festival of …