a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
Source: Popular Mechanics Feb 1938. G.G. Hutton sells his partnership to George Washington Shrum. Most images of "Jumbo" post the 1939-40 N.Y. World's Fair are shown as "Rosie" and owned by Shrum. Most of the photos below are sourced from Life magazine. Life have over 70 images, I've just selected a few. Lucky for the …
Read More “1938 – Mechanical Elephant – George and Gordon Hutton (American)”
A book cover with elephant. the article says the book was published in 1948. The cover reads the book title "Happy modeling & handicraft" and the author "Tokyo metropolitan kogei (craft) high school instructor Jiro Aizawa". The elephant was made by himself (the pet name is "Tamakichi-kun"). Thank you Hisashi Moriyama for providing a translation …
Read More “1948 – “Tamakichi-kun” the Mechanical Elephant – Jiro Aizawa (Japanese)”
Caption: 森永製è“ã®ãƒãƒœãƒƒãƒˆè±¡ã€è¡—ã‚’è¡Œãï¼ç†Šæœ¬å¸‚内 (English translation: Morinaga robot elephant goes to the town–city Kumamoto) Other than the image, I have little other information about this mechanical elephant. Image was taken in 1958 in Japan, I believe. RH update Feb 2011 – Thanks to Hisashi Moriyama from Japan I now have the following information. Robot Elephant was made …
Read More “1957-8 – “Toffee-kun” the Robot Elephant – “Kowa Display Company” (Japanese)”
Frank Smith with his very first Mechanical Elephant outside his garage. (Image courtesy Larry Gavette) Eric Smith, Frank Smith's son with their Elephant. Note the distinguishing tusks. (Image supplied by Larry Gavette) (Image courtesy Larry Gavette) Letter by Eric Smith in response to Larry Gavette enquiry 24 Apr 1983. Full of information pertaining to Mechanical …
Read More “1947-51 – Mechanical Elephant – Frank Smith & Eric Smith (British)”
One of the first known rideable mechanical elephants, called "Mechanical El" in the video clip, This machine is actually a walking machine, but the Howdah frame is on skids close to the ground. Quite a lot of large walking machines use this stabilising and load-carrying technique. Invented by M. Marcel Survivet of Paris, France, and …
Read More “1932 – “Mechanical El” the Mechanical Elephant – M. Marcel Survivet (French)”