a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
This Robot has had several guises over the years. From large, round, eyes with lamps in them and large ears with microphones, to a female form with curly hair breasts on the chest plate, and then one with insulators on its head. It also has many names, including The ROBOTER, ALPHA, Astra*, Mary Ann, Eric, …
"Sparky" the Robot Pup appeared in Dec 1958-Jan 1959 issues of Popular Electronics. Full pdf here Sparky the Robot Pup PE Dec 1958-Jan 1959. HOW IT WORKS When main switch S1 is closed, all relays stay in their unactivated position and power is supplied only to the drive motor (M2) and "eye" lights. The …
Read More “1958 – Sparky the Robot Pup – Gaylord Welker (American)”
A.H. Bruinsma Roboter Schaltungen Orig 1958 German edition, Eng translation 1965. Actually called “Cyber” (pronounced Seeber). These books are Philips publications, and I think Bruinsma worked for Philips. Notes: 1. Anne Hendrik Bruinsma is probably more well known for his work in Radio-control. (I previously thought Anne was a female name, but can be Male in …
Read More “1958 – Cyber the Dog – A.H. Bruinsma (Philips) (Netherlands)”
The model seen here is Dr. Andre (Andrew) John Angyan's first cybernetic model, Machine Reproducatrix, built in Budapest, Hungary. It very much follows the Grey Walter tortoise in terms of construction and function (of CORA – Machina Docilis). His later machines, constructed by Kretz with Zemanek, are the subject of a later post. Image is from …
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The Cybernetic section of the the Moscow Politechnical museum. You can see "Beta" in the centre. It is quite small in size. The other clear-plastic model was built for the museum and is the subject of another later post. There is a single drive motor, only driving the left-hand side wheel. The …
Read More “1957 – Cybernetic Tortoise “Beta” – Vasilyev and Petrovsky (Russian)”