a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
1909 – Occultus -also Barbarossa [redbeard] Very little is known other than a weird photo and article on an automaton / robot named "Occultus" recently exhibited in Berlin by a man named Whitman. Its quite probable that Occultus can't perform all the functions he's purported to do, but possibly some of them, so I haven't yet …
The entry is significant in that it highlights the technologies of the time that enabled most of the early electric animals, mechanical men then later the robots to be operated remotely by sound, light, or radio waves. This technology and underlying principles influenced these machines for at least 50 years. The technology is studied in detail …
In late 1951, Paul-Alain Amouriq, a Frenchman then aged 17, built a cybernetic tortoise inspired by Grey Walter's as published in a French science magazine Science et Vie (February 1951). Several years later Science et Vie became aware of Amouriq's tortue, and Pierre de Latil visited him and the subsequent article was published in the March …
Read More “1951 – La Tortue Cybernetique (Cybernetic Tortoise) – Paul-Alain Amouriq (French)”
A significant feature of the tortoises is so often referred to as "An Imitation of Life". As well as their behaviour, the tortoises construction had to be such that autonomy could be exhibited. This is somewhat driven by the technology and parts available at the time. For Grey Walter's purposes, the models had to be self-contained …
Read More “Grey Walter’s Tortoises – Batteries, Re-charging, Hutches and Autonomy”
The Ducrocq family of cybernetic animals were named “Miso” These were designated M-1 through to M-5. Some articles refer to “le renard” (French for fox) as “Job” (M-5). M-1 in most cases was referred to as Miso. It probably became M-1 when M-2 was built. So far, I have seen pictures of 6 different Miso’s. …
Read More “1951-54 – Miso, Barbara, Cesare, Felapton, Job – Albert Ducrocq (French)”