Inventor controls his robots up to two miles away
One of England's most ingenious robot inventors is Dennis Weston of Leeds. His best known creation is Tinker, a six-foot-taII robot that can be programmed for such tasks as washing a car (upper right). Tinker is activated by some 430 motors and can be controlled up to two miles away via Weston's control panel (upper left). A TV camera in the robot's head even transmits a picture to the operator. In the two lower photos, Weston is shown at work on a new creation, Percy. Electronic sensors in the head (right) receive high-frequency signals that enable Percy to calculate the best route past objects in his path.
NEWS BRIEFS – Popular Mechanics May 1970.
See Dennis Weston's first robot, Tinker, here.
Dennis worked for my company for several years (Artisair Ltd) and was a true genius, he had so many ideas buzzing around in his mind, everyone of them brilliantly unique.
Dennis worked on The ‘Jungle Cruise’ at Flamingoland, the animated animals were dotted around the large lake in the within the park, it took 13 weeks to install as it rained almost every day. The Clerk of Works was a real pain and gave us a hard time. Dennis and I was in the boat that we used to move from one scene to another. This miserable Clerk of works wanted a lift across the lake, with his toes on the bank and his fingers on the boat I pushed the boat out with the oar leaving him teetering as rigid as a plank, after around 30 seconds he succumbed and plunged headlong into the icy water. Dennis stated that he was sorry about that, I said why? he replied ‘the splash put my cigar out’ Dennis smoked 80 cigars a day and was always easy to find by his trail of cigar butts.
I shall remember him with great fondness.
Derek Cottam