a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
Want to lie in your hammock and mow the lawn in repose? The Homko Robot mower can be maneuvered by a remote control panel, one lever for forward, stop and reverse, and another for right and left. Since the cord that attaches this brain to the mower is 40 feet long, you can mow 40 …
Read More “1954 – “Homko” Robot Remote-controlled Lawnmower – (American)”
William "Bill" M. Brobeck joined the UC Berkeley lab in 1937 and moved several years later to Orinda with his late wife, Jane Knox. Their home became a local landmark in the mid-1950s, after Mr. Brobeck used his engineering talents to build an automatic lawn mower. Neighborhood kids would gather outside the couple's backyard to watch …
Read More “1954 – Radio-controlled Lawnmower – William M. Brobeck (American)”
Programmed Article Transfer by George C. Devol Jr. See full patent details here. Patent number: 2988237 Filing date: Dec 10, 1954 Issue date: Jun 13, 1961 Joseph Engelberger on the left, George Devol Jr on the right – c1960 [Image credit: The Estate of George C. Devol] In the patent, Devol wrote, "the present invention makes available …
Read More “1954 – Programmed Article Transfer Patent – George C. Devol Jr. (American)”
Another early patent that looks surprisingly modern was granted for a robot called 'Improvements in or relating to Positioning or Manipulating Apparatus' invented by Cyril W. Kenward. The British patent was filed March 29, 1954 and was published August 21, 1957, and preceded George Devol's first robot patent by several months. It is an interesting …
Source: Popular Mechanics, April 1970. 1- SQUARE WHEELS WORK BETTER than round ones in this system for use on rough terrain- The sharp-cornered treads dig in on snow, mud, sand or steep grades, providing increased traction for trucks, tanks and other military vehicles. At the same time, ingenious self-leveling geometry provides a smooth ride on …
Read More “1954 – Square Walking Wheel – Albert Sfredda (American)”