1945 – Radio Jockey – Gernsback / Leslie (American)

Caption: This electronic Robot might have prevented the horse-racing ban, but it would cause technological unemployment among the jockey fraternity. Source: Radio-Craft for March, 1945. RADIO JOCKEY – Electronically-Controlled Robot Rider By ERIC LESLIE HORSE-RACING—the game of kings—has one great weakness. The suspicion of "fixed" races, of "pulled" horses and of dishonest jockeys, has prevented …

1961 – Archimede Bathyscaphe – Pierre Willm and Georges Houot (French)

Manipulator is shown 6:50 into video clip. Archimède bathyscaphe. Some pics by Alain Houot. Text souce: Wiki The bathyscaphe Archimède is a deep diving research submersible of the French Navy. It used 42,000 US gallons (160,000 l) of hexane as the gasoline buoyancy of its float. It was designed by Pierre Willm and Georges Houot. …

1961 – Trieste Submersible with Manipulator – Harold Froehlich (American)

1961 – Trieste Submersible with Manipulator Arm by Harold Froehlich – General Mills. Image source: Manned Submersibles, Frank Bushby, 1976. The Trieste was purchased by the U.S. Navy in 1958. Development of the manipulator arm, instigated by Don Walsh, was done by Harold "Bud" Froehlich of General Mills. Based on the Model 150 arm, it was finally …

1961 – Submaray Submersible – Doug Privitt (American)

 1961 – Submaray Submersible by Doug Privitt started being built in 1961 and was launched in 1962. Privitt inside Submaray operating the simple rod manipulator arm. It appears to slide inside a ball-and-socket joint, as can be seen in the video clip. Although a simple setup, this arm is quite efficient and versatile. The …

1952 – Deep-Sea Diving Robot – Al Mikalow (American)

TREASURE HUNTING ROBOT-A 1,500 pound diving robot is checked over by diver Al Mikalow (right) and Paul Ilsley, a diving instructor at Mikalow's diving school in Oakland, Calif. Mikalow intents to dive in the robot later this summer in a search for treasure which legend says lies waiting in the Rio de Janiero, which sank …