a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
1899 – Walking Wheel patent by James C. Anderson Publication number US647245 A Publication type Grant Publication date Apr 10, 1900 Filing date Aug 16, 1899 Priority date Aug 16, 1899 Inventors James C Anderson Original Assignee James C Anderson My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wheels for use upon vehicles …
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After recently posting the entry on Vladimir Ischein's Walking Wheel (1983), I recalled having seen something similar. It turned out to be the toy "Space Crawler" of Major Matt Mason from 1967. This toy led to several other toymakers making similar devices. 1967 – Mattel's Major Matt Mason's Space Crawler Some Space Crawler Images sourced …
1940 – "Roll-Oh" the Domestic Robot "Roll-Oh" can grasp objects, has a retractable knife in its hand, as well as a plant watering system, a can opener, and a gas-flame lighter. Its foot is also a vacuum-cleaner. Leave It to Roll-Oh (1940) Tongue-in-cheek film showing a domestic robot freeing housewives of their chores (and intimating …
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1958-62 – "Beetle" Mobile Manipulator. Background Information: Popular Mechanic's (Sep 1956) drawing made by Frank Tinsley from designs by Lee A. Ohlinger of Northrop Aviation, Inc. of a robot mechanic for the proposed atomic-powered airplane, a star-crossed project that stumbled through 10 years and $500,000 without ever getting off the ground. General Mills was one …
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1970-1 – CURV Mobile Linkage Manipulator. Originally developed for the Cable-controlled Undersea Remove Vehicle (CURV), it was adapted for potential use as a mobile nuclear manipulator as seen here. Later it was used in Bezjcy's lab at the Jet Propulstion Laboratories (JPL), along with the JPL/Ames Arm. The NEVADA/CURV system (Fig. 3) consists of …
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