a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
Prosopographus Selected extract from the full post by Patrick Feaster here. Between 1820 and 1835, a machine was exhibited around Great Britain that was advertised as taking people’s portraits by strictly automatic means. Someone had only to pay a shilling and sit perfectly still next to it for the space of a minute to obtain …
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The Kaufmann Trumpeter had leather bellows for lungs and reeds which imitated the sound of a brass instrument. The Kaufmann family from Dresden. Friedrich id on the right. Text incorrectly dates the 'Robot' from 1910, it should be 1810. [Source: Popular Mechanics Aug 1950] Trompeter This is an example of a program (e.g. stepped drum) …
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1849 – Flute-Playing Automaton by Innocenzo Manzetti. A comparison photo above showing the Flautist's size with a real person. In 1849 Innocenzo Manzetti constructed a flute-playing automaton, in the shape of a man, life-size, seated on a chair. Hidden inside the chair were levers, connecting rods and compressed air tubes, which made the automaton's lips …
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Automata A modern piece of elephant automata. Ducamps automata made for Barnum. The above automaton, by Decamps, shows further articulation in the legs, offering a 'knee' action. Martinet elephant clock c1790. See youtube video clip here and here . Walkindg model elephant made from Meccano.
"Psycho" at the Museum of Science, London. (Image source: Mechanical Toys – Charles Bartholomew) My intent in putting up this entry is to draw attention on the aspect of remote control by which the slave component is anthropomorphic. This fits in with the early history of teleoperators and manipulators. All other aspects of "Psycho" are well …
Read More “1875 “Psycho” the Whist-playing Automaton – Maskelyne & Clarke (British)”