a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
Nellie at Sandy Bay Museum. Photo courtesy Larry Gavette. Nellie's control panel. Photo courtesy Larry Gavette. Caption: Perhaps the earliest model built still in existance, this elephant was in the Sandy Bay Country Museum in Exmouth when this video was taken in 1980 or so. This model is the one sold at auction and ended …
Read More “1950 – “Nellie” the Mechanical Elephant – Frank Stuart (British)”
I have very little information on Voltaire and his "robot". The information below is from the link now dead www.magician.org.uk/hmc/archive-2-2005-01.html 9.2 In Town Tonight – Voltaire posted 29/01/05 by Richard Morrell in Oracle Articles [No comments] Many magicians know the wonderful act of Mr. Electric – Marvyn Roy. The subject of my In Town Tonight …
Read More “1945c – Voltaire – William Jean Arrendorff – (British)”
On July 28, 1950, Frank Stuart gave his first public outing of his man-made walking elephant, walking the roads of Essex with a load of children in its howdah. This robot “Jumbo” is the remarkable invention by Mr. Frank Stuart, a theatrical mask maker and scenic artist. About two years earlier, when watching donkeys on the …
Read More “1949-50 – Mechanical Elephant – Frank Stuart (British)”
Peter Clare – Egremont, Cumbria. I keep a mechanical elephant called Snowdrop. It moves its legs and its head, lifts its trunk, squirts water from its trunk and bellows. Snowdrop can carry about six children and will be on display at the Barbican, London this summer. Tue Jan 25 09:27:12 2005 Peter Clare fashioned mechanical …
Read More “1999-2005 – “Snowdrop” the Mechanical Elephant – Peter Clare”
Frank Smith with his very first Mechanical Elephant outside his garage. (Image courtesy Larry Gavette) Eric Smith, Frank Smith's son with their Elephant. Note the distinguishing tusks. (Image supplied by Larry Gavette) (Image courtesy Larry Gavette) Letter by Eric Smith in response to Larry Gavette enquiry 24 Apr 1983. Full of information pertaining to Mechanical …
Read More “1947-51 – Mechanical Elephant – Frank Smith & Eric Smith (British)”