a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
A photograph of a woman listening to the 'telepathovox', taken by an unknown photographer for the Daily Herald newspaper on 17 August, 1935. Displayed on the Marconiphone stand at the Radiolympia show held at Olympia, London, the device was described as an 'amazing machine which answers questions in an uncanny manner.' Another Marconi robot (similar …
Source: Popular Science Feb, 1931. 'Popjie' being blindfolded prior to "Radiana" driving the car in Rochdale . l The wording attributes "Radiana" to Popjie, however the person in the images below and in video clip below appears to show a different performer. Is it the same person? VIDEO CLIP Gaumont Pathe Archives have a 1927 video of …
Read More “1925 – Radiana – Professor J. Popjie (Dutch/British)”
(Source: LA Herald 21 March 1906) Phroso appeared in Wisconsin in 1905: "'What is it anyway?' This is the question that is being asked by those who attended the performances at the Bijou theater and saw the act 'Phroso, the Mechanical Doll.' Phroso certainly is a puzzle, whether man or automaton. He or It is a …
Read More “1903 – “Phroso the Mechanical Doll” – Frederick Trevallion (British/French)”
Arfur the Robot Dog back in 1981 having his 15 minutes of fame. Arfur, the tin dog created by Steve Brooks of east London, approaches a lamppost, March 1981. Brooks spent nine months and almost £2,000 creating his unusual pet. (Photo by Stanley Lewis/BIPs/Getty Images) Steve Brooks of east London with his electric robot dog. …
Read More “1981 – (R4) Arfur the Robot Dog – Steve Brooks (British)”
Creeping Robot Activated Balloon (CRAB) – A clever Walking Beam model devised by Peter Holland. See pdf below for full instructions on how to build this novel walking model.