a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
MF3 Blocher-Motor GmbH & Co. KG, Metzingen, West Germany CMS Technologies, Inc., Ft. Lee, N.J., U.S. Distributor This device is a remotely controlled, tethered 4-tracked vehicle which is used in the nuclear industry and other hazardous environments. It was initially conceived and developed at the KFA Julich Research Laboratory in West Germany. Its single, light-duty, …
Read More “1976 – MF3 Manipulator Vehicle – Köhler (German)”
1970-2 – "Virgule" Remote-Controlled Manipulator. Virgule being demonstrated at an exhibition. See 1:14 and 4:16 into video clip. The MA22 arm (slave unit shown) was very innovative at the time. The motors counterbalance the rest of the arm. It was replaced in 1975 by the MA23 which is still highly successful today. The Virgule was …
Read More “1970-2 – “Virgule” Remote-Controlled Manipulator – Jean Vertut (French)”
Patent number: 5845540 Filing date: Sep 25, 1997 Issue date: Dec 8, 1998 See full patent here. Patent Abstract: A pair of connected joints is provided in a master-slave robotic system each operated by a plurality of force-imparting means. Such force imparting means for the second joint supported on a member controlled by the first …
Read More “1997 – Robotic Master-Slave Manipulator – Mark E. Rosheim (American)”
TeleOperator/telePresence System / Concept Verification Model (CVM) The TeleOperator/telePresence System/Concept Verification Model (TOPS/CVM)[34], was developed as the successor to the 'Greenman'. The TOPS/CVM consisted of a 3-DOF (degrees-of-freedom) head, a 3-DOF torso and a dexterous, force-reflective 9- DOF hand coupled to a force-reflective 7-DOF arm. Fig. 1 TOPS from Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San …
Read More “1991 – TOPS TeleOperator/telePresence System – Smith and Shimamoto (American)”
“Greenman” (1983-1988) – The first anthropomorphic (human configured) manipulator developed at SSC San Diego was the Remote Presence Demonstration System, nicknamed “Greenman”. It was assembled in 1983 using MB Associates arms and a SPAWAR Systems Center San Diego-developed torso and head. It had an exoskeletal master controller for the human operator’s torso, arms, and head. …
Read More “1983-88 – “Greenman” Teleoperator – Smith & Armogida (American)”