a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
No, not a bumpy ride. Most likely a cam similar to the "Square Wheel" rides on the swingarm and driven by the main pedal crank. This vehicle was submitted by an employee to the All-Honda Idea Contest in Japan in 1974. Source: Popular Science, Aug 1974. See other Walking Wheels at the bottom of the Walking …
The Japanese owner of a Chinese restaurant in Los Angeles has installed a robot waiter because he thinks they are more efficient than his human waitresses. The robot carried trays of food and other orders on March 11 to the waiting customers and was well received by the patrons. One customer was satisfied with the …
Read More “1983 – “Tanbo R-1” the Robot Waiter – (Japanese)”
From Kenji Yanobe, one of Japan’s most creative contemporary artists, comes the whimsical sculptural work "Soul of Bubble King" . Inspired by the Japanese subculture of Anime and Manga, Yanobe’s works are intellectually inquisitive and convey a stoic persistence in facing adversity in everyday life. Created in 1992, "Soul of Bubble King" is a monumental sculpture …
Read More “1992 – “Soul of Bubble King” – Kenji Yanobe (Japanese)”
The inflatable hand first appears at The First Annual International Computer Art Exhibition – Cybernetic ARTRIP, Oct. 6-21th. 1973 at the Ginza SONY Salon. See Shiro Takahashi's website here. When trying to squash a balloon having a particular shape, it is necessary to apply unexpectedly large force, and even if forcibly trying to squash the …
Read More “1973 – “Babots” Balloon Robots – Shiro Takahashi (Japanese)”
CAPTION: ROBOTS ON PARADE Keisuke Inada of Bridgestone Corp.of Tokyo adjusts the Soft Arm robot, a multijoint robot that resembles a human arm in its movements, at Cobo Hall. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers expects 25,000 people to attend its AUTOFACT '90, an exposition demonstrating computer-integrated manufacturing. Photo is dated 11/13/90. Pneumatic actuator for manipulator …
Read More “1983 – Bridgestone “Rubbertuator” – Takeo Takagi and Yuji Sakaguchi (Japanese)”