1935 – “Anthrophor” – Dr. Okolicsanyi Ferenc (Hungarian)

I have very little information on Anthrophor. The images are an extract from a Hungarian patent 118554. It appears to be tele-operated. An early Hungarian patent on a robot by Dr. János Gács The 118,544 Hungarian Patent was filed on 10th December 1936, by Ferenc Okolicsányi. It was based on a German application filed on …

1933 – Willie the Robot – Andrew Bober (American)

Popular Mechanics May 1949 WILLIE the ROBOT WILLIE is a dapper little citizen of Hammond. Ind., with a leer in his eye and a stomach chock full of wires and gears. He's a robot, the mechanical child of Andy Bober. If you ever meet Willie, there's any number of things he may do. He introduces …

1935 – Mr. X – a Radio Robot – Ted Muralt (American)

Although called a "radio robot", there is no "Radio" about him.  The article gets around this by refering to a previous article on "The Radio Robot". To that extent, this is a "mechanical man" to that earlier "radio robot". Otherwise he is controlled by a simple switch box. Above images and the Radio-Craft article courtesy of Linda …

1934 – Mac the Mechanical Man – Leighton Hilbert (American)

circa 1935: Two women with Mac the Mechanical Man the radio-controlled robot invented by Leighton Hilbert. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) [Note: I don’t think Mac is radio-controlled, but there is certainly is a visual suggestion of being remotely controlled via a umbilical cord and a control box. Most likely part of the illusion. Mac is …

1931 – Willie Vocalite – Joseph M. Barnett (American)

Westinghouse's first robot was "Herbert Televox" built by Roy Wensley out at their East Pittsburgh, Pensilvania plant. Wensley left Westinghouse, but another man of metal was born.  Referred to as the son of "Herbert Televox", "Mr. Vocalite", later called "Willie Vocalite" was conceived and designed by Joseph (Barney) M. Barnett, member of the Westinghouse Engineering Department at their plant …