a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
1968 – AUTEC I and II Submersibles by the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics. Designated TURTLE and SEA CLIFF by the U.S. Navy. Press Release – 1968 – Escape Capsule GROTON, CONN.: This artist's concept of an AUTEC Research Submarine shows the use of tools selected from an external tool compartment. In an emergency …
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Seymour Papert's Turtle is included in this category for various reasons: 1. It marks the start of the continuance of our need for realization of concepts in the real world, satisfying our thousands of years old quest to build objects that mimic living things, (typically man's own image, but animals as well). 2. The minimal …
Read More “1969 – The Logo Turtle – Seymour Papert et al (Sth African/American)”
"CUPEL" by Andrzej Harland The only text I've seen on this tortoise / turtle is from a Canadian film clip found here : http://www.itnsource.com/shotlist//RTV/1960/01/01/BGY503220197/?s=cybernetic Unfortunately there is no preview of the film clip. CANADA: TURTLE Clip Description: Story: Eureka… Such a star was never seen in our TV. Something between fancy, jike and magic – …
Read More “1959 – “CUPEL” the Cybernetic Tortoise – Andrzej Harland (Polish)”
The model seen here is Dr. Andre (Andrew) John Angyan's first cybernetic model, Machine Reproducatrix, built in Budapest, Hungary. It very much follows the Grey Walter tortoise in terms of construction and function (of CORA – Machina Docilis). His later machines, constructed by Kretz with Zemanek, are the subject of a later post. Image is from …
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Ivan Sutherland with M. Versatilis. Source: Carnegie Mellon University Archives Machina Versatilis , pictured above and below, was so named due to the versatile modular plug-in boards. M. Versatilis was the final of three models built, and at least two of this model were supposedly built. The first version, see blog post here, was originally built in …
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