a history of cybernetic animals and early robots
Popular Mechanics Nov 2003 (Sth African edition) Walk tall, break a leg. Left: It may not look a thing of beauty, but Boris's Gauteng Walker has been known to go places. Johannesburg engineer Boris Ingram thought it would be fun to design a walking machine. That was before he got started… IT'S a fair bet …
Read More “2002 – “Gauteng Walker” – Boris Ingram (South African)”
Although the caption is not correct, this is the only acknowledged Macades Mechanical Elephant photo found to date. (Image courtesy Larry Gavette). Update Apr 2011: Eric Smith managed to contact David Taylor, ex retired employee of Luneside Engineering, who has confirmed that this image was taken in the loading bay of one of the many …
"Bensina" arrived in Sweden in August 1952. It arrived with Karl Nelles, one of Frank Stuart's elephant drivers. See here for the full Frank Stuart Mechanical Elephant stories. DAGENS NYHETER Onsdo Eq 9 / Elefant „Döp Stockholms nya elefant Barnavårdsdirektör Otto Wangson, längst t. v., bland barnen. ungdomskonsulent Axel Brandt och f. d. tyske krigsfången …
Read More “1952-67 – “Bensina” the Frank Stuart Elephant in Sweden – Frank Stuart (British)”
Nellie at Sandy Bay Museum. Photo courtesy Larry Gavette. Nellie's control panel. Photo courtesy Larry Gavette. Caption: Perhaps the earliest model built still in existance, this elephant was in the Sandy Bay Country Museum in Exmouth when this video was taken in 1980 or so. This model is the one sold at auction and ended …
Read More “1950 – “Nellie” the Mechanical Elephant – Frank Stuart (British)”
The Wonderful Electric Elephant Written in 1903 by Frances T. Montgomery, The Wonderful Electric Elephant is children's story in which Harold and Ione take a trip around the world in a life-sized mechanical elephant. The tale describes their magnificent adventure and journey. Interestingly for this site though, the book was illustrated by Cassius M. Coolidge, …
Read More “1903 – “The Wonderful Electric Elephant” – Frances T. Montgomery (American)”