Maillardet’s Automaton

[mouser]

In November of 1928, a truck pulled up to The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and unloaded the pieces of an interesting, complex, but totally ruined brass machine. The family who donated it kept it for many years because they understood that it had once been able to write and draw pictures. The machine, however, had been in a fire and needed significant work. After careful study and restoration by staff, the Franklin Institute began to realize the treasure it had been given...

http://sln.fi.edu/pi...automaton/index.html

from http://www.kirchersociety.org/blog/

[Rover]

Cool stuff! 

[housetier]

 

This is amazing! Even today it is amazing to see a mere "clockwork" producing writing and pictures...

Is that for real?

mouser you find the strangest things

[app103]

This is amazing! Even today it is amazing to see a mere "clockwork" producing writing and pictures...

Is that for real?

mouser you find the strangest things

-housetier (June 23, 2006, 05:12 PM)

You mean the coolest things. 

It reminded me of a doll I had when I was a little girl, called Sketchy,  that stood in front of a desk and drew pictures. I tried to find a pic of this doll, but none I could find had the desk, which is where all the "magic" was.

But the doll was very primitive compared to this Automaton thing.

It's one of those marvels that brings out the kid in people. 

[JavaJones]

Wow, that's amazingly cool! Is there any video of it?

- Oshyan