19 Ancient Robots and Automatons
Robots may seem like purely the domain of the future, but they’ve been around for a long time.
Published 15 hours ago in Wow
Robots may seem like purely the domain of the future, but they’ve been around for a long time. Sure, they didn’t have laser beams or artificial intelligence, but if it clanks like a robot, clunks like a robot, and thunks like a robot, it’s probably a robot.
Much like today, automatons in the olden days were mostly the domain of the very wealthy, who could afford to have them commissioned. Or, if you were a king, inventors would show you their various mechanical creations to try and gain your favor.
These ingenious automatons range from ancient robots that could virtuosically play instruments, to metal ducks. Take a look.
8
Jaquet-Droz’s Three Automatons
Swiss inventor and watchmaker Pierre Jaquet-Droz built three of the world’s most extraordinary automatons in the late 1700s. Known as The Writer, The Draughtsman, and The Musician, these three robots used a series of coded disks to write words, draw pictures, and even play multiple songs on a fully functional organ.
14
Al-Jazari’s Floating Orchestra
According to the Arabic inventor Al-Jazari’s 1206 “Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices”, he designed this water-powered automaton that could float on a lake and play music during gatherings. It included a four piece band and mechanical oarsmen who could row the machine around the lake. Some people claim that this automaton was one of history’s first computers.
15
The Digesting Duck
In 1739, French inventor Jacques de Vaucanson unveiled his masterpiece: The Digesting Duck. This mechanical bird could flap its wings, splash in a pool of water, and most notably, eat grain from people’s hands and then defecate pellets onto a silver platter. This pooping duck was beloved and was displayed in multiple royal courts.
17
Da Vinci’s Knight
Scattered notes and sketches from Leonardo Da Vinci’s journals outlined his plan to build a robot in the form of an armored knight. Though no complete sketches exist, there is evidence to suggest that Da Vinci may have actually built a prototype in 1495. In the picture, NASA roboticist Mark Rosheim poses with a recreation of Da Vinci’s robot in 2002.
18
The Steam-Powered Pigeon of Archytas
Archytas of Tarentum, a renowned mathematician and politician is said to have designed this steam-powered bird circa 350 BC that was able to fly through the air. Regardless of whether it was actually steam-powered, this is still considered to be one of history’s first automatons.