A 240 - year - old doll that can write, a clockwork creation by Pierre Jaquet-Droz. Yes, it’s 240 years old. This clip will fascinate just about all the engineers, artists, clock makers, doll makers, computer programmers, want-to-be inventors or basically anyone out there that likes to tinker. This is more than tinkering. When you view this, think computers. Remember, this was built in the 1770's!
I was trying to remember where I saw that and for once my memory just about held. It was a BBC4 programme called 'Mechanical Marvels'. The whole programme is shown here:
Thanks Joe and Tom for this topic. The genius that went into these automatons is truly wonderful. I do hope you won't mind if I add to it. The story of Pierre Jaquet Droz and his sons is worth hearing
I love clockwork stuff! I have to admit that I recoiled a little in horror when I first saw the doll. I loathe dolls that look human. I was thankfully able to watch the video after a few minutes, and it is fascinating! Such brilliance!
Interesting that the American writer Edgar Allen Poe was the first to work out how the Chess playing automaton The Turk was actually a very clever hoax.
Edgar Allen Poe wrote an interesting essay on The Turk exposing the fraudulent automaton chess player http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/POE/maelzel.html
I prefer to believe the Chess Playing Turk as legit! When I was visiting Galveston, Texas years ago, there was a live chicken who could beat me playing Tic-Tac-Toe! Every time!