adjc 171 Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 http://www.chonday.com/Videos/the-writer-automaton 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
csspecs 1,987 Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 But I thought people in 1700s had no idea that technology would increase? At least that is what I always hear when debates come up.. The little robotic writer boy has WAY better hand writing then me. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
YOT 3,743 Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 Very cool. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ARCHANGEL 104 Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) Jaquet Droz as well as other watchmakers were some of the mechanical geniuses of their time. His name is still graces a brand, Jaquet Droz, watches. Google them as they are beautiful. Here are some examples: Edited October 1, 2013 by ARCHANGEL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Remek 771 Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 very cool. i'd seen the watch. There are some even more amazing ones out there too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ARCHANGEL 104 Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 very cool. i'd seen the watch. There are some even more amazing ones out there too. Watches are a fascination of mine. Moving works of art with a purpose. Another hobby that consumes my money... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DrThunder88 912 Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 The host says it's a distant ancestor of the computer, but it strikes me as more of an offshoot of the printing press. Still, it is supremely sublime. Even the noise it was making in the video testified to its precise complexity. That it's a doll is a bit creepy. Evidently the Uncanny Valley is in the Swiss Alps. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
csspecs 1,987 Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 The writer boy is more a computer due to it "reading" the inputs to preform a task. Its actually moving in 3 axis and creating text not merely imprinting it from an raised stamp. The data is nothing like what it produces, its a raised bump that engages several of the cams in a sequence which move the arm to generate the shape. Its not limited to just letters. Data storage was the main problem early computers had, punch cards existed in textiles as early as the mid 1700s. In the 60-80s it was common for CNC mills to read punched paper tape. Seeing an actual modern (70s is fairly modern) computer running off holes in paper, makes the writer boys data cams seem a little less primitive. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunfun 3,931 Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 There is a great old remmington ad from the 60s on youtube called somethign like "we build them one at a time" It shows the punch card mills, and how they have a mechanical 3D scanner to generate dimensions for the punch cards. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pyzik 597 Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 Wow, that's amazing. A little creepy, but amazing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
storm6490 2,768 Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 It's amazing. Sure wish we could create minds like this again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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