3D video animation clearly shows the workings of the Antikythera Mechanism

Have you heard of the Antikythera Mechanism? If so, you will enjoy this beautifully done 3D animation that shows its component parts and functions.

If you haven't heard of the the Antikythera Mechanism, it is an ancient artifact currently housed in the Greek National Archaeological Museum in Athens. The mechanism is a thin metal object that was found by divers in the wreckage of a ancient Roman ship off the coast of Greece in 1900. It was clearly a sophisticated instrument of some kind with a surprisingly modern style gear train. That alone was a startling discovery, but the exact purpose of the machine remained a mystery for a long time.

Recent studies, advances in imaging technology, and painstaking reproductions have led scholars to believe that the device was a form of mechanical computer. The elaborate gear train was used to calculate the movements of stars and planets for points in the past and the future with great accuracy. Scientists and scholars believe it was build around 87 B.C. -- making it one of the most sophisticated ancient devices in existence. According to an article on the Antikythera Mechanism in the journal Nature, its mechanical sophistication would see no equal until mechanical clocks appeared in western Europe in the fourteenth century.

For a more complete story of the Antikythera Mechanism, check out the book Decoding the Heavens: A 2,000-Year-Old Computer--and the Century-long Search to Discover Its Secrets.

[ Thanks Joseph! ]

---

Ingenious Mechanisms for Designers and Inventors, 4 volume book set

The Glory of a Four-Volume Set

A numbered set of four hardcover books in bright orange that all but announce that you are a brilliant inventor. That's what you get with Ingenious Mechanisms for Designers and Inventors. Looks alone may not be enough for most people to buy this set, but when combined with the wealth of information contained within, it was certainly enough for me. I am very happy with my decision. Read on to find out why.

Lots and Lots of Machines

There are a huge assortment of multi-component mechanisms described in great detail in this four-volume set. The books offer multiple solutions for each category of machine. The organization of the material is a little clunky; you will need to browse all four books to find all of the possible solutions for a given mechanical challenge. That's OK: it just means you get to look exceptionally brilliant when someone comes upon you reading all four books at once.

The machines depicted in the books are of an historical nature. This is not a shortcoming, however. Mechanisms of the sort found in these volumes were state-of-the-art at one time. They are a testament to a practical, real-world ingenuity that most of us can't comprehend. These days we would leave the tricky stuff to a computer. The creators of these machines didn't have that option.

Clear Drawings and Heavy Reading

The drawings in the book are very good -- clear and well labeled line art reminiscent of patent drawings. Here's a sample of what you can expect:

Be prepared to spend some time with these books; they require some careful reading of several pages to understand how a given device works. It's not exactly a quick reference, but it is comprehensive.

Uses beyond Vanity: Education and Inspiration

I have not used much from these books directly in any of my automata projects. For automata makers, the more complex systems may seem like a lot to digest. Nevertheless, there are hundreds of mechanical elements that certainly could be used in an automaton or kinetic sculpture. I can say that these books have greatly improved my understanding of complex machines and they have served as inspiration on more than one occasion.

Let's Talk about the Price. Worth it?

The first glance, the price might set you off. Bear in mind that each of the four volumes weighs in at 500 pages or more. That's 2000 pages of detailed information on mechanical devices! The last time I checked (August, 2012) the set was selling for $108 (at 25% off). That comes out a little over $0.05 per page! Compared to less expensive books on mechanisms and devices, this set is actually quite a good deal -- especially if you factor in the free shipping of four heavy books.

While probably not the first book on mechanical devices you should buy, it is a set than any serious student of the subject should have. Here is where you can learn more and order you own set of Ingenious Mechanisms for Designers and Inventors

---

Animatronic thumb provides unbiased decisions on demand

Take a look at this clever animatronic piece by Philip Lowndes. Though the piece is titled "Thumbs-up" that doesn't mean you will always get that sign. In fact, it is a capable of making random "yes" or "no" decisions based on its programming. The machine is equipped with a sensor that detects when a hand is waved in front of it, which sets it in motion.

From the artist's web site:

Animatronic moody decision making machine that makes decisions without bias, conflicts of interest, lobbying. No need for any background or relevant information. Just stand in front of the machine and it will give you its decisions. Useful for checking dress sense, purchase and investment decisions (at your own risk), strategies to save the Euro etc.

The piece is constructed from wood, nylon and brass. Toward the end of the video you can see the profile of some lovely wooden gears. The entire system is controlled by an Arduino microcontroller.

The mood of the machine can be changed to suit your needs by adjusting a knob on the front. Blue is a bad mood, green neutral, and yellow good.

Here is where you can learn more about the Thumbs-up Animatronic Decsion-Maker.

---

The MAD Museum featuring kinetic art, automata, Steampunk machines and moving exhibits

The MAD Museum in Stratford upon Avon in the UK features over 100 pieces of kinetic art, automata, Steampunk machines and moving exhibits.

I'm pleased to say that I am making good progress on my own contribution for the museum! Stay tuned for more details!

---

Plans to build a model of a flathead 4 motor out of scrap wood

Ken Schweim has come up with a new set of plans. This time around, he has designed and built a Willys L-134 flathead engine model out of wood! The plans are available as a Kindle e-book on Amazon.

From the book description:

The engine rotates with a hand crank mounted on the flywheel end of the crankshaft. The movable parts include the four pistons, connecting rods, eight valves, cam shaft, crankshaft, and timing gears. The head is included with the four spark plugs, plug wires, and a distributor (for looks only). The valves are all timed for a normal four cycle engine and the firing order is the same as a Willys L-134 flathead engine. The head is mounted on two wood hinges to allow a clean view of all the valves and pistons.

Made from small pieces of scrap wood pieces, the motor model can be built using with standard woodworking tools. The model measures approximately 12" long by 8" wide. The book contains over 300 step by step photos and blueprints. Here's a sample page from the book showing the plan drawings and helpful photographs that accompany the text:

Not only does it look like an enjoyable woodworking project, but you will learn about how internal combustion engines work along the way. In fact, it looks like the model would make a great science fair project! For those interested in learning to make wood automata, the project incorporates many commonly used mechanical components including the hand crank, crank shaft, gears, linkages, and cams.

Here's where you can view more sample pages and order your own copy of the book Build a Wood Flathead 4 Motor

---

InterPlay: Mechanical Objects exhibtion at the Southwest School of Art

InterPlay: Mechanical Objects will be an exhibit at the Southwest School of Art in San Antonio, Texas. Shown here is a piece by Benjamin Cowden titled Perennial Flux.

From the show description:

All works contain an interactive component empowering the viewer to move the object from the realm of pure aesthetic to experience.

With contributions from artists based in the United States and United Kingdom, it's an all-star line up including Alexis Archibald, Steve Brudniak, Ben Cowden, Kevin Curry, Nathan Dube, Forrest Gard, Keith Newstead, Laikingland, Miel Parades, Gary Schott, and Martin Smith. If you have a chance to see it, do not miss this show!

Exhibition Details:
InterPlay: Mechanical Objects
Sep 6, 2012 - Nov 25, 2012
9:00 am - 5:00 pm | Russell Hill Rogers Galleries, Navarro Campus
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 6 from 5:00 - 8:00 pm
Free and open to the public

For more information visit the Southwest School of Art's Upcoming Exhibitions page.

---

Automata by Dug North at World Maker Faire NY 2012

I'm pleased to announce that I have been accepted to exhibit at the upcoming World Maker Faire in New York City! This is the 3rd annual Faire in the New York area and is among the biggest and best events of its kind. Attractions include:

• Maker exhibits - I'll be just one of over 500 maker exhibits total
• Presentations from leading voices in the Maker Movement
• How-to workshops on soldering, lock picking, Arduino and more
• Incredible attractions including the Life-Sized Mousetrap, Coke Zero and Mentos show, Power Racing Series, the now iconic Cupcake Cars

The event is an extravaganza of creativity, knowledge-sharing, and fun. I will be there showing something much like what you see below:

Come by and say hello, check out some carvings, ask me about good books on the topic, and turn the handle on an automaton or two.

Event Details
Date: September 29th & 30th
Time: Saturday 10AM - 7PM & Sunday 10AM - 6PM
Location:
New York Hall of Science
47-01 11th Street, Queens, NY

For more information on the event, visit the Maker Faire web site.

---

Laser-cut Stirling engine kit runs on a single tea candle

Check out this lovely Stirling engine. As you can see in the video, it runs very well on a single small tea candle. In addition, the diaphragm material is easy to replace. The parts are laser-cut Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF).

This Stirling engine will be available as a kit from the nice folks at Bustedbricks.com, who also offer supplies the models, model engineering, and other hobbies.

For more info on Stirling engines (until you get the kit shown here, of course) check out the book Eleven Stirling Engine Projects You Can Build, which includes detailed reviews of 4 existing Stirling engine kits, several original engine designs by the author, and a few classic designs from the web. Many of the design in the book can be made with materials scrounged from around the house.

If you simply can't live without a one, this assortment of Stirling engine kits should keep you very busy. Enjoy!

---

Students learn engineering principles and build relationships by creating automata

Scott Swaaley, a physics teacher in San Deigo, has created a remarkable educational program called Seniors Squared. Swaaley had his students design and create custom automata to teach them about physics and engineering principles. That's a great idea, for sure, but it didn't end there. Swaaley and his students took this educational experience to another level by partnering with local senior citizens. Here's an excerpt from his description of the program:

As part of a joint physics and humanities project, my high school seniors partnered with senior citizens from a local senior community center and designed, constructed, and troubleshot an automaton specifically for their senior citizen partner. My students learned and applied concepts ranging from torque, simple machines, and angular velocity to engineering design principles and the precision of an engineering proposal. Their project was accompanied by an engineering analysis of their piece as well as a series of writing pieces on their senior citizen (on which the automaton was based). Overall, my students were able to practice engineering, get involved with our local community, and to build a meaningful relationship with a local adult in need.

Because of this innovative program, Swaaley has been selected as one of 30 finalist for McGraw-Hill's Science, Technology, Engineering & Math Innovative Educator Award (STEMIE Award)! Voting has begun to select the winners, and you can help by voting now.

How you can vote for the Seniors Squared program:

1. Sign up to vote on the McGraw-HIll web site. It only takes 15 seconds!
2. Once you are signed up, you can view the application video on the grant website.
3. On the bottom right of the application page, under the description of the project, there is a green button that says "Vote for this". Please click it!

If you think this program is as great as I do, take a single minute (or less) to give him your vote!

---

Artistic clock incorporating unexpected materials and mechanisms

Prepare to be amazed by this work of kinetic art disguised as a clock. The piece, titled The Clock Tower , was created by Forrest Burnett.

Within the design, there are all kinds of interesting details, artistic flourishes, and somewhat unexpected mechanisms. The Clock Tower incorporates various materials including wood, plywood, brass, steel, and several others I cannot name with confidence.

The mechanism includes (among many other things) bass ladder chain, a Geneva wheel with eight stations, and a centrifugal fly-ball governor. The text within the video notes that the clock uses an escapement 2 1/2 second timing. A dragon graces the dial of the clock itself.

This is some inventive and beautiful work that has been very well crafted.

---

A new name! A new look! Same great-tasting automata!

I warned you a few months ago that changes were coming. Indeed, they have come. I'm dedicating more of my time to automata these days. Mostly, that means an increase in the time I spend in the workshop creating things. It also means a bit more time to attend to this blog.

I started my blog back in June of 2006. I knew I wanted it to be about automata for the most part, but struggled with what to call it. Which word would be better: "automata" or "automaton"? I decided to use both. So, the somewhat awkwardly named "The Automata / Automaton Blog" was born.

I'll confess: in an actual face-to-face conversation, that is a mouthful! I could also see that the good folks who link to my blog on the web also struggled with what to call it in their links. Sometimes they linked to "The Automata Blog", sometimes to "The Automaton Blog", sometimes to the full title. Making the name shorter started to seem like a good idea.

I've also become increasingly concerned that the title of the blog has led people to believe that the words "automata" and "automaton" are one and the same. Not so. I get a lot of email from excited, enthusiastic people who love my blog and want to show me what they've made. More often than not, they will refer to one automaton as "automata". It's a tricky work, for sure. For the record, here's how it breaks down:

Speaking of only one? Use automaton.
Check out my very first automaton!

Speaking of more than one? Choose either automata or automatons.
I love looking at all of the automata Paul Spooner has made over the years!

That said, welcome (or welcome back to nearly 25% over 30% of you) to The Automata Blog. I chose this title so as not to create undue confusion with the excellent blog titled Automaton -- IEEE Spectrum's award-winning robotics blog. If you like slightly higher tech things than what you find here, I encourage you to check out their news, articles, and videos. Great stuff.

The new shorter name can also be used to find the blog. Simply type AutomataBlog.com into a browser and you're there...um...here.

I thought the new name deserved a new look -- something beyond the simple black template I've been using for years. I can draw reasonably well, but I found the task too daunting. I had a dozen things in my head and no idea how to get them into a header graphic. After 5 years of avoiding the job, I knew it was time to hire a professional. The award-winning Canadian illustrator and cartoonist, Eric Orchard, created the image you now see at the top of the screen. My thanks to Eric! I couldn't be happier with the illustration.

Stay tuned for more changes in the coming months, including more of a behind-the-scenes look at the things I make. I also have a few other new things in mind for you. I hope you will come back often. I appreciate the on-going support that comes in so many forms: return visits, links on your sites, references in written work, word-of-mouth recommendations, invitations to tour exhibits, reviewer copies of books, the use of the Amazon links on this site, tips on things to post, and all of the kind email messages. Thanks for all of it. I'm honored to be part of this dialog.

All my very best to each of you!

-Dug North

---

New motorized kinetic sculptures by Tom Haney to be shown at Obsolete in Venice, California

Artist Tom Haney creates kinetic pieces, which we often refer to here as automata. The bodies for Haney's figures are carved from basswood and the heads are sculpted out of polymer clay. All of the mechanisms are made from scratch. In this new piece, a couple is depicted on a see-saw.

Tom Haney's blog is a wonderful behind-the-scenes look at how he goes about constructing his mechanical creations. Here we see the details of one of the figures and the handlebar mechanism, which keeps the figures upright as they move. This piece will be one of several featured in an upcoming show to feature Haney's work (details below).

Show details:
Obsolete Gallery
September 8th to October 13th

OBSOLETE
222 Main Street
Venice, California
Phone: 310-399-0024

---

Exeter Museum donations box: museum exhibits come to life!

Keith Newstead was comissioned by Exeter Museum to create an automaton to serve as a donations box. The patron donates some money into the machine and in return, it runs for a set period of time. It's a great system if you ask me.

The theme of this piece is 'The Museum Store Room'. The idea is that some of the museum's exhibits come to life when no one is watching. Here's one of Newstead's original sketches for the automaton:

As you can see, the final automaton stayed true to the original idea and brought the characters to life. He managed to incorporate a lot of different elements into one piece. I love the skeleton at the end!

See more sketches and in progress photos of the Exeter Museum donations box on Keith Newstead's blog. Some of the objects that inspired the piece are also shown. It's fun to see how he incorporated these elements.

---

Wooden robot figure with changing facial expressions

Here's another creation by the extremely clever artist Osamu Kanda. The piece is titled Face. The body of the robot-like figure has a cube inside on which a small face is depicted.

When button on the front of the machine is pushed, a hidden motor causes the the robot to spin on its pedestal. Upon making a full revolution, we find that the face on the cube has changed expression! The figure has three different expressions in all. If you watch all the way to the end of the video, you'll get a small hint as to how this magic is accomplished.

See more pictures of Osamu Kanda's piece Face on his web site.

---

Restoration of a tiny ship automaton and music box

Back in January of 2012, I posted about a tiny ship automaton and music box that was presented by Michael Start from The House of Automata. His video showed the mechanism in motion, but we didn't get to see the case that once held it or hear the tune that it once played.

As it turns out, Brittany Cox at West Dean College in the UK, was on a team tasked with the conservation of this tiny ship automaton from the early 19th century. She wrote the last of a three-part series on the project -- part one focusing on covering the case in shagreen and part two focusing on other details of the case.

In this wonderful post, Brittany Cox takes us step-by-step through the process of figuring out how the ship was made, what it did, and finally what she did to get it working again. The mechanism's music-box components were mostly intact, but not functioning. The tune played by the mechanism was not known.

Follow along as she goes about dating the piece, repairing the mechanism, and conducting experiments to get the musical component to function once again. She also performed an analysis that allowed her to confirm the tune played by the automaton. There's far more to her post, but I won't repeat it all here. I assure you, it is both educational and fascinating.

Here is where you can read about the restoration and repair of The Automaton Ship and Silver Shagreen Case.

[ Thanks Kim! ]

---

Motorized mechanical beetle mounted with miniature cannons

Check out this amazing mechanical sculpture. It appears to be a metallic hybrid of an old war ship and a beetle. The piece was made by Russian artist Victor Plotnikov. I love it!

---

Automata, kinetic art & steampunk artifacts at The MAD Museum

Here's a short video about one of the newest places to see autoamta: The Mechanical Art & Design (MAD) Museum. Located in Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire, the museum is dedicated to mechanical wonders of evert sort including robotics, rolling ball sculptures, and automata.

From the Video:

Think Health Robinson mixed with a Scrapheap Challenge and a hotchpotch of futurist mechanisms and then stir it all up with mind blowing creativity and ingenuity.

For those of you who don't know, Heath Robinson, was a cartoonist who came up with crazy contraptions similar to Rube Goldberg. That sounds a like a fun place to visit to me!

The museum's permanent exhibition occupies two floors of a building and a garden. They have over 100 mechanical devices on display to entertain, educate, and delight. They are open 7 days a week too!

Here is where you can learn more about The MAD Museum.

P.S. Someone you know will soon have a piece on display in the museum!

---

Mesmerizing large-scale kinetic sculptures by Lyman Whitaker

Here is a video compilation of wind sculptures in motion. The pieces were created by Lyman Whitaker. Based in southwest Utah, Whitaker has been a working sculptor for more than 40 years and is known for his kinetic sculptures. The tall, flowing geometric forms of Whitaker' sculptures stand out among the natural surroundings in which they are often placed. This is no accident.

From the artist's web site:

By placing the sculptures in settings dependent on natural elements for movement, opportunities are provided for participants to think about their surroundings. Lyman's sculptures are organic and natural like vegetation and are enjoyed best in interactive settings where they are viewed over time.

Whitaker's sculptures range in height from 5 to 27 feet tall and are fabricated from copper, steel and stainless steel. Weathered patinas provide the color pallet -- rust, brown, tan and green. Here is piece is a dramatic shot of 19 kinteic sculptures Whitaker installed for the Burning Man festival, in Black Rock City, Nevada in 2011:

Learn more about the artist and see more kinetic sculptures by Lyman Whitaker on his web site.

[ Thanks Christoph! ]

---

Messengers - life-size mechanical figures tap out messages to spectators on a telegraph

You've got to check out this video of this kinetic sculpture by artist Pat Keck. Titled Messengers, it depicts four nearly life-sized figures seated behind a desk, each with a telegraph key. The spectator inserts a coin in the slot at the front of the machine. One of the figures taps out a message and a ticker tape emerges from the machine for the viewer to take and read. The figures take turns tapping out messages and passing slow, meaningful sidelong glances among themselves. They would appear know something that we do not.

The video takes about 10 minutes; it is worth setting aside some time for it. It's like an entire scene in some quirky surreal movie. The motion of the figures is so smooth and life-like, yet slow in an eerie way. I especially love it when a figure raise a hand off the telegraph key and rest it back on the table. It has a deliberate quality to it that reminds me of a magician in slow-motion.

Around the 7 minute mark we get to see some behind-the-scenes shots of the piece in-progress. The construction looks impeccable. We also get to see some of the motions in isolation, with is both fascinating and instructive. It's an incredible piece by a fantastic kinetic sculptor.

See more work by Pat Keck on the artist's web site.

[ Thanks Margaret! ]

---

From the Greeks to the Disney: a (very) short history of automata

Today's post points to an informative overview of the history of automata. The item comes to us by way of Molly, a Junior Librarian, who is spending her summer working and researching at the Jefferson Library. Molly discovered the article while doing research for a talk they plan to give on book The Invention of Hugo Cabret. It was a good find. The article is titled "Historical Watches: Automatons" and was written by Kingsley Walcott. Walcott starts with the all-important definition of an automaton:

The word means "acting on one's own will," and is a term used to describe machines that operate by themselves and without the help of humans. The term "animated puppet" is often used to describe an automaton, and it is also considered to be synonymous with robots, a concept which came into existence in the 20th century. Automatons are popularly identified with machines that look like humans or animals, but they can also come in the form of clocks and other strictly utilitarian devices.

The author then moves on to the ancient Greeks and is sure to mention Hero of Alexandria along the way. The article focuses next on the brilliant Middle Eastern scholar and inventor, Al-Jazari and his Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices. From there, we learn about Leonardo's efforts at creating automata and a bit about the Astronomical Clock in Prague -- the oldest working clock of its kind. The article picks up its pace moving from Jacques de Vauconson and his Digesting Duck to Maillardet's writing automaton, and Wolfgang von Kempelen's chess-playing automaton known as The Turk. The modern era is touched upon by referencing the "Audio-Animatronics" created by Walt Disney for Disney Land and finally modern automata-master, Thomas Kuntz.

It's a nice little article with a lot of really good information. I could have used it when I was preparing for the documentary on the history of automata that appeared on the Blu-ray release of the film Hugo!

Here is where you can read the article Historical Watches: Automatons.

[ Thanks Molly! ]

---

Rob Ives on working out the locus of a crank

Rob Ives has a new post on his blog in which he shows a method for experimenting with the locus of a crank-slider mechanism.

A bit of background from Rob Ives's blog:

The locus is the technical name given to the line that a point traces out as it moves. In mechanisms the locus is often not the shape that you would predict. Changes in variables, such as the lengths of the pieces or the position of hinges can make a big difference to the locus.

His experimentation method is simple and ingenious. He uses a few pieces of cardboard, some split pins (the kind that hold papers together), a pencil, and paper. The results are interesting and worth trying for yourself.

Here is where you can read the full article on experimenting with the locus of a crank.

---

Automaton of alien with three arms performing a cups and ball magic routine

Here is a very nicely made wood automaton featuring an alien performing the famous cups and ball routine. It's a time-honored theme in the history of automata, which have a long association with magical illusions. This one does have a unique twist in that the performer -- what looks to be an alien in sunglasses -- has three arms. When the handle is turned, the alien shows the ball under one of three cups. He lowers the cups covering the ball and gives them a magical shake back and forth. When the cups are raised again, the ball has mysteriously moved from one cup to another.

Here is where you can learn more about the artist Per Helldorff.

[ Thanks TJK! ]

---

How do you say "Steampunk Fish" in Russian?

Shown here is a mechanical sculpture titled Ferrum Fish. The piece is made of oak, lime, copper, forge steel, glass, sea shells, and other materials. From what I gather, this mechanical fish and several others like it were created by a collective of artists that go by the name Art Mechanicus or perhaps ArtMechanicus.

Sorry I can't say more about this amazing mechanical sculpture. The site is in Russian. At least I think it is; I simply can't read it.

Whatever the language, there are more photographs and videos to see if you head on over the ArtMechanicus.com.

[ Thanks David! ]

---