The Hopkins Beast

Back in the early 1960s, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab created one of the first autonomous robots. They called it "The Beast." From Popular Science, Sep 1964:

A computer brain and a flexible arm with microswitch fingers enable a robot to "stay alive" at the Johns Hopkins physics lab. Called "The Beast," the wheeled, two-foot high robot "senses" when its batteries are beginning to run down. It then feels its way along a wall until its fingers find an electrical outlet, plugs itself in and gets a revitalizing charge. "The Beast" has no function other than to satisfy the impish sense of humor of the Hopkins scientists.

The picture of "The Beast" comes from frc.ri.cmu.edu.

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Mon Dec 22, 2008
Category: Robots | Technology

Comments

"Impish" sense of humour? I'd hardly call it impish. Maybe if it were prone to hiding people's socks, or administering a small taser charge now and then...

Posted by kingmonkey in Athens, Ontario on 12/22/08 at 08:15 AM

I don't have a degree in robotics but my pony keg is better than theirs.

Posted by Pablo on 12/22/08 at 09:07 AM

Oh well, I guess you have to start somewhere.

Posted by AGFH on 12/22/08 at 09:12 AM

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