Comments on: Robot Checker Player Is Undefeated (Jun, 1938)

By: phil

phil — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:41:54 +0000

I suspect that the move the robot wants to play is shown in some way
that is indecipherable to the opponent, perhaps as a sequence of lights on that front panel
the operator then “interprets” this display, ignores the silly lights and plays what ever move he thinks is best

By: docca

docca — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 15:02:43 +0000

And by the way, the “well-known radio manufacturer” is RCA

By: docca

docca — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 15:01:42 +0000

It is cited on Time’s Jan 25th 1937 issue:

http://www.time.com/time/magaz.....-1,00.html

However, the name of the inventor is written as “Frank Train” instead of “Frank Frain”.

By: Keys

Keys — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 18:27:00 +0000

Reminds me of The Turk:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turk

By: dallas

dallas — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 16:06:12 +0000

Sounds to me like the mechanical turk. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Turk

By: MAKE: Blog

MAKE: Blog — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:05:24 +0000

Cameras on bike wheels, death ray, robo-checker player and thinking in glass…

Cameras spin on bicycle wheel to film lightning streak, Popular Mechanics – 1936 – Link. Inventor hides secret of â€œDeath Rayâ€ – “Pigeons on the wing instantly killed by death rays from a machine four miles awayâ€”that is the……

By: Blurgle

Blurgle — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 13:56:27 +0000

I don’t know how he worked, but I think I saw him on Star Trek once, in “The Corbomite Maneuver”