This is absolutely amazing. 250 years old, "the writer" is a programmable automata that writes letters. It's some 6000 parts whir and lug and carriy out its function... it wets its quill, moves the paper, and writes whatever it is programmed to. Designed by a Swiss watchmaker about the time the United States was born, it is unlike anything else on earth, and a true masterpiece. It is also creepy as (*)(*)(*)(*). [video=youtube;FUa7oBsSDk8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FUa7oBsSDk8[/video] It is also able to draw pictures. [video=youtube;5rVevX-YXqo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5rVevX-YXqo[/video]
I am mistaken, the writer only writes. There is another (less complicated) one that looks like it called "the draughtist" which draws 4 pictures... including King George. His third work is "the player". An automata that plays its own piano. The fingers are hitting keys, it is not like a music box... and it balances itself as it moves... like a person. Hit around the 6:00 mark to see the draughtist and the player work. [video=youtube;S0RnT4JBuEI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0RnT4JBuEI[/video] He built all three of these in his spare time, from 1770 to 1776.
Definitely interesting, but not the oldest computer. There is an analog computer far older... estimated from around 100BC Antikythera_mechanism It is definitely and interesting read
