This bloke wins!

[avandonk]

Well worth a look.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ivIHcHwR6b0


Bert

[leon]

Wow Bert, that is astounding thanks for sharing that.

Leon

[tilbrook@rbe.ne]

Thanks for posting that Bert!

Just amazing, as my wife and I recently watched Hugo, a story based on a boy attempting to rebuild one of these androids.
Thought it was just a story never knew one actually was made and works.

Cheers,

Justin.

[Mark_Heli]

That's an amazing mechanical machine. I believe that the history of these machines is related to the early watch mechanisms.

There are some other great videos on YouTube of "Automata" or self-operating machines. Keith Newstead makes some really exellent models. The video below is an automata model called the "Lighthouse Repairman".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh13HA7rmEs

Cheers,
Mark

[MrB]

That is very cool Bert.
Amazing craftmanship too.
Thanks for the link, have 'shared' it on FB.


No doubt the mechanisms in clocks and watches have evolved from those used in Automaton's. They have been around for a very long time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automaton
The mechanism's were also the basis of the first computers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stepped_Reckoner
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Difference_Engine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytical_Engine

[avandonk]

You can see why a 'clockwork Universe' was so obvious before Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, Chaos Theory, String Theory and Multiverses with eleven dimensions.

The skills needed to make this automaton to do a simple task we all take for granted are indeed amazing.

The Universe has done it all by blind trial and error!

Mine and your existence is the proof.

Bert

[RB]

What an Intelligent Design !

[avandonk]

But can it evolve?

Bert

[joe_smith]

with great minds, time will tell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XWXJDgbeP0

[RB]

No.
The designer has to intervene to make those changes.

[joe_smith]

only with the Darwinian evolution meaning it is "no" then again is it?
I can think of many "designer interventions" that have caused Darwinian evolution (poodles and super bugs for one)

1. evolution - To develop or achieve gradually

2. Darwinian evolution - The proposition that the phylogeny of all species is wholly ascribable to random variation (mutation) in genotypes and the operation of preferential survival of those resulting phenotypes most suited to survive in the contemporary environment.

so i say "Yes" with meaning one, the most common type the term used when most people talk about "evolution" cars, bikes, telescopes and TV's for example

The bigger question and the meaning i was trying to put forth with the video is, can we call it "alive" will it ever be a life form.