Henri Maillardet's Automaton at The Franklin Institute Scien

[legatofancier]

Brian Selznick's inspiraton for his wonderful book, THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET.It must be wonderful to be a child and discover Brian Selznick's marvelous book! Now it's an equally marvelous film by Martin Scorcese, titled simply HUGO. Let me urge you to read the book! Whatever you do, don't miss the film, HUGO! It this the stuff that your dreams are made of!

[sunsdomain]

A wonderful thing. Represents one of the ancient (and not so ancient) high tech skill sets that no one alive now possesses.

[justmejewels711]

I watched the other night a part of the story of this amamzing historical clock mechanism. Simply fascinating what a story I would love to be able to see the exhibit someday.

[DinoHF79]

Wonderful craftmanship! I went to several museums growing up and saw several of these actual working. You just can take your eyes off them. They're cool and spooky all at the same time!

[Pinkergloop]

I wonder how those things work!

[KawaiikuteMonster]

MEGAMAN IS REAL U GUYS OK

[livelaughlizzay]

they had robots that could play music in the 1700s and ones that could write in the 1800s and we STILL dont have flying cars and mechanical servants?

[Wolfen443]

@livelaughlizzay, I know you forgot the Greek Computer over 2000 years old. I am always surprise at the arrogance of modern science and people when they claim that the latest mobile phone is the ultimate machine. Back in history far more impressive creations were design and made operational before out so called Modern times. 

[haxanthrobo]

such a wonderful and poetic machine.....the skill to execute such a marvel is next to extinct in this age.

[megadv8r]

it's just mind boggling how those movements can be stored.i know it has been done,but to try to imagine the process is killing my brain :P

i love these creations

[heatherrose2006]

"Brass Memory" as in the cylinder or plate in a music box.

Awesome engineering and artistic piece from such an early period.

[ChrowX]

Absolutely magnificent. I can't imagine why people are complaining about this being considered more famous than Megaman. It's a clockwork automaton that can write and draw with amazing detail and flourish and it's almost 200 years old!!

[baronvonpie]

ahaha looking at the comments, it's like comparing pron and the real thing.

[Killalaz]

You guys... The percentages have no meaning. The inductees aren't determined by their position on the web poll, they are picked by a jury, who base their decisions on a multitude of factors.

The web poll has very little bearing on who actually wins.

Please stop leaving idiotic comments, this is an educational video posted by an established museum. Go leave your BS comments on Kotaku where they belong, not here.

[WanderLink]

Mega Man isn't fucking real. This is a 200 year old robot that actually writes. That's amazing, this should win.

[Kagemusha08]

Yes, but can the automaton absorb the powers of the robots it slays? I think not!

[joltmasta]

megaman could kill this robot and have the same power. this one is a joke

[WanderLink]

Once again, Mega Man isn't real. Idiots.

[joltmasta]

but megaman is the super fighting robot!

[KawaiikuteMonster]

@WanderLink LIES

[painkiller625]

isnt he that "topsy-turvy" boss in the Dynamite Headdy game??? He surely looks like something in the game or rather something Treasure conjured up. I think actually the way automatons work is quite like the puppets on Dynamite Headdy. I used to play that game all the time and not one the virtual console....on sega genesis.

[jumpanama]

That's fucking awesome. Voring for this over Megaman fo sho

[cplbasilisk]

this guy is beating out megaman for induction in the robot hall of fame!?!?! no way.

[balrogspain]

i know rite? this guy can write, but megaman can shoot fuckin pellets outta his arm!!!

[divinalumina]

Beautiful!

would you just look at the finished poem! breathtaking!

[fleetsciencecenter]

We just saw this in your galleries! Thanks for a Great Conference!

[Pyrob0i]

My Name is Lewis Maillardet! this is awsum!!!!!! even if that guy has an annoying voice, ty whoever posted it

[aceofdatabase]

I posted it and its my voice. ;) Fortunately I can take criticism from someone who is no doubt a trained voiceover professional.

[Pryoboi]

10 months ago i was an immature little brat :) sorry for my comment on your voice. i am truly grateful fro you posting this video. thank you again

[chicostacos4]

Ahh, the actual Automaton. I was reading "The Invention of Hugo Cabaret", and there was an automaton. I loved that book.

[hansupgwai]

great - any chance of a better quality vid? Thanks

[smallville4eva]

im confused,... did it ACTUALLY write that?

[smallville4eva]

wow

[sweetmeat905]

Yeah, there really complicated and are made out of clock pieces and stuff.

[rpnf1424]

yes - it's amazing

[sollidsnake1]

yes it wrote that there called automatons they are speccialy desighned for that

[Frosting1000]

@smallville4eva yes, it did.

[blackwhimsy]

Someone should bring the art of automata back.What a wonderful creation.Thanks for posting.

[planetdarwin]

it's already back.... I'm building one now!

[coralarch]

Believe it or not, they existed in ancient Greece, too.

[JoanOfArc6767]

Wow! Thanks for putting this on. I am a direct descendent of Henri Maillardet and am, therefore, interested in my heritage. I have yet to visit the Franklin Institute and see this piece for myself.

[bricology]

This is fantastic! Thank you for posting it.