In 1966, David Weston, an inventive mind from Yorkshire, introduced Tinker, a robot designed to tackle everyday household tasks. Tinker wasn’t j

Tinker the Robot: England's Real-Life Housekeeping Robot from 1966

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2024-09-28 14:30:06

In 1966, David Weston, an inventive mind from Yorkshire, introduced Tinker, a robot designed to tackle everyday household tasks.

Tinker wasn’t just an ordinary gadget; it could wash cars, weed gardens, take babies for walks, and even accompany its owner on shopping trips.

From there, Weston controlled the robot using a custom-built control panel, keeping it within arm’s reach, technologically speaking.

Equipped with 120 electronic motors, a zoom-enabled TV camera, and 29 channels for receiving signals, it was a marvel of innovation.

The camera, cleverly mounted on the garage roof, allowed Weston to oversee his creation’s every move, making sure it stayed on task.

Despite its potential, Tinker’s story took an unfortunate turn. In 1974, due to a lack of space in Weston’s home, the robot was passed on to Brian, a family friend.

While he dreamed up many intriguing devices, often sketched out on the backs of cigar packets, Tinker was one of the few that saw the light of day—only to fade into obscurity. The development of modern robotics can be traced back to the early 1950s when George C. Devol, an inventor from Louisville, Kentucky, created the first reprogrammable robot.