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Rebuilding ancient "robots"

Michael from the MCP hinted to the following web page where a member of New Scientist rebuilt a "robot car" invented by the Greek scientist Heron 2000 years ago. From wood only, but it should be a nice finger exercise to do that with LEGO and the NXT also for you (it has been done with LEGO already in 2003). And you might even win a prize by doing so!

Ah, for some reasons I'm fascinated by re-doing treasures from mankind's heritage...

Comments

Brian Davis said…
For some more examples of this sort of thing, google "south pointing chariot lego". A fun device with several LEGO implementations out there on the web... all superseeded by the HiTechnic compass sensor ;-).

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Brian Davis
Jul 10, 2007, 9:10:00 PM
Unknown said…
Ah, interesting...I seem to recall that I heard of this Chinese invention of a mechanical compass in my youth (no, it was history already also then!).
Nice idea (here's a LEGO implementation), but I wonder if it was really useable over a longer period - won't the inevitable small hardware deviations have sum up noticeably in the end?).
Would be interesting to rebuild it with a NXT (maybe one could use the brick to monitor the deviations).

Yes, the HiTechnic compass sensor might be more reliable - but is it more fun also? ;-)
Jul 10, 2007, 10:00:00 PM
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