Electro

student research summary:

by Matthew K.

Elektro: The Moto-Man

August 26th, 2017

4th Block

People always notice the creation of robots in our modern society, yet a lot forget about the ones that were created a long time ago. One of which is otherwise known as one of the first robotic celebrities, Elektro: The Moto-Man. Built and designed by a company known as Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Ohio from 1937 to 1938, this robot had many worth-noting qualities. For one, he was huge, standing over seven feet tall and weighing about two-hundred fifty pounds. He can also do such things as: blow up balloons, smoke, move both of his arms and head, and speak about 700 different words using the 78-RPM record player embedded in his chest-area. Within a year, that’s a lot of retaining qualities. Certainly, it’s not enough to compete in various competitions, but it’s a lot of things that many other robots certainly do not have in their programming.

Certainly Elektro’s a robot. No man could stay inside that robotic suit for more than a few minutes. It’s probably insanely hot in there, especially all the components to hold that recorder and smoke-bag. There’s probably so many wires and technologic things in there. Anyways, Elektro’s been in many parades and shows all over the world. He’s also appeared as “Thinko” in “Sex Kittens Go To College,” 1960. Surprisingly, Elektro has survived the scrap pile and is currently an exhibit at the Mansfield Memorial Museum. He also has a replica being held at the The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI.

student research summary:

by Zachary D.

Elektro the moto man was a robot made by the Westinghouse company between 1937-1938 in an Ohio facility where they constructed and researched robots. He is 7 ft tall, weighed about 265 lbs and was made to show off technology and how far it had come. Elektro’s main body is made of Aluminum and steel, with with steel gears to control his mechanisms. He had sensors in his eyeballs and a main brain in his “skull”. The sensors photoelectric which means they were able to see Red and Green light. He was not advanced enough to recognise people or objects but he is able to take voice commands.

Elektro had a vocabulary of about 700 words and was able to have simple,small conversations, but nothing to crazy. His most popular phrases to say by the program were “I am Elektro” and “My brain is bigger than yours”, which is what he would most frequent phrases to be commanded to say. Elektro was also able to smoke cigarettes, which was supposed to make him look more lifelike as most people smoked back then. He is able to move his legs, arms and neck. And is also able to walk when told to by voice controls. His movement wasn’t very fluent and graceful but he was able to walk nevertheless. Because of this he was one of the Westinghouse’s most popular robots, and led to Elektro becoming a part of the 1939 world fair where his abilities previously mentioned were put on show. Then again in 1940 where he was again put to the test from the public.

After the World Fair Elektro was in a tv show which was targeted towards adults and received his buddy Sparks the dog which was pretty much just a dog frame of metal which made dog sounds, and walked around a little.

Elektro and his “buddy” Sparks the dog

Elektros internals

Sparks the dog on display

at a museum in mansfield

He was later put in a junkyard for unknown reasons but Elektro survived it somehow. He was not in the prettiest condition so he was not fit for running anymore. There was a replica made of him and it is currently being displayed in Mansfield Memorial Museum.

Elektro is not much anymore but he had his fun in the spotlight and is no longer the special robot he was before.