kids encyclopedia robot

Automaton facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
TeaAutomatAndMechanism
Tea-serving Japanese automaton, "karakuri ningyō", with mechanism (right), 19th century.

An automaton; plural: automata or automatons) is a self-operating machine, or a machine or control mechanism designed to automatically follow a predetermined sequence of operations, or respond to predetermined instructions. Some automata, such as bellstrikers in mechanical clocks, are designed to give the illusion to the casual observer that they are operating under their own power.

Problems

Like in real life, there are machines that are too complex to understand. The mathematician and computer scientists therefore ask themselves if a certain automaton is minimal. If it is not minimal, there must be another automaton with fewer states that can do the same thing. An example of an automaton is the turing machine.

Images for kids

  • MechaDuck

    A postulated interior of the Duck of Vaucanson (1738–1739)

  • Mechanical Pinochio

    Pinocchio automaton

  • Hero - De automatis, 1589 - 116959

    The book About automata by Hero of Alexandria (1589 edition)

  • NAMA Machine d'Anticythère 1

    The Antikythera mechanism from 150 to 100 BC was designed to calculate the positions of astronomical objects.

  • CIMA mg 8332

    Automaton in the Swiss Museum CIMA.

  • Statues on Prague Astronomical Clock 2014-01 (landscape mode) 3

    Bell-ringing Death on Prague astronomical clock

  • Takeda Oumi karakuri

    A Japanese automata theater in Osaka, drawn in 18th century. The Takeda family opened their automata theater in 1662.

  • Elephant Automaton at Waddesdon Manor

    Elephant automaton at Waddesdon Manor

  • Russia 2541 - Peacock Clock (4109434719)

    Peacock Clock created by James Cox

  • Vaucanson Automata

    All three of Vaucanson's Automata: The Flute Player, The Tambourine Player, and Digesting Duck

  • Singing Bird Box by Bontems

    A singing bird box made about 1890 by Bontems. Bird dressed with iridescent hummingbird feathers and case made of tortoiseshell.

  • Automa Manzetti 1840

    The flute-player by Innocenzo Manzetti (1840)

  • Alexander Pushkin automaton android by François Junod

    Alexander Pushkin automaton (2010) by Swiss automaton maker François Junod.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Autómata (mecánico) para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Automaton Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.