m a Hebrew word meaning an unformed clay. The best known golem is that of Rabbi Loew, who was formed in sixteenth century Prague to protect Jews.Amongst all these legends there was human inventors who were developing devices that would automatically perform acts that could be associated with intelligence. Automatic devices were created that operated by steam, moving fluids, and compressed air. These devices were essentially toys or gadgets of no real use. The first truly useful devices were clocks. The first clocks were water clocks where the water lifted floats with pointers that pointed at the time, Mechanical clocks were invented in the Middle Ages, which used weights for power. Clocks continued to advance in complexity and it became possible to manufacture objects that mimicked actions that were associated with life. These objects that moved automatically were called automatonsAs technology advanced it became possible to imagine an automation that was truly lifelike. One that would be soulless or mindless and which could go out of control, wreaking death and destruction. These fears influenced the story of Frankenstein during this period and influence those who fear robots today.In 1738 Jacques de Vaucanson created a mechanical duck that was the most celebrated automata of that era. The duck was made of copper and could quack, bath, drink, eat grain, simulate digestion, and voiding. The duck was exhibited all over Europe with great success. Vaucanson soon tired of his invention and turned his talents to more practical matters and invented the first automatic weaving loom. The looms control system was the precursor of todays computerized systems. It is this computerization that turns ordinary machines into robots. The new looms could produce intricate patterns easily and automatically depending on what pattern card was selected. These looms and even the inventors met with worker hostility, but the advantages eventual...
