Eric Robot

An aluminium "man" that rises, bows and makes a "speech": a knight-like robot!

It had the honor of making the first speech in opening the exhibition and its success was such that London parents no longer frighten their disobedient children with talk of the "bogey-man." It Is "Eric. the Robot" who persuades the children into a regular and efficient performance of their chores.

 "The trouble is that up to the present time it needs two men to see that he does his work," said Captain Richards in describing his creation. "Thus as an economic factor it can't be said that he is paying his way. "

Sources: cyberneticzoo, whyfiles, Bundesarchv

Signor Roboto

RIV ball bearings ad

1925

Scanned and retouched by Paul Malon @ Flickr

The Flying Robot

 

1931

Master of the World

An A.M. Cay poster for a 1934 Harry Piel sci-fi movie*

Scanned and retouched by Paul Malon

* Read The New York Times review (1935)

Man of Steel

1940

Scanned and retouched by Paul Malon @ Flickr

Automakong

By Murderous Automaton

Elektro and Sparko

Elektro, one of the most photographed mechanical men, was produced by Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1939 for the New York World's Fair.

Constructed from Aluminium on a steel frame, Elektro was capable of performing twenty six movements and responded to commands spoken into a microphone. each word set up vibrations which were converted into electrical impulses; which in turn operated the relays controlling eleven motors. A series of words properly spaced selected the movement Elektro was to make. Two-word commands started an action. One-word commands stopped it. Four words returned all relays to their normal positions. His fingers, arms and turntable for talking were operated by nine motors and another small motor worked the bellows so the giant could smoke. The eleventh motor drove the four rubber rollers under each foot, enabling him to walk.

Elektro's faithful companion, the dog Sparko, with two motors, could beg, bark and wag his tail.

Source: davidbuckley.net

New Wonder Weekly

1934

via x-ray delta one @ Flickr

Smart Man

by Cutangus @ Flickr

See "From a Parallel Universe" (NEW!) @ Dieselpunk Encyclopedia

The Guardians of the Constitution, Pt. 3

Norway, 1929. Secret agent J. Fjeld Jr. has been bitten by a werewolf, accused of murder and is now hunted by his own colleagues. And things are about to get worse...

via J. Fjeld Jr. @ Dieselpunks.org

Futirist Ski

by Ivo Panaggi
1926

Jim Ripple's Robots

A Soviet sci-fi / social satire movie, loosely based on Čapek's R.U.R., 1935:

Jim Ripple is an inventor of industrial automatons, guided by the sound of saxophone.
He hopes his invention will help to destroy Capitalism.

But vicious capitalists use robots to fire and oppress 'live' workers. Jim is killed in a riot.

Class-conscious workers re-program Jim's steel monsters and use them against their oppressors. Robots dancing in the streets: revolution, revolution has come!

Via nicolya @ Dieselpunks LJ community

Robot Tales

Cover art by Bok
1941

via Golden Age Comic Book Stories

Britain's Own

1931

via paul.malon @ Flickr

Futurist Robots

Costumes by Fortunato Depero for his ballet 'Machine of 3000' (1924)
Courtesy the Depero Museum, Rovereto

via tate.org.uk

German Economic Wonder

Book cover by John Heartfield

Paranoid Android

by Goran Delic

Roboghosts

By Brian Despain
Artist's Website

Fearless Automaton Against the Mob

Robotic Mob Squad as envisioned by great Hugo Gernsback, 1924
By the way, the word Robot, invented by Czech writer Karel Čapek, is yet to conquer universal recognition.
See enlarged version @ Dieselpunk LJ Community