Electro "the Moto-Man" and Sparko from Westinghouse - - - Long before Robosimian or Pepper-kun were even conceived, thousands of people all around the US and eventually the world were entertained by Elektro, aka the �Westinghouse Motor Man�. Elektro has a strong claim to the title of, �world�s first humanoid robot� and was developed by engineer Joseph Barnett for the Westinghouse company. Elektro was first exhibited at the New York Expo in 1939, and was such a hit with the crowds, he was invited back the following year. Standing 6� ft 10 inches (2.10 m) the impressive robot would go on to tour the world with his creator. With the tagline �He Walks, Talks, Smokes and Sings,� he was able to perform 26 different movements, with a vocabulary of 700 words. Commands were given via a telephone contraption and although he may appear primitive to our eyes, Elektro was truly out-of-this-world for the people of the time!
Unfortunately, Elektro didn�t get to enjoy a peaceful retirement, he was eventually dismantled and sold for scrap metal. His faithful companion Sparko, the dog, didn�t finish out much better, he was knocked down outside the Westinghouse office�s in 1957.
This Electro Information is brought to you through the Courtesy of: cyberneticzoo.com/Elektro � Joseph M. Barnett , 1937
This Sparko Information is brought to you through the Courtesy of: cyberneticzoo.com/Sparko the Robot Dog, 1940
