Making Simple Automata

by Robert Race

Designing and making successful automata involves combining materials, mechanisms and magic. Making Simple Automata explains how to design and construct small scale, simple mechanical devices made for fun. Materials such as paper and card, wood, wire, tinplate and plastics are covered along with mechanisms - levers and linkages, cranks and cams, wheels, gears, pulleys, springs, ratchets and pawls. This wonderful book is illustrated with examples throughout and explains the six golden rules for making automata alongside detailed step-by-step projects. Magic - an unanalyzable charm, a strong fascination so that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. Superbly illustrated with 110 colour photographs with examples and detailed step-by-step projects.

99 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 31, 2014

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does a really good job in explaining the basics of constructing automata, as well as showing beautiful pictures of the history of building these living machines. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as it's a quick read.

[Afzalali · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cute

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid little book for makers on the history of automata and a guide to building simple toy machines.