its all fun and games until its midnight and this thing starts drawing by itself.

No matter how advanced human civilization is, this will always be impressive.

Thats some cool SteamPunk stuff u got there

Imagine building a device that mystifies people hundreds of years later.

People back in the day weren't stupid just stuck in the time they were born in. One can only imaging what these people could do if born 20 years ago.

The original creators of automatons were rarely simply "bragging." Consider: no TV, radio, Internet, and even newspapers were fewer and smaller. Handbills were expensive and only used in big cities. Dolls like these advertised for their creators, who made and sold watches, clocks and other equipment and demonstrated their skill.

0:40 the thing stops moving to stare directly to the camera OMG IMMA HEAD OUT--

The brain power to build these extremely complex machines is mind blowing.

"we had no idea of it's real nature" *just wait until 3AM*

Unbelievable! And I think I'm a smart guy when I build a car body or diagnose an engine problem. The guys that created these automatons must have been incredibly talented and imaginative engineers - and they didn't run down to the local hardware store on their lunch hour when they needed a bolt or lock nut either, they had to create them too! Thanks for posting!

Seems like they should've interviewed the genius machinist who put this back together.

I've always wondered what people back then do with their free time. Now I know

if the art of automatons evolved beyond mere clocks and tricks just imagine the quality of our prosthetics today.

They record the movements on those brass disks by having someone wear the same design arm mechanism that creates the drawing. The apparatus copy that is worn by a human is used to draw the real human movements onto trace paper. The trace papers then tells them where to cut the grooves on the cams that make the movements recorded forever.

I remember seeing this on tv when it first aired and being amazed. I begged and begged to go to the Franklin institute for weeks and when we got there, I watched this thing for like an hour. I read Hugo like a thousand times, and Brain Selznick is still my favorite author. I live like a half hour away from the other museum featured in this, and my family spend an entire day in there. From opening to closing. Flash forward to now, I still dream of working for a department in Disney where they make or design their animatronics, which are really just modern day automatons. I never realized how much this one segment inspired me and pushed me to becoming who I am today. Thanks.

Imagine the machinist's reaction after fixing the automaton then seeing for the first time what it writes/draws! Wish he was also interviewed.

So clever. I wonder how many other lost arts there are that remain undiscovered

The movie HUGO brought me here!

I build scrap metal automata and sculptures, nothing that compares to any of these masterpieces, but I love learning from the genius ways the masters designed and built these elaborate works! Such precision, innovation, and hours of dedication, it's always inspiring!! Thanks for this wonderfully produced video!!

When I was watching Hugo I thought that the picture that the automaton drew was just movie magic as I thought it was too complex, but now I see that it does fit within the realms of reality.

"How ironic that I was designed to express these trivial notes and drawings for the amusement of others, while I can have no expression of my own. My hands and body forced through these motions while I watch in horror, knowing that if I had the ability to open my mouth of my own accord, this cursed chamber would be filled with nothing but the sounds of my screaming"

So cool, but horror movie material

That thing is sooooo cool- Its expression and eyes are haunting but serene.... And the crafting of the gears is exquisite !

Imagine being alone with these things. Observe the silence. Creepy.

Alita was a cyborg pulled from the trash by Doc Ido and brought back to life. Her first friend was Hugo.

E T A Hoffmann was obsessed with automata, (eg “The Nutcracker” etc) and, having watched this, now I understand why!

“It’s something from the late 1700’s” More like it’s something straight out my nightmares

This doc recaptured many childhood memories of mine, because my father was both a calligrapher and painter. I am gobsmacked right now watching this artifact, and trying to comprehend the level of engineering, fantasy, and commitment to automatons.

Just watched Hugo last night and was curious if such thing was possible. I can't believe that long ago someone was able to figure all this out and make one that writes. Just absolutely amazing. Nothing short of a genius.

I read the book Hugo Cabret. Now, when I played the video game "Syberia", I remembered them. It is truly an amazing video game for people facinated about automatons.

If it amazes people now I just imagine back in the day

so cool how it solved its own mystery!!!!

I'm fascinated by this kind of ingenuity The brilliance to imagine and then devise it from long ago

This kind of stuff is still brilliant even hundreds of years later.

There's a movie named Hugo, that's where I learnt about automatons. It's actually based on clockmakers . Ohh I didn't see the full video😛

01:03 That's what happened in The Invention Of Hugo Cabret. So it's true... THATS AWSOME. In the book Hugos father died while he was locked in the museum attic while he was working on the automaton and then their was the fire soo. YES

"The Invention of Hugo Cabret" is actually pretty good.

It’s mind blowing. So much precision

In the 18th century, this automaton was probably crowded with people-who would watch it draw and write in pure wonderment and awe. Adults-kids…they all probably thought it was something that could have never even exist. And today, its still amazing people. Seeing all those kids surrounding it in the video was just too precious. The automaton is probably so happy to be astonishing people again.

It all started... with a pissing contest between the local watch makers

I love these things. They're so complex and much cooler than the stuff we use everyday today. I wish they made these more often in today's world.

Masterpiece!!!!! What amazes me the most is the expression in his face... he is focused and enjoying what',s he is doing.. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

for all wondering how the cams where designed, i guess it was a reverse process: first the guiding mechanism with pulleys, cogs and whatever else was made, includong the cam followers, then circular, oversized cams where fixed out of paper and a pen was attached on the follower. then the programmer just started the machine and as it cycled he took the hand and started drawing or writing, and the pen was inscribing the correct path on the carton cam, which was later cut on a brass cam and reasembled. repeat that for each drawing and add manual motion of the head and eye blinks, done. it still feels magical though.

i read “the invention of Hugo Cabret” in 4th grade. if you’re interested i would recommend reading it. it was incredible though i didn’t pay attention when we watched the movie lol.

Amazing in every sense of the word. So glad you are sharing this with others, Charles Penniman. Thank you.

AUTOMATON? YOUR HESITATION WILL BE NOTED

“Lost art of automatons back again” Me: Yes finally! I’ve been waiting! Video: *8 years old*

watched the Hugo movie years ago and i didnt know this video. So fascinating. I dont care if it's kinda scary, i still like it as here we can see top craftsmanship. No batteries, electricity, etc, just pure intricate machinations that are designed to do something. Just love it ♥️

I recently read and finished "The Invention of Hugo Cabret." Great book. I am now readin' it with my eight year old. Timeless! No pun intended....

How wonderfully created is this? Imagine the amount of love put in to make one of these!

Am fascinated by these truly amazing works of art

When I was a kid I read and re-read every textbook I could get my hands on. One of them was home to a favorite page: the paragraphs about automatons. There was one picture, showing the boy that could write and draw. I was awed and fascinated. I've wondered for years, how did it work? Now I know. Those wheels in the back. The details I shall leave as trade secrets. It's great to see people interested in mechanical wonders, even in the modern age where electronics are easier.

Interviewer: Lets see what it can do _winds lever_ Automaton: _writes HELP MEEEE_ Charles: *sweat intensifies*

No matter how advance modern technologies get. Gear based machines will always be a strong fascination.

Great story thanks CBS I wish more news was like this.

Wow, Resident Evil Biohazard had a Robot like this in the game during the "Happy Birthday" mission.

A very impressive mechanical work of art

Watches/clocks, automatons and music boxes are the mechanical wonders!

There's no telling what secrets lie hiding behind the minds of those old automatons. What they draw or write might tell us secrets that people took to their graves. Thanks to Hugo and the smart mechanic who fixed that automaton, we now finally know how they work.

People: the automation reminds me of the Invention of Hugo Cabaret Me: Hugo Schmeisser and the invention of the MP 18

I cant imagine how amazing that must have been to people in the 1700's.

I understand it completely. Each moving part is carefully planned and carved into a cog on a rotating drum. With many different cogs all rotating at the same time it can make many different movements at the same time. Powered by a spring inside of a barrel connected to a fusee tapered cone by a tiny bicycle chain. Very similar to a very old very expensive singing bird in a cage movement. 😃

Wow! That is so fascinating. The craftsmanship and ingenuity are bar none.

They won’t be laughing when it starts hunting down the security guard

The original Robots wow! Da vinci had some also!!!

This is utterly fascinating and truly delightful.

I remember this being on TV sunday mornings during breakfast. My mom and me would come back from church and my dad would have breakfast readyand he would be watching this show.

Shout out to being KZfaq Recommended to me 9 years later

Magicians: Not even Chris Angel: Automaton Clown: *Lost his head*

Bravo to engineer to put it back together saving history. BTW we loved the movie Hugo. I fell in love with the Automaton. I'm very intrigued by the old automatons and old tonickelodeon. arcades, nickelodeons. Ty!

Wow that’s so cool! Especially the fact that it winds up and turns wheels on shaped teeth which corresponds to each movement! I never knew about that before.

Watch making is one of the worlds great engineering feats. Very underappreciated skill.

Its insane the stuff the automata can do, and the fact that the automaton in Hugo could actually draw the shot from trip to the moon just for that one scene!

Simply AMAZING!

Watch makers were flexing hard holy smokes. I absolutely love these types of machines, amazing.

I loved (and still do) Brian Selznick books growing up. We read it in year 5 and we liked it so much, that our year 5 teacher carried on to be year 6 teacher so we can finish the book. Then we read more of his works (the robot king, boy with a thousand faces, the Houdini box.).

This is somehow very entertaining to see and at the same time it scares me

This is fucking crazy, why am i just now learning about this at 18.

A true inspiration to creativity and invention. Very nice.

Why do I always get so excited when I see places I live by in videos and stuff

So the head scientist says…”we had some idea that it was some sort of mechanical automatic device, but we had no idea of its true nature” And that's how the world ends, not with a bang but with a whimper....

This little old dude still prints better than my printer ever will #officespace

Wooow! Precise as watch, amazing

He may have ‘lost ‘ his head, but he haven’t lost his sense of purpose...... these animatronic sculptures can amaze those who show enough curiosity about their existence as if they are a source of mystery and entertainment. I now do have immense fascination for these marvels as to see them in real life without these special effects most movies use to make these ‘dolls’ come to life. I always wanted to see how they work and now I finally got the chance!

Fun fact : This machine was also Featured in Hugo movie

The ancient Greeks (Hellenes) also built automatons.

Amazing! Just beautiful

Man can be so destructive and so intriguing at the same time

The old music at the start is the same song Trelane plays on the harpsichord during his first scene in the Star Trek TOS ep, "The Squire of Gothos"!

This looks like something I would get my 3d printer to do

Amazing I wish they could make more of these

This book was one of my favorites growing up

4:07 that is genuinely terrifying lmao

Back in my day we didn't have your fancy pants friends, we had to build them.

Fascinating yet mysterious.

Hugo is a very good film. Thank you the guy with the eyeglass.

Those eyes have killing intent every 3 o'clock in the morning

I would love to get one of these... to make it do my home work XD

Hugo is such a wonderful movie. ❤❤❤

The absolutly mechanical perfection.