ELECTRIC ROBOT MARVELS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 186, 4 May 1929, Page 20

ELECTRIC ROBOT MARVELS

At a demonstration before the American Institute, electric devices surpassing the human eye in sensitiveness detected, and extinguished fire, counted people and objects, and gave a warning of the approach of supposed burglars (says a New York correspondent of the London “Daily Telegraph.” Each performance was but one example of the possibilities of the electric robot of the future. It was based on the reaction of a photo-electric cell to light. This non-union mechanical scientific worker has eyes so perfect that he can register the mere passing of a shadow, sort materials according to colour or imperfections, and even match fabrics, paints, and tiles with greater accuracy than a human being. Probably the most impressive part of the demonstration was the working of an automatic fire-extinguishing device. A match was tossed into a glass tank containing a highly inflammable mixture, and standing directly beneath a beam of light focused on an “electric eye.” The instant this beam was cut

by a burst of smoky flame the “eye” actuated mechanism releasing carbon dioxide on the flame, which then went out amid great hissing from the extinguisher, and loud cheers from the spectators.