History of Game Art: The Mechanical Amusements and Automata

Automaton or Automata: These are defined as self-operating machines designed to follow a specific sequence of instructions or to mimic the actions of humans or animals.
Historical Context: The concept of the automaton is ancient, dating back thousands of years.
Hero of Alexandria:
- Time Period: $1^{st}$ century CE.
- Role: Greek mathematician and engineer.
- Contributions: Hero described various mechanical devices powered by water, steam, or weights.
- Specific Examples:
  - Mechanical Birds: Designed to chirp when air flowed through hidden pipes.
  - Humanoid Figures: Machines that could move, open doors, or act out short theatrical plays through the use of ropes, pulleys, and weights.

Ancient Chinese Records: Early records mention mechanical birds capable of flapping their wings and singing.
Tang Dynasty ( $7^{th}–10^{th}$ centuries):
- Artisans created elaborate entertainment devices specifically for imperial banquets.
- Some devices featured birds perched on trees that sang via water-driven or air-driven systems.
Islamic Golden Age:
- Major inventors included the Banu Musa brothers and Al-Jazari.
- They developed devices where flowing water or hidden air chambers produced lifelike chirping sounds.

Mechanical Servant:
- Designed as a humanoid automaton to serve drinks.
- It utilized a hidden container that slowly filled a cup.
- Once the cup was ready, a small door opened, and the servant appeared to deliver the beverage.
- The design highlights the combination of engineering, timing mechanisms, and theatrical presentation.
Drink-serving Waitress:
- A specific humanoid automaton that could serve water, tea, or other drinks.
- The Serving Process:
  1. The drink was stored in a hidden container.
  2. From the container, the liquid slowly dripped into a small bucket.
  3. The dripping process lasted approximately $7\,\text{minutes}$ .
  4. The liquid then moved into a cup.
  5. Once the cup was filled, a little door would open.
  6. The waitress would emerge to serve the drink.
- Working Components of Al-Jazari's Design:
  - Valve rod.
  - Mirror.
  - Float.
  - Whistle.
  - Pipe to Pitcher.
  - Partition.
  - Towel.
  - Pulley.
  - Valve.

Renaissance Era: Italian garden engineers developed elaborate singing bird fountains powered specifically by hydraulics.
Baroque Period:
- Birds were integrated into ornate clocks and cabinets.
- These mechanical birds would flap their wings and sing exactly on the hour.

Yumihiki Doji:
- An archer automaton belonging to the category of karakuri ningyo.
- Creator: Hisashige Tanaka.
- Actions: It picks up an arrow, draws a bow, aims, and shoots with smooth, human-like movement.
- Mechanics: It is powered by a wound spring and hidden gears, showcasing a blend of craftsmanship and mechanical precision.
Tipu’s Tiger Automaton:
- Structure: A life-sized wooden sculpture depicting a tiger pinning down and attacking a European man.
- Configuration: The tiger acts as the main body; the human figure lies beneath it, creating a single dramatic scene rather than a neutral machine.
- Internal Mechanisms and Sound:
  - Bellows System: Pushes air through a pipe connected to the man’s throat to produce a wailing sound.
  - Tiger Vocals: The tiger’s head produces a low growling sound.
  - Movement: The man’s left arm moves up and down to enhance the realism of the scene.
  - Musical Function: The side of the tiger contains a small pipe organ with an ivory keyboard, making it both an automaton and a musical instrument.

Mechanical Marvels - Clockwork Dreams: A BBC documentary hosted by Culture Vulture Rises that explores the history and complexity of these mechanical devices.
Multimedia Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMDFRwXCSWA and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbJjx9LU8Is (demonstrating the Yumihiki Doji).