Question

1. vaucanson’s digesting duck

in the 1730s, french inventor jacques de vaucanson wowed audiences with a series of intricate and eerily lifelike automatons. he created a mechanical flute player that used a pair of artificial “lungs” to perform a repertoire of 12 songs, and later made a pipe - and - drum - wielding robot capable of playing faster than any human. vaucanson’s masterpiece came in 1739, when he unveiled a “digesting duck” that could flap its wings, splash in a pool of water and—bizarrely—eat grain from audience members’ hands and defecate pre - loaded pellets onto a silver platter. the gilded copper automaton was powered by falling weights that turned a sophisticated collection of cams and levers to replicate movement. flexible rubber tubing—some of the first of its kind—served as the robot fowl’s entrails and gave the impression that it could actually swallow and digest its food. strange though it may seem, the duck - depositing duck enchanted 18th century audiences, and it was exhibited in several royal courts in europe. vaucanson even won gushing praise from the likes of voltaire, who compared him to prometheus and wrote, “without... the duck of vaucanson, you will have nothing to remind you of the glory of france.”
https://www.history.com/news/7 - early - robots - and - automations

1. da vinci’s knight operated by the use of what?

a. cranks and pulleys
b. hydraulics
c. internal battery
d. germans

1. the “mechanical monk’s” maker was once a

a. king
b. prince
c. clockmaker
d. monk

1. how was the floating orchestra similar to a computer?
2. it is likely that archytas’ dove was powered by what?
3. the silver swan was built by people who were of which two professions?

a. zoologist
b. watchmaker
c. showman
d. musicians

1. what was the key to making “the writer” move?
2. what new invention allowed the digesting duck to “digest”?
3. why do you think so many of these automation pioneers were watchmakers?

Explanation:

1. Da Vinci's Knight used cranks and pulleys for operation.
2. The "Mechanical Monk's" maker was a clockmaker.
3. The Floating Orchestra likely had programmable - like features similar to a computer (not specified in text but inferred from concept of automation).
4. Archytas' Dove was likely powered by steam or some early mechanical - power source (not specified in text).
5. The Silver Swan was built by watchmakers and showmen.
6. The key to making "The Writer" move is not specified in the provided text.
7. The new invention allowing the Digesting Duck to "digest" is not specified in the text.
8. Watchmakers were automation pioneers as they had skills in precision mechanics and time - keeping mechanisms which are relevant to automation.

Answer:

1. a. Cranks and pulleys
2. c. clockmaker
3. No specific answer in text, inferred programmable - like features
4. No specific answer in text, likely steam or early mechanical source
5. b. Watchmaker, c. Showman
6. No answer in text
7. No answer in text
8. Skills in precision mechanics and time - keeping relevant to automation