Electromechanical Pong

From: Ed Kelleher <Pres_at_macro-inc.com>
Date: Fri Sep 24 06:27:28 2004

At 05:50 PM 9/23/2004, you wrote:
>Amazing, huh? If I read that right, it's 52 relays though (I don't know
>any German) which makes it sound rather like a 'simple' relay control
>system rather than an actual relay computer. I fired off an email to
>them to see if they'll let me have a nose at the wiring diagrams.
>
>I was just thinking that it would be an interesting challenge to build a
>fully mechanical version - no electrical parts whatsoever. Steam-powered
>pong, that'd be different... "Babbage Pong", maybe... :-)
>
>And given the light loading involved, why not use wooden gearing instead
>of metal: "Organic Pong"...

Is the Museum of Automata still open in York (England)?
Fascinating place that had all sorts of mechanical marvels like this.
I remember an archer that would pull an arrow out of his quiver, shoot it
at a target, then retrieve the arrow and shoot again - all mechanical.
Amazing stuff.

But it's been a few years, and recently I couldn't find anything on the web
about them.

Ed K.
Received on Fri Sep 24 2004 - 06:27:28 BST