French inventor Jacques de Vaucanson, a pioneer in automated machinery, died in 1782.

Born in Grenoble, France, in 1709, Jacques de Vaucanson began his career in the field of automata—automated machinery—by creating a life-sized figure capable of playing the flute. The robot simulated human breathing and was able to play 12 different musical works. Vaucanson's most famous invention was called, simply, "The Duck." Vaucanson's duck had over 400 moving parts in each wing alone, and was able to eat, stretch its neck and flap its wings. Although the duck was originally billed as able to digest grain, it was later discovered that Vaucanson had actually created only the illusion of digestion. Nevertheless, "The Duck" remains one of the most famous early robotic inventions.

In 1741, Vaucanson was appointed inspector of silk manufacturing in France, where the industry was facing difficulty against competition from England and Scotland. Vaucanson used his talent for automata and engineering to reorganize the industry and make great improvements to the machinery used to weave the silk. During this time he also created the first automatic loom, through the use of a controlled system of perforated cards, but the device was not entirely reliable. In addition to its flaws, it was received with great hostility by workers in the industry, who found it insulting to be presented with a machine that was meant to perform their craft without the benefit of human touch. It was not until the turn of the century several decades later that another inventor, Joseph Marie Jacquard, took the original concept and improved it, creating a fully automated loom that became widely adopted during the Industrial Revolution.

Science NetLinks
In Exploring Parts and Wholes (K-2), students explore systems (in the context of parts and wholes), and develop the understanding that when parts are put together they can do things that they couldn't do by themselves. Students analyze and discuss the parts of toys, classroom objects and objects in the outdoor world.

Move It! With Simple Machines (3-5) helps students understand simple machines and what their purposes might be. After reading a short page on each of several simple machines, students discuss how the simple machines function. They explore this briefly in a hands-on fashion and lead into the discussion of how these tools are the base for almost any machine or more complex tool that we use.

Tools (3-5) has students examine the natural functions of tools. Students examine, categorize and discuss the uses of everyday tools and simple machines. This base of knowledge leads into exercises and discussions about how complex machines are a conglomerate of simpler tools and motions, as well as how tools have changed and become more sophisticated throughout history. At the end of the lesson, to reemphasize the importance of tools in human society, students write a paper in which they imagine a world without a particular tool.

Building a Water Clock (6-8) helps students understand robotic systems through the study of a feedback-controlled water clock. Students observe the workings of a water clock, use the Internet to research ways of improving on the design and then work in teams to create versions of the clock that can keep time accurately for at least two hours.

In Robotic Dog (6-12), students learn about research being done on robot pets as substitutes for people unable to care for real animals. After hearing about studies being done in this area, students consider the questions scientists are trying to answer and how they themselves might conduct similar research.

In the Science Update Replicating Robots (6-12), students hear about an engineering lab at Cornell University, where Hod Lipson and a team of graduate students have created robots that can build exact copies of themselves from magnetic cubes.

EDSITEment
Was There an Industrial Revolution? Americans at Work Before the Civil War (9-12) helps students learn about changes which occurred in the United States during the period of industrialization before the Civil War. Students examine information to determine which facts indicate whether early industrialization was a revolutionary or evolutionary process. This is the second lesson in a two-lesson series.

Illuminations
In the interactive activity Robot Sketcher: Explore Different Robot Arm Constructions (9-12), students can build compound arms having multiple joints of two types: one that rotates and is typical of rotating motors and one that slides and is typical of hydraulic lifts.