Building Ancient Robots in Switzerland

In a country known for their intricate watchmaking, one man is taking the mastery of machinery to another level—and to another era. Meet François Junod, a craftsman bringing back the ancient art of automata. Building automata dates back to ancient Egypt and is thought to be one of the earliest forays into robotics. First developed as a form of entertainment for royalty, automata are complex mechanical sculptures that combine watchmaking and anatomy to create objects that seemingly come alive. Today, Junod is assembling mechanical masterpieces out of his studio in Switzerland, taking the historical craft into the future.

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