A century ago, industrial juggernaut Westinghouse ventured into robotics. It marked the beginning of the general public’s fascination with humanoid robots, planting seeds for a future where robotics would evolve from mechanical novelties to human-like machines.
As a myriad of AI-powered humanoids inch toward mass deployment at home and work, let’s look back at the foundation that Elektro laid.
Based in Pennsylvania, Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company was a perceived leader in electrification and automation during the post-World War I tech boom. The company vied with titans like General Electric and RCA, showcasing next-generation tech to the growing consumer appliance market.
Science fiction literature, pulp magazines, and early cinematic depictions of advanced robotics like Fritz Lang’s Metropolis fueled the general public’s fascination with robots as symbols of technological progress.
Founded in 1886 by George Westinghouse, the company was well established by the 30s, pioneering AC power systems and electrical infrastructure. As a leading industrial conglomerate, Westinghouse’s role in the 1930s was akin to today’s diversified industrial giants like Siemens or GE.
Westinghouse’s growth stalled during the Great Depression, but the company continued introducing new appliances like electrical refrigerators and washing machines. In the court of public opinion, Westinghouse had fallen behind GE in innovative products, prompting efforts to revitalize its public image.
Westinghouse was known for its dramatic demonstrations of technological feats, like when its AC systems powered the entire 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Throughout the Great Depression, the company experimented with robots as attention grabbing tools.
Its first robot, in 1927, was named Herbert Televox. Westinghouse showcased the humanoid figure during trade shows to demonstrate the potential of its electrical control systems and automation capabilities.
Herbert responded to tone signals via a telephone and performed basic tasks like lifting a receiver and turning switches. It was rudimentary, but the robot’s ability to mimic basic human actions captivated audiences.
A new and improved version of the robot, named Willie Vocalite, emerged a few years later. It featured light-sensitive technology, meaning it responded to commands via light instead of tone signals. Its actions were basic but more interactive than its predecessor’s.
Westinghouse wasn’t alone in venturing into robotics during this era.
In late 1920s London, Captain W.H. Richards and Alan Reffell built Eric Robot out of aluminum and electric motors. As one of the first publicly displayed humanoid robots, Eric could stand, sit, and deliver pre-recorded speeches. Also in the late ’20s, Makoto Nishimura developed Gakutensoku, which is considered the first Japanese robot. The robot’s aesthetics were intended to symbolize the symbiotic nature between humans and machines.
By the late 1930s, Westinghouse was ready to take things to the next level. Early experiments showed that the appeal of robots could extend far beyond engineering conferences.
Joseph M. Barnett led a team of engineers tasked with developing a full-sized humanoid robot spectacular enough to capture attention at the 1939 New York World’s Fair. The team designed Elektro to mimic human behaviors in a way the public had never seen before.
The 1939 fair’s theme was The World of Tomorrow. Elektro was a hit at the fair, presented in the Westinghouse Pavilion as part of an exhibit called The Hall of Electrical Living.
Standing 2.1 meters (7 feet) tall, Elektro weighed 120 kg (265 lbs). Its aluminum build gave it a shiny, futuristic appearance.
It operated using a series of relays and motors, controlled by electrical signals. The robotic system was powered via a tethered connection that limited its mobility. Commands were sent via a microphone and a push-button control panel that activated specific relays. Its speech came from a built-in phonograph that delivered up to 26 phrases.
Elektro’s leg motors powered simple bipedal locomotion. The robot moved its arms up and down, performed gestures, and held objects. It could raise its fingers one by one to count to 10. Its head could turn side to side.
With its primitive photoelectric cells, Elektro could detect visual cues and respond to changes in light.
The metal humanoid is perhaps most remembered for its bad habit. Elektro puffed cigarettes using a small vacuum pump inside its head.
The spectacle received significant news coverage.
A 1939 film produced by Westinghouse called The Middleton Family at the New York World’s Fair immortalized the moment. It follows the father, mother, grandmother, daughter Babs and son Bud as they’re guided through the fair by Jim Treadway, a Westinghouse engineer.
Elektro is featured prominently as well as other innovations like an automatic dishwasher and television, which was a novel technology at the time.
Jim does such a good job that he convinces the daughter to ditch her bohemian, anti-capitalist boyfriend for the engineer. Her choice aligns with the broader cultural narrative of the time that embraced innovation and industrial progress as the key to a prosperous future.
The movie was a major financial undertaking for Westinghouse. It featured professional actors, carefully staged scenes, and was shot on high-quality film stock that was expensive during the era.
The movie was shot before the actual fair, designed to introduce visitors to the technological marvels they’d encounter at the Westinghouse Pavillion. The corporate propaganda was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2012 for its historical significance.
Following the fair, Elektro and a new robotic canine friend, Sparko, embarked on a national tour, participating in industry exhibitions and local events.
The onset of World War II shifted Westinghouse’s priorities toward wartime production. Elektro’s promotional activities were scaled back, but the robot occasionally appeared at events to boost morale and promote wartime tech advancements.
Elektro continued as a promotional tool throughout the 40s, but its novelty waned. By the 1950s, Elektro’s relay-based system and mechanical movements seemed outdated compared to newer innovations.
Elektro’s time in the spotlight, however, was not quite over.
In 1960, Elektro appeared prominently in the comedy Sex Kittens Go to College, also known as The Beauty and the Robot. The lighthearted B movie was directed by Albert Zugsmith, known for campy, low-budget comedies and exploitation films.
Sex Kittens follows Doctor Mathilda West, a brilliant professor played by Mamie Van Doren. Elektro is Thinko, a college supercomputer with human-like quirks. Westinghouse was not officially involved with the production, but it helped maintain the robot’s legacy as a pop culture icon.
As a new generation of industrial robots emerged, Elektro was casually retired and placed in storage at a Westinghouse facility. The robot faded into obscurity until the late 80s when it was rediscovered by technology enthusiasts.
Elektro was restored to working condition, with parts of its original design carefully maintained or replicated.
Today, Elektro lives at the Mansfield Memorial Museum in Ohio. It serves as a historical artifact, harkening back to the optimism of the World of Tomorrow era.
As a new wave of humanoid robots inch closer to mass deployment, Elektro is likely to remain relevant as a historical touchstone. Though its capabilities pale in comparison to humanoids that followed like ASIMO, Atlas, Sophia, the Tesla Optimus and countless others, Elektro continues to inspire modern innovators.