Sure, it's easy to build a robot out of circuit boards, sensors, and other pre-fabbed parts, but see how well you fare when your only supplies are wood, springs, and gears. Karakuri the tea server is ...

Karakuri dolls are said to be one of the original forms of the modern robot. The history of Karakuri (meaning "mechanism that drives a machine") automatic dolls began in the early Edo period of Japan ...

The Aibo, Asimo, even Gundam—robotics are a national institution of Japan. However, robotics started there far earlier than most folks realize. Karakuri ningyo (roughly “mechanized dolls”) go back to ...

During Japan’s Edo period, which stretched from the early 17th century to the mid-1800s, wealthy families would buy Karakuri—little self operating dolls or toys that served tea and shot arrows. Here, ...