A Superb Contemporary Handwriting Automaton

This is not a new video, but this piece by François Junod is probably the most stunningly beautiful and complex automaton mechanism I have ever seen, contemporary or antique. In the context of what can be seen in this video it appears that there were no shortcuts, no compromises, and no cost-reductions – this is mechanical design done right.

But functionality was clearly not the only goal. The level of workmanship and finish detail on every piece part is unsurpassed and elevate this to a true work of art. I have been impressed by both the automaton and the video presentation since I first viewed it a couple of years ago, and I see a little more every time I watch it.

I thought it might be of interest to make some notes about how the mechanism appears to operate. I am no expert on anything, and I will make a disclaimer here by saying everything written below is my opinion or best guess and may not be accurate.

Points of Interest – Timeline

NOTE: Some sections of the video are only a fraction of a second in length. It may be helpful to open the video in a second browser if you are trying to follow along with the text.… Read the rest