Gray Walter's Tortoise

Dr. Grey Walter was a neurologist, robotics pioneer, and a bit of a mad scientist. Living in Bristol, England in 1949, without the aid of modern day computer processors, he built reactive, autonomous robots that could wander about and avoid obstacles. Each robot had two simulated neurons, sufficient for them to display complex behavior.

"Dr. Grey Walter was a neurologist, robotics pioneer, and a bit of a mad scientist. Living in Bristol, England in 1949, without the aid of modern day computer processors, he built reactive, autonomous robots that could wander about and avoid obstacles. Each robot had two simulated neurons, sufficient for them to display complex behavior. Significantly, Walter's tortoises represent the first real world demonstration of artificial life."