Eric (robot)

Eric was the first British robot, built in 1928 by First World War veteran Captain William Richards, and aircraft engineer Alan Reffell.

[2] The robot was operated by two people,[3] and Eric's voice was received live by a radio signal,[1] Richards claiming to be working under a license of the Marconi Company.

[2] Having researched Eric's story, Science Museum curator Ben Russell concluded that "no-one quite knows what happened to him, whether he was blown-up or taken to pieces for spare parts".

[2] In the 1930s, William Richards built a similar robot called "George", which toured the world including Germany and Australia.

He cost almost £2,000 to build, compared to Eric's £140, and The Age newspaper described him as "the educated gentleman, alongside his rough-hewn awkward brother".