© Mark Ollig
While considering what to write this week, I came across the world radio history website.
Its online archives contain decades-old collections of radio programming schedules and electronic hobbyist magazines, including the December 1958 issue of Popular Electronics.
How much did this magazine cost in 1958?
That’s right. It sold for 35 cents.
The magazine included electronic schematic drawings and details for constructing devices such as radios, audio stereo speakers, home alarm systems, ceiling-mounted Hi-Fi speakers, appliance testers, and other electronic goodies.
I discovered many of the magazine’s topics from 1958 are still popular today.
It is no surprise that most people believe advanced, artificially intelligent robots and sophisticated computer programs will become a regular part of our everyday lives.
It’s already happening today. Isn’t that right, Alexa?
Or, as I say to get the attention of my smart electronic assistant, “Hey, Google.”
The cover page of this December 1958 magazine reads, “Christmas Fun with Electronic Robots.”
The cover shows a painting of what appears to represent robotic parents and a toddler robot, hanging decorations on a green spruce tree inside their home.
On page 45, there is an article titled, “There Are ROBOTS Among Us.”
“Electronic robots, in one form or another, are influencing our daily lives. Are we due for an electronic revolution?” declared the subheading of an editorial written by William Tenn.
Tenn suggests some people believed having robots with human-like brains would mean they would be doing all the work while humans enjoyed a life of leisure.
His editorial goes on to express concern about robots replacing people, saying, “they might run amuck and destroy their masters. The robots will get us if we don’t watch out.”
Robots commonly appeared in many science fiction movies during the 1950s.
GORT (Genetically-Organized Robotic Technology) was the 9-foot tall, metal-plated robot that appeared in the science fiction 1951 movie, “The Day The Earth Stood Still.”
It was part of the robotic “interstellar guardian police force,” and protector of the visiting extraterrestrial, yet human-looking, Klaatu.
GORT had the power to destroy the Earth, which, of course, would cause an understandable amount of fear in any rational person.
The famous sci-fi phrase from this movie, “Klaatu barada nikto,” is still repeated today, although I am yet to understand what it exactly means.
The 1953 movie, “Robot Monster,” featured a 7-foot tall Moon robot named Ro-Man, who wore what looked like a vintage, underwater diver’s helmet.
The 1954 movie “GOG” featured two experimental robots inside a top-secret government underground research base.
The robots do a HAL (“2001: A Space Odyssey”) and sabotage the base, but the creative humans defeat the robots.
During the 1950s, one of the most famous movie robots was Robby the Robot.
This 7-foot-6-inch-tall, intimidating-looking robot, weighing around 300 pounds, was built in 1955 by the MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) studio’s prop department. It cost $125,000.
The 1956 movie, “Forbidden Planet,” and 1957’s “The Invisible Boy,” featured Robby the Robot.
Amid all the robotic pandemonium, a friendly-looking “SPARKY the Robot Pup” was featured on page 51 of the December 1958 Popular Electronics magazine.
SPARKY the Robot Pup is a small, oval-shaped (resembles an upside-down stainless-steel cooking pot), playful-looking robot.
If you saw this cute robotic puppy posted on your favorite online social media, you would immediately click the “like” button.
Well-written instructions, with detailed diagrams for building your very own battery-powered, wheel motor-driven, steerable SPARKY (painted with appealing puppy facial features and ears), was included in the article written by Gaylord Welker.
A parts list described the electronic components needed and where one could obtain them.
One of the SPARKY parts sources listed was the Microswitch Division of Honeywell, located in Minneapolis.
I noted several advertisements in the December 1958 magazine referencing Minneapolis locations.
Baily’s School of Electronics had an ad on page 16, saying, “Electronics is the fastest growing industry in America today.”
A photograph of two electronic cabinet bays showed two technicians (presumably Baily graduates) working within its shelf wiring and circuitry.
A message beneath the 1958 photo read, “This Minneapolis-Honeywell system controls hundreds of automatic operations.”
Another Minnesota-related article describes a Model 208 VTVM (Vacuum Tube Voltmeter) under the “Tools and Gadgets” section one could purchase for $74.50 at the Seco Mfg. Co., on 5015 Penn Ave., South, Minneapolis, MN.
Schaak Electronics at 3867-A Minnehaha Ave in Minneapolis advertised “Transistor supplies, Hi-Fi amplifiers, changers, speakers, kits, and tubes.”
“Always say you saw it in – POPULAR ELECTRONICS” regularly appears on the bottom pages inside the Popular Electronics magazine.
The https://worldradiohistory.com website contains thousands of radio, television, communication, electronics, computing, and other publications.
Read the complete December 1958 Popular Electronics magazine at this shortened link: https://bit.ly/2ITeF0A.
Stay safe out there.
