In "Automata in the modern age", Maria and Michael Start, two of the
world's foremost restorers of antique automata, discuss their love for
the machinery, and why more people are being drawn to the craft.

  "Automata are mechanical moving figures; throughout history their
  lifelike movements have fascinated such creative minds as Da Vinci
  and Faberge.  One century ago however, production fell silent.
  Now though, in a fortuitous twist, the computer age is turning
  the gears of an automata revival.  Michael and Maria Start who run
  the House of Automata in Scotland are two of the world's foremost
  restorers of antique automata. Here, they discuss their love for
  automata, and why more people are drawn to the craft."

Near the beginning of the presentation Michael laughs and says,
"Automata making never 'began', it's always been there!  [It came from]
Hephaestus, the blacksmith to the gods [and] making all the mythological
armor and weaponry, and then it proceeded through Hero of Alexandria
who documented and did the drawings and moved the mythology to reality."

See the BBC presentation, "Automata in the modern age", at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-17893316 

Robbie Rhodes
Mechanical Music Digest