Eric the Robot

Eric was the first modern British robot. He was built in 1928 to open an exhibition in London, standing in for the human Duke of York. He used 13 electric motors and a closely guarded control system to stand, bow, give a four-minute speech and answer up to 60 questions.

Eric’s London performance was the start of a long career touring the world. He wowed audiences around the UK and Europe, and in the USA and Australia.

In 2016, the Science Museum launched a successful crowdfunding campaign to rebuild Eric. The robot seen here is the rebuilt Eric.