The advancements in artificial intelligence seem like a contemporary topic. But, surprisingly, the quest for AI is centuries old. Even in the 18th century, inventors were curious about devising equipment that would stupefy human intelligence. So, at the dawn of 1770s, one such inventor, named Wolfgang von Kempelen put forth an automated chess playing machine. The machine was initially named as an automaton chess player. Was the mechanical human really the first representation of artificial intelligence or was it just an illusion? Continue reading to quench your curiosity.

The Mechanical Turk

The debut of the ingenious automaton made its debut in Vienna. The inventor created it to enthrall the Empress of Austria, Maria Theresa. Because the machine was structured like a mechanical man, wearing robes and a turban upon the head, it became to be called as the Mechanical Turk. The Turk used to sit atop a cabinet made of wood, having a chessboard over it. The automaton was a clever chess pro and would play exigent games against those who were brave enough to challenge it.

Working of the Automaton

In the laudable Viennese court, the working of the Mechanical Turk was demonstrated for the very first time. The cabinet doors were opened and in it were sections lighted by candles. The space was occupied by huge gears, clockwork and cogs. After displaying the mechanics of the automaton, the doors would be closed, and a volunteer would agree to play a match against the Turk. The automaton would examine the board carefully by turning the head and make a move. The arm would move and the fingers would clasp a chess piece, and place it on a new square. During that era, such mechanical humanoids and mechanical devices impressed both the royalty and the commoners alike. However, despite the ordinary appearance, the Turk amazed people because of the exceptional chess playing aptitude. The Turk was adept, shrewd, and incisive. It mimicked the unpredictable human nature. It appeared that the mechanical structure had a mind of its own — it could think! Guided by pragmatism and rationale, the Turk even had really keen eyesight — it would not let the opponents cheat. If someone would cheat during the game, it would simple pick up the chess piece and place it back in the actual position. If the opponent attempted to cheat several times, it would infuriate the Turk to the extent to wipe the hand over the board in anger, throwing all the pieces.

Was It All an Illusion?

Certainly, the game play was a grand scheme — it was the 1770s, after all. But how did the automaton manage to trick people for so many years? The deceptive machine maintained the elusive operation for several years. According to an apocryphal tale, Kempelen had come across a handicapped Polish soldier in Russia who was a gifted chess player. He created the structure to conceal the soldier inside, and positioned the deceptive mechanically controlled humanoid cleverly, smuggling the Polish soldier out of Russia. It does not matter how much authenticity the fable about the injured soldiers hold, it was quite certain that there was an operator inside who could play chess really well. So, even if the Mechanical Turk was just a deception, Kempelen did manage to plant a seed into the minds of the people that mechanical devices can think.