Here’s a fascinating look at „The Writer“, an automaton, or self-operating machine built in the 1770s by world-renowned Swiss watchmaker, Pierre Jaquet-Droz (1721-1790). It’s made from nearly 6000 parts and capable of writing letters and words with a quill pen. According to Twisted Sifter, „the 240-year-old machine is said to be a distant ancestor of the modern-day, programmable computer.“
Official Source: http://twistedsifter.com/2013/11/the-writer-automaton-pierre-jaquet-droz-modern-computer-ancestor/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUa7oBsSDk8