In retrospect, the first book I can remember has probably exerted a strong influence on the course of my life. Time has faded many of the details, but certainly it was an illustrated story featuring a mechanical alarm clock. The dial incorporated a beaming smile and, making it even more appealing, the clock could speak. The idea of a talking clock was totally fascinating and I had to have one. Using cardboard and coloured pencils I attempted to recreate this mechanical friend, but my version fell far short of matching the one from the story. In spite of this setback, my passion for developing animate mechanisms continued, leading to a career in robotics research. My research robots had many capabilities such as communicating using puffs of air, licking the floor to follow chemical trails or burrowing through the ground searching for chemical leaks. However, none looked remotely like an alarm clock or could hold a conversation. Having moved away from research my fascination with robotics has turned a full circle. Now I enjoy imagining and writing stories about all manner of intelligent robots.
