THE principle of orientation is well exemplified in nature. A large variety of plants, flowers, and other living examples of the realm of botany, are endowed with the power of turning themselves for the purpose of gaining the benefi cial effect of the sun's rays. A very common and good example of these is the sun flower, so named because of this well-defi ned ability to follow the path of the sun from east to west across the heavens. The mechanism herein described is merely an exam ple of one of the many ways in which an inanimate object may be made to act like one possessed of life and as such capable of reacting like living objects from the effects of external stimUli. Nikola Tesla, in a classic discussion, "The Problem of Increasing Human Energy,'" expressed the firm belief that every man, every living organism, is "merely an automaton endowed with power of movement, which responds to external stimuli beating upon its sense organs, and thinks and acts accordfngly." He goes on to say: "With these ex periments it was only natural that, long ago, I conceived jJle idea of constructing an automaton which would mechanically represent me and which would respond, as I do myself, but of course, in a much more primitive manner, to external influ ences. Such an automaton, evidently, had to have motive power, organs for locomotion, directive organs, and one or more sensitive organs so adapted as to be excited by external stimuli. This machine would, I reasoned, perform its movements in the manner of a living being, for it would have all the chief mechanical characteristics or elements of the same.. .. Whether the automaton be of flesh and bone, or of wood and steel, it mat tered little provided it could perform all the du ties required of it like an intelligent being. To do so, it had to have an element corresponding to the mind, which would effect the control of all of its movements and operations, and cause it to act, in any unforseen case that might present itself, with knowledge, reason, judgment, and experi
