0:00:02 > 0:00:03This is Absolute Genius!
0:00:03 > 0:00:08Dive into a world of action, adventure and explosions.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13Each show, we'll introduce you to a different genius.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17An amazing person, who had a genius idea which shaped the world.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19And they will inspire us to come up
0:00:19 > 0:00:22with our own genius idea at the end of each show.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25- But, will it be any good? - Will it be any good?!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27It'll be...
0:00:27 > 0:00:29BOTH: Absolute Genius!
0:00:31 > 0:00:35'On today's show, we'll be making things go round and round...'
0:00:35 > 0:00:36Circular motion.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38'Up and down,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40'in and out.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44'As we explore a mysterious engineering genius
0:00:44 > 0:00:45'from centuries ago.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48'We'll be entering a world of curious machines
0:00:48 > 0:00:50'and fantastic robots.'
0:00:50 > 0:00:52- This...- ..is Absolute...- ..Genius!
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Today's genius was an extraordinary showman!
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Yes, he built mind-blowing machines,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34that were designed to entertain and impress everyone who saw them.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37He lived more than 800 years ago, in a country
0:01:37 > 0:01:39far, far, far-far-far, from here.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43A brilliant mechanical engineer, craftsman, and an inventor.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Ladies and gentleman, we give you... Al Jazari!
0:01:46 > 0:01:48Actually, boys, my full name is
0:01:48 > 0:01:54Badi'al-Zaman Abu al-'Izz ibn Isma'il ibn al-Razaz Al Jazari.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57- Finished? - But you can call me Al.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Later on in the show, inspired by his genius,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02we'll be coming up with our own genius idea.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05'Yes, we'll be getting out the power tools...'
0:02:05 > 0:02:06Yes!
0:02:06 > 0:02:10'Precision engineering a machine with just one purpose...'
0:02:10 > 0:02:12BANGING
0:02:12 > 0:02:15But now, let's find out more about this mysterious man.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Al Jazari was born in the year 1136 in the Middle East,
0:02:21 > 0:02:25roughly where the country of Iraq is today.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27He spoke the language of Arabic
0:02:27 > 0:02:31and worked as the chief engineer for a Middle-Eastern king.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37Al Jazari's genius was designing and building extraordinary machines!
0:02:37 > 0:02:41We know about him because of a brilliant book he wrote called...
0:02:45 > 0:02:48In it, he shows a great understanding of engineering ideas
0:02:48 > 0:02:50that are still very important today.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55And it's also packed with amazing designs of mechanical human figures,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59machines that are some of the world's first ever robots.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Very few copies of Al Jazari's book have actually survived.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09Which is why we've come here.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12This building is the Bodleian Library in Oxford University.
0:03:12 > 0:03:17And it holds some of the oldest and most valuable books in the world.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20This amazing library contains 11 million books
0:03:20 > 0:03:24and is more than 400 years old.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27But the book we're going to see is even older than that.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Meet Professor Salim Al-Hassani,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36an expert on the ideas and machines of Al Jazari.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39So, Professor, what is this beautiful-looking book?
0:03:39 > 0:03:43This is a copy of a book written by Al Jazari
0:03:43 > 0:03:47entitled The Book Of Knowledge Of Ingenious Mechanical Devices.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50- It's about 500 years old. - A 500-year-old copy!
0:03:50 > 0:03:53What was the date of the original?
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Something like 1206.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58And what does it actually contain? What's it about?
0:03:58 > 0:04:01It's about all sorts of machines and devices,
0:04:01 > 0:04:04and robots, clocks, water-raising machines.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06What kind of machines did Al Jazari invent?
0:04:06 > 0:04:09I can show you one. Let's have a look. This is a model.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11This model is battery-operated.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15But the original machine would have been driven by animal power.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17This is a water-raising machine,
0:04:17 > 0:04:21which shows us a fantastic original principle
0:04:21 > 0:04:24of how to convert rotary motion into a linear motion,
0:04:24 > 0:04:28which you can find in so many machines today.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32As the animal turns this round, it's converting the motion up and down.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36Ah, so what's happening is that a circular motion
0:04:36 > 0:04:40- is being turned into an up-and-down motion.- Yes.- Ah, very good.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Now, on Al Jazari's original water-raising machine,
0:04:43 > 0:04:47there would have been a big spoon at the end of the rod
0:04:47 > 0:04:48to scoop up the water.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51This ingenious device uses what's known as
0:04:51 > 0:04:54a crank-and-connecting-rod mechanism
0:04:54 > 0:04:59and Al Jazari was a pioneer in using this system.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03And that engineering principle of converting a circular movement
0:05:03 > 0:05:05into a vertical or horizontal one,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08is still used in lots of machines today.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12- Could we see this in the modern day? - If you know where to look for it.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15I think there's only one person who can find this for us.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17- Fran.- Fran right. - Back in a moment.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19Back in a minute. Don't go anywhere.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Our genius scientist Fran explains things in ways even
0:05:22 > 0:05:24we can understand.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Best of all, she loves a good experiment.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30And she's guaranteed to pop up just when you need her most.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38- Where are we?- Well, by the looks of it, we're at a tractor dealership,
0:05:38 > 0:05:42- somewhere near Walsall in the West Midlands.- Oh, yeah. Where's Fran?
0:05:43 > 0:05:44Ah!!
0:05:44 > 0:05:47- Ah, that's a first, isn't it?! - Isn't it just!
0:05:49 > 0:05:51- Fran?- It's brilliant, isn't it!
0:05:51 > 0:05:54It is brilliant. But why are you driving a tractor?
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Well, inside a tractor is a bit of engineering
0:05:56 > 0:05:58that Al Jazari would actually recognise.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02- Can we take a look, then? - Yep. Come with me.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05You know about the crank- and-connecting-rod mechanism?
0:06:05 > 0:06:09OK, so that's the mechanism where one part goes round and round...
0:06:09 > 0:06:10And the other bit goes up and down.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12It can happen the other way round.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15You can have one part of it going from side to side or up and down,
0:06:15 > 0:06:16and that causes another part of the machine
0:06:16 > 0:06:19to start rotating or turn around and around.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23That is, basically, how tractors work. Let's take a look underneath.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24Right, OK.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28- OK.- It's very oily.
0:06:28 > 0:06:29Can you see it?
0:06:29 > 0:06:32- Yeah, yeah.- You see that thing going round and round?- Yeah.
0:06:32 > 0:06:33That's the crankshaft,
0:06:33 > 0:06:36- and that eventually turns the wheels of the tractor.- Yeah.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40But connected to the crankshaft, are connecting rods
0:06:40 > 0:06:43- and they're what make the crankshaft go round and round.- I see.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47- They go up and down.- You can see them connected to the pistons.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Yep, if we go up, let's go up again... So, here are the pistons.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53- And can you see them going up and down?- Yeah.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Now, these pistons are connected to the connecting rods.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57That's why they're called "connecting rods".
0:06:57 > 0:06:59They make the crankshaft turn around,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01which makes the wheels of the tractor move.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02Ah, that goes right back to Al Jazari then?
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Yeah, and it's not just tractors that use this mechanism.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Every single modern car makes its wheels turn in this way.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Cheers, Fran, we best go because we have got a professor waiting for us.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14- Cheers.- Bye.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Ah, right good. Now, we understand that. Thank you.
0:07:18 > 0:07:22- What other machines did Al Jazari invent?- I'll show you one.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25It's an ingenious one. It's called the Elephant Clock.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28- Wow.- That's a clock? - That can tell the time?- Indeed.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31That is a beautiful, beautiful illustration.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33- What's going on here then? - This is an elephant.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36And on top of the elephant there is a sort of castle.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40And the way it tells the time is a sequence of events,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43motion that is triggered from inside the elephant.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47It's not a real elephant, it's a machine.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52Inside the elephant, a leaky bowl sinks in a tank of water.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56Strings attached to the bowl trigger a series of clever mechanisms.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00You can't put it on your wrist, but it does actually tell the time!
0:08:00 > 0:08:05The Elephant Clock is Al Jazari's most famous invention,
0:08:05 > 0:08:06and like lots of his machines,
0:08:06 > 0:08:09it was designed to be both impressive to watch
0:08:09 > 0:08:12and almost too complicated to understand.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16The way that he had built them,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19and the colours that he used, they are meant to impress people.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21So, whilst he was a master craftsman,
0:08:21 > 0:08:22he was also a bit of a showman.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25He liked extravagance within his creations.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Indeed, that's why they are called "ingenious devices".
0:08:28 > 0:08:31I see! One thing I've noticed with a lot of his designs,
0:08:31 > 0:08:35- is that they have little figures on them.- Are they actual people?
0:08:35 > 0:08:37They're actually what we call today "robots".
0:08:37 > 0:08:40But we refer to them as "automaton".
0:08:40 > 0:08:43Al Jazari's automatons were mechanical models
0:08:43 > 0:08:45of human beings and animals.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50They're one of the earliest examples of what we now call robots.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Automatons. Are there any around in existence today?
0:08:53 > 0:08:58There are none but there are people who can make similar automatons.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Now, THIS we should go and see.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Later on, we'll be playing with an incredibly talented robot.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07But now, here are some other brilliant ideas
0:09:07 > 0:09:09and discoveries from the Middle East.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13It's the Genius Top Five! Five - blood circulation.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17How our bodies pump blood between the heart and lungs
0:09:17 > 0:09:19was first understood in the 13th century
0:09:19 > 0:09:23by a man called Ibn al-Nafis in Damascus.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Four - algebra.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Not those clever ancient Greek mathematicians,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30but al-Khwarizmi, a brilliant bloke from Baghdad.
0:09:30 > 0:09:31I'm clever, squared!
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Three - staying in to wash my hair.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Yes, shampooing was first practised
0:09:37 > 0:09:40- by a Sake Mahomed from Patna in India.- Bathroom's clear!
0:09:40 > 0:09:42Two - coffee.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45Discovered 1,200 years ago by Kaldi, a goat herder,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48who noticed his animals getting excitable
0:09:48 > 0:09:50after eating some strange red berries.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54One - the hospital.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57The first organised hospital with free medical treatment
0:09:57 > 0:10:00was built in Cairo in the year 872 AD.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01Oi, no goats!
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Back to our genius.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10Now, none of the original machines made by Al Jazari exist today.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14But the kind of automatons he made can be found -
0:10:14 > 0:10:15if you know where to look.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Here in the middle of Kimberley Park in Falmouth, Cornwall
0:10:18 > 0:10:20is a great example.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Yes, look, a mechanical goat!
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- It's just what every kid wants in their playground!- Ah.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28And not only does it move but... Keep turning it, keep turning it!
0:10:28 > 0:10:34- I'm doing it.- It makes a sound. Are you ready for the big noise?
0:10:34 > 0:10:35Come on!
0:10:37 > 0:10:39PARP! Ooh!
0:10:39 > 0:10:42BOTH LAUGH I wonder who made this?
0:10:43 > 0:10:47That gaseous goat is the kind of automaton that Al Jazari
0:10:47 > 0:10:51would have put on his machines hundreds of years ago.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54But we used camels in those days.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57We've come to meet a modern day Al Jazari
0:10:57 > 0:11:00in this remote village in Cornwall...
0:11:03 > 0:11:06This is master automata-maker, Paul Spooner.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12Paul, you're the man behind the goat that we've just seen in the park?
0:11:12 > 0:11:15- It is fantastic! - But it's not all about goats, is it?
0:11:15 > 0:11:18What does an automata-maker like you do?
0:11:18 > 0:11:22My plan is to use machinery to tell a story or a joke.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- Make people laugh, mostly. - So, very much like Al Jazari?
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- To impress people and entertain people.- It's entertaining, yeah.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Have you got a lot in common with Al Jazari and his work?
0:11:31 > 0:11:35All people who make mechanical things have something in common.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37All of this stuff, with cranks and gears and cams,
0:11:37 > 0:11:39it really is just one thing pushing another thing...
0:11:39 > 0:11:41But I'm just astonished
0:11:41 > 0:11:44at how somebody COULD have made the things that he did.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46I mean, they were made with enormous precision.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49You know, I've got things like this gauge here
0:11:49 > 0:11:51that I can use to tell you that this screwdriver
0:11:51 > 0:11:54- is 5.91 millimetres in diameter. - He didn't have one of them!
0:11:54 > 0:11:57He wouldn't have one of those, no!
0:11:57 > 0:11:59We're dying to have a look at some of your amazing work.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- Can we have a look?- Yes. - We promise to be careful.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05- This is called an Allegory Of Love. - Oh, yes, very good.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Look at all the workings inside!
0:12:07 > 0:12:11However hard he tries, he's never going to get that nail in.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- Poisoned Milk.- Poisoned Milk.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Oh, right, licking at the splat of milk.
0:12:17 > 0:12:18There you go.
0:12:18 > 0:12:19Poisoned milk!
0:12:19 > 0:12:21It was poisoned.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23- All in one turning motion. - It's great!
0:12:23 > 0:12:27I don't quite know what's happening on this one. Let's have a look.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29SQUEAKING
0:12:29 > 0:12:31But they're all using the same principle.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35This mechanism that Al Jazari came up with hundreds of years ago.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37- Yes, yes... - The Science Of Conversation.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41The king's talking, he's chattering quite a lot, but...
0:12:41 > 0:12:44Oh! His brain's come out!
0:12:44 > 0:12:48- They share a brain, you see? - Ah, wow!- And then, she can talk.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52Paul, that is absolutely mind-blowing!
0:12:52 > 0:12:54I love your work, Paul.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58Playtime over. Now, with Paul's help,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02we're going to make our very own Al Jazari-inspired game.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04It's got bits of wood.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Exactly the same length. See?
0:13:06 > 0:13:07About right, anyway.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09It's got currant buns.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16It's even got an elephant automaton.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20I can't wait to play this!
0:13:21 > 0:13:25Ah, look, there it is. Our very own crank-and-connecting rod.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28If you remember Al Jazari's water-raising machine,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30this is all the same principles.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33It's got circular motion, which makes an up-and-down motion.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Up, down, circular, up and down.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40- Here it is. - Piece de resistance.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44You'll recognise this from Al Jazari's book. The elephant.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51- And finally the elephant's tail. Finished.- Brilliant!
0:13:51 > 0:13:53- How does it work? - Right, well, as the ball comes up.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56- That's the Al Jazari bit. - That is a very Al Jazari bit.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58So, it trickles down the nails.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00- NAILS TINKLE - Nice tune.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01Goes in one of the gutters.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Ah, you don't know which side it's going to go.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05You don't know which side.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09And it flips a string and it triggers the elephant's bottom
0:14:09 > 0:14:11or the elephant's trunk.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13It's either bum or bun!
0:14:13 > 0:14:14That's the kind of game.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Precisely, yes. That was my concept.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19- Either a bun comes out of the trunk or it poos into a bowl!- Very good.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23Bun or bum. Bun or bum. Bun or bum...
0:14:23 > 0:14:25I'm afraid it's going to be...
0:14:25 > 0:14:26Bum!
0:14:30 > 0:14:31No, no.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38- Tilt!- Bum for you! - Absolutely determined.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40Three bums!
0:14:40 > 0:14:43- Here we go, go on.- We've got one this time.- Yeah. Watch the trunk.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48There's one of our lovely painted currant buns.
0:14:48 > 0:14:49# Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum
0:14:49 > 0:14:51# Bum-bum-bum-bum-bum bum-bum-bum, bum
0:14:51 > 0:14:53# Bum-bum-bum, bum, bum, bum-bum. #
0:14:53 > 0:14:56Now, THAT was inspiring!
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Yeah, but what we haven't found yet is an example of a modern-day robot
0:14:59 > 0:15:02with a touch of Al Jazari about it.
0:15:02 > 0:15:03Ah, Paul's given us a tip-off.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06He knows someone who can make exactly what we're after ...
0:15:08 > 0:15:11'We've seen that Al Jazari built machines to impress.
0:15:11 > 0:15:17'And that his genius engineering can be still be found today.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19'Coming up, we unleash the power tools.'
0:15:19 > 0:15:22- It's going to cause some damage that, innit?- 'But first...
0:15:22 > 0:15:25'This humble industrial estate in Penryn, Cornwall, is home
0:15:25 > 0:15:29'to some of the most sophisticated humanoid robots in the world.'
0:15:32 > 0:15:33Look at these!
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Hello, pleased to meet you.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Hello, boys! Welcome, welcome!
0:15:40 > 0:15:42- Delighted to meet you. - Delighted to meet you, too.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Now, which one is Ant, and which one is Dec?
0:15:45 > 0:15:48- Charming(!)- I can never remember.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- I'll rip your batteries out. - I'm only joking!
0:15:51 > 0:15:56I'm actually a big fan. Hey, Dick, what's that on the end of your nose?
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Is it a bogey? A bogey!
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Oh, a sense of humour, as well!
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Well, that's because I'm not just any old robot.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07- Oh, he likes you.- I'm Robothespian.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10What's Robothespian? What do you do?
0:16:10 > 0:16:13I am fully programmable interactive humanoid robot
0:16:13 > 0:16:18designed to inspire, communicate, interact, and entertain.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21But, like you, gentlemen, I am, at heart, a performer!
0:16:21 > 0:16:23Well, yes, we can see that.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25But have you heard of this genius engineer, Al Jazari,
0:16:25 > 0:16:29who invented an early kind of robot hundreds of years ago?
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Ah, yes, the great Al Jazari.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35He's responsible for some of my distant ancestors.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Of course, robotics has come a long way since those days.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42Yeah, but what we want to know is, who invented YOU?
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Ah, now, that was Will.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47- Ah...- Will!
0:16:50 > 0:16:51This is Will Jackson...
0:16:53 > 0:16:55# I'm singing in the rain... #
0:16:55 > 0:16:58He invented the very first Robothespian
0:16:58 > 0:17:02and has been building robots since he was 13 years old.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08Will, Robothespian is quite mind-blowing.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10But how does it actually work?
0:17:10 > 0:17:14He's a big collection of motors, and muscles and wiring.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17But you can control the whole thing from this touch screen.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Let's try one...
0:17:19 > 0:17:22# Ah, ah, ah, ah staying alive, staying alive
0:17:22 > 0:17:25# You can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a woman's man
0:17:25 > 0:17:27# No time to talk. #
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Fair enough... Clever stuff. What else can it do, Will?
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Here's another impression that Robothespian can do.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34'Oh, yes, Master Luke.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38Remember that I am fluent in over six million forms of communication.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41I beg your pardon, General Solo, but that just wouldn't be proper.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44It's against my programming to impersonate a deity.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46- C3PO from Star Wars!- That's great!
0:17:46 > 0:17:49You've got a robot doing an impression of a robot?
0:17:49 > 0:17:52It's amazing. It's like he's almost human.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Yes, we really have tried to design Robothespian
0:17:55 > 0:17:56to be just like a human.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00- If you feel his arms there, they're quite soft and bouncy.- Oh, yeah!
0:18:00 > 0:18:03It's not like an industrial robot that's a very rigid machine.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05We want him to be flexible.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08The way the hands move is totally human-like.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11One really important thing is the robot must make eye contact.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13He's looking around. He's watching me.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15He's trying to guess your age.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Oh, this is what he's watching, right now.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22Go and stand round there and see if he can guess your age. Age 25.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24It's cos I'm short!
0:18:24 > 0:18:2727! It's taken ten years off me!
0:18:27 > 0:18:31So, this is great, because you can see a clear camera image of us.
0:18:31 > 0:18:33But what's this next to it?
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Here, he's trying to guess where your bones are basically.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40- What kind of pose you're in. - That's mad!
0:18:40 > 0:18:44'Robothespian can be programmed to do lots of other brilliant stuff.'
0:18:44 > 0:18:48OK, so we can write anything? 'Anyone can write a script for it.'
0:18:48 > 0:18:50- Press this one?- Yep. - Absolute Genius.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53'And it can speak 30 different languages!'
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Absolute Genius.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Absolute Genius.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59But does it speak Arabic?
0:18:59 > 0:19:01IT SAYS "ABSOLUTE GENIUS" IN ARABIC
0:19:01 > 0:19:02Very good.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06'And it knows talent when it sees it.'
0:19:06 > 0:19:10I love Dick. He is the best one.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13The other one is too small and hairy.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17And the engineering Will and his team are using
0:19:17 > 0:19:20is making not just one Robothespian,
0:19:20 > 0:19:22but lots of Robothespians!
0:19:24 > 0:19:26This is a robot production line.
0:19:38 > 0:19:40Will, being here has been a fantastic experience.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42but Robothespian is a long way
0:19:42 > 0:19:45from the original automaton that Al Jazari created.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Does he have anything in common with them?
0:19:47 > 0:19:51You can find some things that go all the way back to Al Jazari's designs.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53If we have a look at this jaw mechanism here,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56we'll see the little disc driving a lever here,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00converting a circular motion into an up-and-down motion for his jaw.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Which was part of his genius, wasn't it? Circular motion
0:20:02 > 0:20:04- turning into an up-and-down motion? - Yeah.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09You see, boys. Some ideas are so good they're still used today.
0:20:09 > 0:20:14Robothespian is an incredible piece of machinery. It really is!
0:20:14 > 0:20:17So brilliant that it's inspired us to come up with
0:20:17 > 0:20:19our own genius robot idea.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22This is great because Robothespian can speak different languages.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25It can do impressions. It can sing.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28But one thing that it can't do, yet, is travel.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32Hmm, yes. So, we should make a robot that can move, and move fast.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34It's going to be our tribute to Al Jazari
0:20:34 > 0:20:37but with some of our own unique ideas thrown in.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41A robot that can stand up for itself when the going gets tough.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43A robot that can go into battle!
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Before we build our genius robot...
0:20:48 > 0:20:51It's time for the Not So Genius Idea!
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Not all robots are clever.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57In fact, to enter the International Stupid Robot Championships,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00a robot has to be both useless and funny.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Recent entries include...
0:21:02 > 0:21:06a hula-hooping robot powered by an electric drill.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08A pair of shivering robots that live in a fridge.
0:21:08 > 0:21:13And the Binbot, a mechanical wheelie-bin that follows flies!
0:21:13 > 0:21:14That's just rubbish!
0:21:14 > 0:21:16WEAK LAUGHTER
0:21:18 > 0:21:21Another day, another robot workshop.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Welcome back genius engineer Grant Cooper.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29He's helped us before on Absolute Genius,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31and building robots is his speciality.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36- All right, Grant? How are you doing?- OK, there, guys?- What's that?
0:21:36 > 0:21:38ROBOT GROWLS
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- Stop!- I thought we were mates!
0:21:41 > 0:21:45'This is one of Grant's latest creations.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49'It's called Attacknid, a kind of robotic giant spider.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51'And it's just given birth!'
0:21:51 > 0:21:53BOTH GROAN
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Ooh!
0:21:55 > 0:21:57'Let's just watch that again.'
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Ooh!
0:21:59 > 0:22:00Grant, over the past few days,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03we've been massively inspired by the great Al Jazari.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Yeah, he made an early kind of robot.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07And we want to make our own robot.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09What sort of robot is it you want to create?
0:22:09 > 0:22:12You're king of robots, right? You make the best robots.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14We don't necessarily need anything that's sophisticated
0:22:14 > 0:22:16or beautiful to look at.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19But something that's tough, strong, and can go into battle.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Something like a combat, fighting robot, cos that's our forte.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24That's what you do best. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28It's got to have engineering that dates back to Al Jazari's machines.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31- I'm sure we can sort something out. - Good stuff. Let's get to work.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36Our Genius idea - to build our own fighting robot from scratch!
0:22:36 > 0:22:39The challenge - to include clever engineering gizmos
0:22:39 > 0:22:42that the great Al Jazari would recognise.
0:22:42 > 0:22:43Very good.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46But where his machines impressed with their looks,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48ours will be all about the action!
0:22:48 > 0:22:51The problem - if our robot's not good enough,
0:22:51 > 0:22:53it could get smashed to pieces!
0:22:53 > 0:22:55Smashed to pieces!
0:22:56 > 0:22:57'There's loads to do!'
0:22:57 > 0:23:00SPARKS CRACKLE
0:23:00 > 0:23:01'Welding!'
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Now, I've messed that up, what do we have to do?
0:23:04 > 0:23:07We'll need to grind that off. Start again. I'll go and get the grinder.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12'Angle-grinding!'
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Ahhhhhh!
0:23:15 > 0:23:17'And let's not forget...
0:23:17 > 0:23:19'the precision metal-cutting.'
0:23:19 > 0:23:22ELEGANT WALTZ PLAYS
0:23:22 > 0:23:24- This is the weapon.- Look at that.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28Powering our weapon is this big DC motor. That's three horsepower.
0:23:28 > 0:23:29- Three horsepower, OK.- Beauty.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32- So, Al Jazari would recognise that mechanism?- Yes, exactly.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36It's used in a different way, but on exactly the same principles.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39It's going to cause some damage, that!
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Oh, perfect fit! Round, round, round, circular motion,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45which causes this to go up and down.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- Nice! All finished.- Love it when a plan comes together.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57- If you wiggle those sticks. - Just like a remote-control car?
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Exactly, yeah.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00- MOTOR WHIRS - Ahh. Nice!
0:24:00 > 0:24:03That's the remote control for the car part of it,
0:24:03 > 0:24:05but what about the Al Jazari magic?
0:24:05 > 0:24:09You'll have a joystick here. Forwards to fire it.
0:24:09 > 0:24:14'So, there'll be two joysticks. One to control driving our robot.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16'The other to operate its weapon!
0:24:16 > 0:24:19- Right, time to go into battle! - Battle!
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Come on, then, let's go into battle.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28To battle, boys!
0:24:29 > 0:24:33Here's our robot opponent, Beauty 2!
0:24:33 > 0:24:37Operating it are fighting-robot veterans John Lear and Kane Aston.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40Like taking candy off a baby!
0:24:41 > 0:24:42Like that, is it?!
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Well, um... Pppbbbt!
0:24:45 > 0:24:47We're going to have ya!
0:24:47 > 0:24:49I fart in your general direction!
0:24:49 > 0:24:52'Our fighting robot is named Stingray.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54'It's just itching to give Beauty 2 a battering!'
0:24:57 > 0:24:58OK, guys.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Three, two, one.
0:25:01 > 0:25:02Battle!
0:25:08 > 0:25:13Stingray gets in an early hit, but then Beauty 2 flips him.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Yes, go, go!
0:25:21 > 0:25:23YELLING
0:25:23 > 0:25:26'Flipped again. He's making pancakes!
0:25:26 > 0:25:28'The crowd are loving this.'
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Ah, ha, ha, ha! Yes!
0:25:35 > 0:25:39'Flipped again! But Stingray's fighting back!'
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Forward! Don't let him flip you!
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Oh! Ohhh!
0:25:50 > 0:25:53- He's weighing you up! Why's he gone all quiet...?- No!
0:25:53 > 0:25:55He flipped him!
0:25:56 > 0:25:58You pigs!
0:25:58 > 0:26:00No, get out the way!
0:26:02 > 0:26:04'Stingray's hammer just keeps missing!'
0:26:11 > 0:26:12Agh!
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Oh, getting a mashing!
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Oh, no!
0:26:17 > 0:26:18No...
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- No, we're not moving.- What do you mean we're not moving?
0:26:25 > 0:26:28'Another hit from Stingray, but something seems to be wrong.'
0:26:28 > 0:26:32I think it's stalled. Why's it not moving, Grant?
0:26:32 > 0:26:35It looks like the amount of flips and hits you've taken from Beauty 2
0:26:35 > 0:26:38has bent your wheels in. So, sadly, you're out.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41- They've literally smashed us. - Yeah, you're out.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43We did some damage, though not enough.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45It's a good bit of kit that, though, Grant.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47A mighty machine! Old Stingray.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55It has been the best experience exploring the genius of Al Jazari.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59From cranks and connecting rods to elephant automatons,
0:26:59 > 0:27:01we've seen how his ideas are still being used today
0:27:01 > 0:27:05to make machines that are clever and entertaining.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07And how his influence can be found
0:27:07 > 0:27:11in one of the most impressive robots in the world.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14- Absolute Genius.- Absolute Genius.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18Well, I think it's quite clear that after these incredible few days
0:27:18 > 0:27:20learning about Al Jazari,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23that we now officially LOVE robots! Mwah!
0:27:23 > 0:27:26And it all goes back to Al Jazari.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Thank you, Al. You are an absolute genius!
0:27:28 > 0:27:31Oh, you're so kind.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37YELLING
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Ah! It smacked me in the face!
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Oh, no!
0:27:43 > 0:27:45What are you doing?!
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Let me get it straight!
0:27:48 > 0:27:49Ooh!
0:27:49 > 0:27:51What's all that black stuff?
0:27:51 > 0:27:53BOTH LAUGH
0:27:56 > 0:27:57SPLASHING
0:27:57 > 0:27:59LAUGHTER