Polotsk students get an 18th-century "cheat sheet" – a mechanical talking head

An unusual prompt has appeared for students of Polotsk State University – a mechanical talking head, according to the university's website.

An unusual prompt has appeared for students of Polotsk State University – a mechanical talking head, reports the university's website.

The "Mechanical Head" was located in the museum of the Polotsk Jesuit Collegium (later Academy) and was a head of an old man with moving eyes and long grey hair. He could answer any questions in any language.

The curious mechanism did not possess supernatural properties, but it invariably filled visitors with horror, delight, and reverent curiosity.

Now, an exact replica of the head is on the wall of one of the auditoriums of the Polotsk State University building, which is located in the former Jesuit collegium. The exhibition composition "Reconstruction of Gabriel Gruber's Project 'Mechanical Head'" was unveiled on May 19, on the occasion of University Day.

Professor Gabriel Gruber worked within these historic walls at the end of the 18th century and made a huge contribution to the development of science, education, and culture.

The reconstruction project of Gruber's creation was carried out by Viktor Lukyanenko, Associate Professor of the Department of Architecture of PSU. The silicone model of the "Mechanical Head" was made by Alexander Prokhorov, a renowned Belarusian sculptor and Dean of the Faculty of Arts of the Belarusian State Academy of Arts. The creation of the microcontroller control system for the model was carried out under the guidance of Yuri Grozberg, Dean of the Faculty of Radio Engineering of PSU.

"Mechanical Head" can answer any question. At the opening ceremony, it conversed with attendees in various languages: Belarusian, Russian, English, and Latin.

For example, the "elder" was asked about the future of the university. And here is what it answered: "Everything created with great diligence, many years of labor, and the efforts of many worthy people will not only remain safe but will also multiply and find worthy glory far beyond the lands of Polotsk!"