The Magic of Motion

Throughout recorded history, human beings have been enchanted and enthralled (or, in some cases, had the bejesus scared out of them) by cleverly designed autonomous mechanisms – non-living objects capable of moving seemingly of their own accord.

During the 5th century BCE in China, courtiers marveled at artificial birds made of wood that could fly. Two hundred years later, geeky Greeks were equally astonished by what’s considered to be the world’s first cuckoo clock, complete with bells, puppets, and mechanical singing doves. Today, even though I’ve had various cleaning robots for years, I still can’t resist being mesmerized by a Roomba sweeping the kitchen floor. (Not that the to-and-fro of a dirt-sucking robot has quite the bewitching gracefulness of a flying wooden bird or a mechanical singing dove, mind you, but I don’t get out much.)

Smart door locks and motorized window treatments can also be attention-grabbers, especially for those unfamiliar with the wizardry of home automation systems. But even for the most experienced with home control – those who say, “meh” to the majority of modern motorization – one category remains irresistibly compelling: automated television mounts and mechanisms that dramatically move TV screens from out-of-the-way (or totally hidden) locations to the ideal viewing positions.

Of course, TVs that rise out of luxurious credenzas