DEPICTOR
Charles François (2004). DEPICTOR, International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics, 2(1): 858.
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 858 ▶ |
| Object type | Methodology or model |
An internal device used by autokinetic animals to represent to themselves any variation of their relations with their environment.
This term was introduced in 1924 by A. LOTKA (p.339-40). LOTKA distinguished four components in depictors: Receptors, elaborators, adjustors and effectors. Their interplay amounts to a global correlation device. LOTKA constructed a mechanical walking beetle “exhibiting the several characteristic elements of the correlation apparatus” (p. 341). The beetle preceeded GREY WALTER's Machina Speculatrix and A. DUCROCQ's electronic foxes by more than 20 years. It also was an early form of regulation through feedback.
The term “depictor” never became established.