Mobile Armatron

The Mobile Armatron is a toy robotic arm with a clamp designed for grasping items. The Armatron was released in 1982 by Tandy Electronics and sold by Radio Shack. It is strictly user-controlled and has no automation built-in. The robot’s shape resembles industrial robots of the 1980s.

The Mobile Armatron’s arm features six degrees of freedom from wrist rotation (unlimited), horizontal elbow bending, vertical wrist flexing, shoulder elevation, shoulder horizontal rotation (unlimited), and opening and closing of the two-fingered grasper. The original stationary Amatron toy included two joysticks attached to the robot’s base. The original Armatron was succeeded by the mobile version with a wired remote (the Mobile Armatron).

Very few electronic components are built into the Armatron. The arm is almost solely mechanical. The toy’s only electrical components are the DC motor, on/off switch, switch contacts in the countdown timer, and batteries. The Mobile Armatron model includes more electrical components because of its wired remote control.

The Mobile Armatron includes a robotic arm and base, and remote control. The toy includes the name “Mobile Armatron” printed in orange capital letters on the front of the machine. The name “Radio Shack” is printed in light blue font above the “Mobile Armatron” name. The robot’s remote control typically has a dark blue body with orange buttons. The name “Armatron” is printed in an orange font in the center of the toy’s remote control.

Date: 1982

Manufacturer: Tandy Electronics

Place Manufactured: Japan

Identifying Numbers:

• Other number: 5A6 (Printed on the back of Armatron user guide)
• Other number: 60-2396 (Printed on the front of the box)

Dimensions: overall: 10 1/2 in x 6 1/2 in x 10 1/2 in

Category: Fixed-application digital computer: entertainment

Lot Number: X946.88

• Computer History Museum: Mobile Armatron
• Wikipedia: Armatron
• The Old Robot’s Website: Mobile Armatron 2396