Part of the Asia Over Lunch series, this talk will be given by Armen Bakalian, MA Candidate in East Asian Studies. Robots are often thought of being a recent phenomenon. However, this is anything but the case. This talk will present a general overview of the late-Edo period robots known as karakuri-ningyo, as well as looking at some of the important figures in their history, and the place of their work in the technological development of Bakumatsu and Meiji Japan.