The woodcarver Rob Smith from UK have incorporated classic mechanics with modern technology in a most beautiful way in his work.
The ancient look in his different creations brings the thoughts to tales about civilizations that never learned the secrets of electricity or lost the knowloedge how to use it, but still proceeded the development of high technology gadgets.
How would our world function today if everything were controlled by fine mechanics rather than transistors, and powered by steam or springs instead of electrons? The asian movie Castle in the sky, by Hayao Miyazaki, is one of many examples of an alternative path of technology development that in a beautiful way really feeds the imagination.
One day we might even have work similar to Smith’s that actually ticks and turns and gives the high technology functions that we are so spoiled by in our every day life.
Machinarium!