Houdina Radio Control

Houdina Radio Control Co. was an radio equipment firm that was founded by Francis P Houdina, an electrical engineer in the U. S. Army.

Radio-operated automobile

Francis P Houdina has been working a number of years on his idea for a radio-operated automobile. He equipped a 1926 Chandler with a transmitting antenna on the tonneau and operate it by a second car that followed it and sent out radio impulses which were caught by the transmitting antenna. The antenna introduced the signals to a circuit- breakers which operated small electric motors that directed every movement of the car. In 1925, he publicly demonstrated his radio-controlled driverless car "linrrican Wonder" at New York City streets, traveling up Broadway and down Fifth Avenue through the thick of the traffic jam.

Achen Motor, a distributor of cars in Milwaukee and surrounding territory, used Francis' invention under the name "Phantom Auto" and demonstrated it in December 1926 at the streets of Milwaukee. It was demonstrated again in June 1932 at the streets of Fredericksburg as a feature attraction of Bigger Bargain Day in which most of the merchants of the city were participating.

Houdini's altercation

In July 1925, Harry Houdini and his secretary, Oscar Teale, broke into offices of Houdina Radio Control. Houdini damaged the furniture and an electric chandelier and accused the company of using his name unlawfully. Afterwards, Francis P Houdina said that there had never been any intention on his part to capitalize the name of Houdini and the company sued Houdini.

See also

• Autonomous car
• Unmanned ground vehicle
• Radio control