Claude Shannons famous Labyrinthmouse "Theseus" was one of the first examples of artificial intelligence. In any labyrinth, the mouse found the way out. credit: MIT Museum, Boston / Nixdorf MuseumsForum, Paderborn

Claude Elwood Shannon (April 30, 1916 – February 24, 2001) was an American mathematician and electronic engineer known as "the father of information theory" and cryptography. credit: MIT Museum, Boston / Nixdorf MuseumsForum, Paderborn

Claude Shannon (US) was an American mathematician and electronic engineer known as "the father of information theory" and cryptography. credit: MIT Museum, Boston / Nixdorf MuseumsForum, Paderborn

One of Claude Shannon's (US) more humorous devices was a box kept on his desk called the "Ultimate Machine", based on an idea by Marvin Minsky. Otherwise featureless, the box possessed a single switch on its side. When the switch was flipped, the lid of the box opened and a mechanical hand reached out, flipped off the switch, then retracted back inside the box.credit: MIT Museum, Boston / Nixdorf MuseumsForum, Paderborn

Claude Shannon (US) built a device that is able to solve the Rubik's cube puzzle. credit: MIT Museum, Boston / Nixdorf MuseumsForum, Paderborn

Claude Shannon (US) also developed a first remote control for toys which which was produced in Japan in the 1950s. credit: MIT Museum, Boston / Nixdorf MuseumsForum, Paderborn