This study examines the origin and development of the “android” in the Western world, from antiquity to the Enlightenment era. The manufacture of android automata is not only a technological advance, but also reveals an intellectual shift from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment, involving cultural transfers from different civilizations in ancient times. “Humanoid automata” offer an insight into medieval beliefs and practices as mechanical mimesis in the investigation of the relations between art and nature. Android automata in the 18th century represent Enlightenment ideas through their affective communication. This historical context could provide an important reference for today’s research on human–robot interaction