nationaljournal:

When a Robot Signs a Bill
By Brian Resnick

Yesterday, the president was in Hawaii but the recently passed fiscal-cliff deal was in Washington. How could the presidential signature be affixed to the bill to make it law? Obama signed it via a robot, the autopen.

Here’s a brief history of the gadget. (Did you know Thomas Jefferson was the first president to use it?)

Just want to point out that this robotic pen is literally signing its John Hancock (look closely at the photo).