I have a 1970 Singer that uses cams and it's been in almost daily use for decades making school clothes for my 4 kids, clothes for me and my husband and polyester (ugh) suits for a neighbor, curtains, drapes. wedding dresses and on and on.
Around the same time I (Santa) bought a robot for Christmas for my kids that used cams to program his movements and walking patterns.He was wonderful fun. I wish we still had him.