the conundrum board - is it really automated?

[DANNI WOODHOUSE]

on Mike Browns countdown page it says that "Kathy Hytner turned the conundrum board until it became automated at the start of series 8"

but is the conundrum board really automated in that its activated by the start of the clock or is their a man (aka stagehand) round the back?

[Andy Platt]

It gets turned over by a troll.

(see what I did there?)