Introduced by Walter Disney in 1964 New York World’s Fair, animatronics is an interdisciplinary field that integrates robots, anatomy, mechatronics, and puppetry to produce lifelike animation. With the evolution of science and technology, Custom animatronics now allows the buyers to personalize the product and replicate any animal or human of their choice.
To enhance the user experience and render more flexibility to the machinery, Disney has developed a new technology called autonomatronics. With its top-notch features like interactivity, autonomatronics robot has already become an in-thing in the world of animatronics.
1. Difference between Audio-Animatronics and Autonomatronics
Audio-Animatronics (AA), commonly referred to as Animatronics, is a form of robotic animations designed by Walt Disney Imagineering to amuse the visitors at Disney theme parks and later on developed and used by other companies.
Such custom animatronics figures can move and make noise (usually a recorded song or speech), but cannot respond to any external stimuli.
The figures are powered by hydraulics, pneumatics, and/or electrical means. Animatronic face and other body parts are covered with body shells and skins made of soft and hard plastic materials. Details like hair, colors, and feathers are used as the finishing touches to make the figure more realistic.
In 2009, Disney Imagineers took animatronics one step ahead with more advanced autonomatronics. While Audio-Animatronics technology repeats a pre-programmed show time and again, Autonomatronics technology is driven by sensors and cameras to interact with the audience.
Debuted in 2009, Otto is the first interactive autonomatronic figure to be able to see, hear, and sense actions in its surrounding. It can sense when an audience member is smiling, determine whose smile is the broadest, and also converse with humans.
2. Sensors of Autonomatronics Robots
An autonomatronic robot is equipped with a system of microphone, camera, and other sensors that help it to respond to the external stimuli. Its sensors can be categorized into four major components:
- Vision
a. Helps to recognize facial expressions
b. Uses a 3D vision system
- Hearing
a. Utilizes grammar-based speech recognition software
- Speech
a. Can analyze and mimic speech
b. Has the potential to hold a structured conversation
- Brain
a. Can take a real-time decision depending on the external stimuli
b. Responds independently to the action of the audience
3. Various Autonomatronic Figures
Aired in 2009, Otto confounded the audience with its lifelike mannerisms. The next year, an autonomous fortune-telling robot named Destini managed to chat and joke with the audience members and also predicted their futures.
The immense popularity of autonomatronics and custom animatronics led Disney Imagineers to keep on implementing this technology to the existing audio-animatronic figures. For example, the first human audio-animatronic figure of Mr. Lincoln got upgraded to incorporate cameras and sensors.
Conclusion
Walt Disney Imagineers are working in places like resorts and theme parks where such autonomatronic figures can be placed to amuse the viewers. Other than providing entertainment, autonomatronic robots can also have practical functionality. But, is that something to be happy or afraid of? Can they squeeze the scope of human employment? That is a topic for another day.
Should you seek to know more about autonomatronics, or look to buy animatronic parts for sale, contact the experts at Custom Entertainment Solution by visiting www.animatronicrobotics.com.
2019