I’ve been thinking about the best way to make an EVA costume from the WALL-E movie and I must say that this helmet I found on Hackaday might just be the right idea. You can’t help but smile, which is why this helmet is called Smilemachine V6. Created by MaxCaffy, the special sauce is the Android tablet used for the face, as well as the laser cut MDF which combines with safety helmet parts to make an amazing mask.

Hackaday points out some features that make this mask smart including a mini Bluetooth keyboard for controlling things on the fly. Not only is it compact and styled to match the mask, but it also has interesting design work.

…the keyboard sits in a frame with some nuts and bolts used as highly tactile button extensions. By allowing the user to change the physical button layout (and setting up keyboard shortcuts on the device to match) the arrangement can be made more intuitive for the user.

Another great feature is the periscope style mirrors which allow the user to safely navigate since the tablet blocks normal vision area. They can be adjusted by the Frankenstein style bolts on the sides of the mask. An Arduino is also hiding inside.

This is an interesting build and I’m glad it was shown at the recent Maker Faire in Tokyo. It’s indicative of maker spirit and a love of animation. If you are interested in animating creatures, check out our learning guide on Bringing Characters to Life. Not only are there great examples of movement and form, but there are tips and homework suggestions that will help you to discover the magic behind design. So start sketching your dream character now and see how you can make it come alive!

Every Wednesday is Wearable Wednesday here at Adafruit! We’re bringing you the blinkiest, most fashionable, innovative, and useful wearables from around the web and in our own original projects featuring our wearable Arduino-compatible platform, FLORA. Be sure to post up your wearables projects in the forums or send us a link and you might be featured here on Wearable Wednesday!