Robot Archaeology: Disney’s Audio-Animatronics @disneyparks @disney #AudioAnimatronics @DisneyCareers

To many people, Disney is synonymous with Audio-Animatronics — robots that move and make sounds in sync with talking or singing motions.

Audio-Animatronics (Animatronics, AA) is the registered trademark for a form of robotics animation created by Walt Disney Imagineering for shows and attractions at Disney theme parks, and subsequently expanded on and used by other companies. The robots move and make noise (generally a recorded speech or song), but are usually fixed to whatever supports them. They can sit and stand but usually cannot walk. An Audio-Animatron is different from an android-type robot in that it uses pre-recorded movements and sounds, rather than responding to external stimuli.

One of the most well known Audio-Animatronic features is the Disney Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction but there are a great number of attractions which use some form of audio animatronics. My favorite is Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room where all the birds talk and sing.

Pictures of the Great Moments with Mr Lincoln and the Enchanted Tiki Room
Great Moments with Mr Lincoln (left) and the Enchanted Tiki Room (right)

In 2009, Disney developed  an interactive version called Autonomatronics, which is is driven by sophisticated cameras and sensors. Disney has created a robot named Otto, with the ability to make choices about what to say and do. Otto can also detect a number of things about a crowd, including how many people are in attendance. And Otto knows if you’re smiling too. But your smile will be obvious if you’re a lover of things high-tech.

otto autonomotronic
Otto adjusts his actions in relation to the audience

Adafruit sells motors, servos, and many other parts which can help you build your own robotics project. And the upcoming Adafruit Crickit Board provides a one-stop motion and sound controller for robotics. It’s never been a better time to get into robotics. #MakeRobotFriend today.

Adafruit Crickit

Credits

Mr. Lincoln By Cory Doctorow from Beautiful Downtown Burbank, USA – The Robot, Great Moments with Mr Lincoln, 2, Disneyland, Anaheim, California, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room 2011, Youtube

Do you have experiences with Disney and audio-animatronics? Post up in the comments or tweet us @adafruit (tag: #MakeRobotFriend).


Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards

Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.

Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!

Join us every Wednesday night at 8pm ET for Ask an Engineer!

Join over 38,000+ makers on Adafruit’s Discord channels and be part of the community! http://adafru.it/discord

CircuitPython – The easiest way to program microcontrollers – CircuitPython.org


New Products – Adafruit Industries – Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers! — New Products 11/8/2024 Featuring Adafruit Pixel Shifter – For Addressable LEDs! (Video)

Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: MicroPython v1.24.0 is here, a Halloween Wrap-up and Much More! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi

EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey

Adafruit IoT Monthly — Halloween, WiLo, and more!

Maker Business – Adafruit Daily — First Solar’s $1.1 billion development of vertically integrated factory in the U.S.

Electronics – Adafruit Daily — Oscilloscope Jumble

Get the only spam-free daily newsletter about wearables, running a "maker business", electronic tips and more! Subscribe at AdafruitDaily.com !



No Comments

No comments yet.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.