Animatronics SeminarReport

8/13/2019 Animatronics SeminarReport

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my sincere thanks to all those who have provided me their

valuable guidance towards the completion of this seminar report as part of the syllabus

of the bachelors course. I express my sincere gratitude towards our cooperative

department who has provided me with valuable assistance and requirements for the

development of this seminar report and seminar.

I hereby take this opportunity to record my sincere thanks and heartily gratitude

to Mr. S. T. Jadhavfor her useful guidance, making available to me her intimate

knowledge and experience in guiding through this seminar. I am also thankful to

HO of our department Prof. A. W. Rohankarfor his constant enlightenment and

motivation which has been highly instrumental in making this seminar. !he

acknowledge will incomplete if I do not record my sense of gratitude to our principal,

Prof. Dr. A. S. Padalkar who has given me the necessary guidance, encouragement

by providing me with all the facilities available to work on this seminar.

"neha

#.eshmukh

!$%&$'

!( I!

")O(, *+(

ABSTRACT

SCOE, Infora!"on T#$hnolo%&

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!he first use of udio3nimatronics was for 1alt isney8s (nchanted !iki

une, -@'$. !he !iki birds were operated using

digital controlsA that is, something that is either on or off. !ones were recorded onto tape,

which on playback would cause a metal reed to vibrate. !he vibrating reed would close a

circuit and thus operate a relay. !he relay sent a pulse of energy 4electricity5 to the

figure8s mechanism which would cause a pneumatic valve to operate, which resulted in

the action, like the opening of a bird8s beak. (ach action 4e.g., opening of the mouth5 had

a neutral position, otherwise known as the 2natural resting position2 4e.g., in the case of

the !iki bird it would be for the mouth to be closed5. 1hen there was no pulse of energy

forthcoming, the action would be in, or return to, the natural resting position.

!his digital;tone3reed system used pneumatic valves exclusively33that is,

everything was operated by air pressure. udio3nimatronics8 movements that were

operated with this system had two limitations. :irst, the movement had to be simple33on

or off. 4e.g., !he open and shut beak of a !iki bird or the blink of an eye, as compared to

the many different positions of raising and lowering an arm.5 "econd, the movements

couldn8t require much force or power. 4e.g., !he energy needed to open a !iki /ird8s beak

could easily be obtained by using air pressure, but in the case of lifting an arm, the

pneumatic system didn8t provide enough power to accomplish the lift.5

In addition to the digital programming of the !iki show, the :air shows

required analog programming. !his new 2analog system2 involved the use of voltage

regulation. !he tone would be on constantly throughout the show, and the voltage would

be varied to create the movement of the figure. !his 2varied voltage2 signal was sent to

what was referred to as the 2black box.2 !he black boxes had the electronic equipment

that would receive the signal and then activate the pneumatic and hydraulic valves that

moved the performing figures. !he use of hydraulics allowed for a substantial increase in

power, which was needed for the more unwieldy and demanding movements. 4Hydraulics

were used exclusively with the analog system, and pneumatics were used only with the

tone3reed;digital system.5

Wha! ") an"a!ron"$)*


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nimatronics is the technology employing electronics to animate motori0edpuppets4!he merican Heritage ictionary5. n animatronic figure is often used in

movies to create grand special effects. (xamples of these figures include the giant

dinosaurs of >urassic *ark, the title character from (!, and the personable robots from

"tar 1ars. !he advantage animatronics has over digital effects in some movies is more

realistic close3up shots. nother use of animatronics in the entertainment industry is in

theme parks.


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s the definition implies, animatronics is the combination of the ancient art of

puppetry with modern electronic technology. (xamples of elementary puppets have been

found in early =reek, Hindu, and (gyptian cultures. !he first puppets were marionettes.

6ater, the rod puppet was developed in /engal. Hand puppets have been popular in

(urope since the middle ages to depict folklore.

uring the


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fter the pivotal creation of isneys early animatronics, animatronics began

being used more frequently in movies as well as in theme parks. uring the creation of

"tar 1ars, Doda was one of the first animatronics figures made with technology that

closely imitated skeletons.

"% +.' Wal! D")n#&/) ENC0ANTED TIKKI ROOM


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"% +.+ Parro! 1)#d "n T0E TIKKI ROOM


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2. ORMATION O ANIMATRONICS

S!#3 '4 D#)"%n"n% or 31!!"n% "! on 3a3#r 5

uring the design process, the client and the company developing the

animatronics decide what the character will be, its appearance total number of moves,

quality of moves, and what each specific move will be. /udgets, time lines and check

points are established. #any years have been spent to ensure that this critical step is as

simple as possible. Once this critically important stage is solidified and a time line is

agreed upon, the proEect moves to the sculpting department.

!he first thing that happens with any animatronics figure is that an artist createspreliminary sketches of the creature. !he creature sketches were developed by working

closely with expert paleontologist >ack Horner and the crew working on 2>urassic *ark

III.2 !he sketches are analy0ed and changes are suggested. (ventually, the artist creates a

detailed illustration of the creature. In the case of "pinosaurus, "1" went from

preliminary sketch to final design in about three weeks.

"% 2.' P1! I! On Pa3#r

n artist sketches the "pinosauru. !he paper sketches are vital. (verything else relies on

the accuracy of these designs.


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S!#3 +4 B1"ld"n% a "n"a!1r# od#l 6

:rom the final paper design, a miniature scale model called a maquette is created.

:ashioned out of clay, the first maquette "1" made of "pinosaurus was one3sixteenthscale. !his initial maquette is used to verify that the paper design is accurate. If there are

any problems, they are corrected and a new paper design is made.

"% 2.+ B1"ld

>urassic *ark III irector >oe >ohnston and the one3fifth3scale maquette of the

"pinosaurus.

ext, a one3fifth3scale maquette is made. !his sounds small, until you reali0e the

sheer si0e of the "pinosaurus. !he one3fifth3scale model was about F feet 4?.B m5 longG

!he larger maquette allows the designers to add more surface detail. !his maquette is

then used to produce the full3 si0e sculpture.


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S!#3 24 S$1l3!1r# a) 7"% a) l"f# 5

!he sculpting department is responsible for converting two3dimensional ideas into

three3 dimensional forms. !his team can work from photos, artwork, videos, models,

statuettes and similar likenesses. Once the sketches and models are done, the full3si0e

building begins. /uild a :ull3si0e "culpture. :or the animatronics dinosaurs in the

original 2>urassic *ark,2 "1" had to build the full3si0e sculpture by hand. It is a time3

consuming and laborious process. dvances in computer3aided. manufacturing 4)#5

allow them to automate a significant part of this step.

!he maquette is taken to)yber :;, where it is scanned by a $3 digiti0er. !his is

nothing like a normal computers scanner .!here are a variety of methods used in $3

digiti0ers, but the one that was used for creatures is called laser scanning.

6aser scanning takes precise measurements of the maquette by bouncing beams oflaser

lightoff its surface. s the laser scanner moves around the maquette, it sends over -C,&&&

beams per second. !he reflected light from the beams is picked up by high3resolution

cameraspositioned on either side of the laser. !hese cameras create an image of the slice

4cross section5 of the obEect that the laser is scanning. custom computer system collects

the cross sections and combines them to create a perfect, seamlesscomputer modelof the

maquette.

"% 2.2 B"% a) L"f#


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etails are carved into the full3si0e sculpture.

!ypically, the client is asked to approve the sculpting before it goes to the

molding department.

S!#3 84 Mold"n% and fa7r"$a!"on 5

!he molding department takes the form created by the sculptor and creates the

molds that will ultimately produce the character skins. #olds can be soft or hard, single

or multiple pieces, and reusable or non3reusable. !o get the sculptors exact

interpretation, mold making is both an art form and an elaborate technical process. !he

process can be very time3consuming and complicated. It can be so unnerving that some

animation mold makers even refer to it as black magic.J

set of molds are made of the full3si0ed sculpture. !he molds are made from an

epoxy that is very durable and has strong bonding characteristics.

"% 2.8 Cr#a!"n% !h# old


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fter the mold is finished and cured, it is ready for skin making. :iberglass shells

are simultaneously being laid up to form the body and limb shapes. "ome of these shapes

are reusable stock pieces, but the maEority of shells are custom made for each character.

#eanwhile, various body armatures are being created and are assembled in the

welding metal3 fabricating areas. (ach of the robots movements axis points must have an

industrial3rated bearing to provide action and long life. (ach individual part requires a

custom design and fabrication. !hese artisans are combining both art and technology to

achieve realistic, lifelike moves. s the armature takes shape, the actuators, valves, flow

controls and hoses are installed by the animation department. !he technicians select those

components carefully in order to ensure the durability and long life. s its assembled,

each robotic move is individually tested and adEusted to get that perfect movement.

Once the components of the animatronics device are ready, much of the framework is test fitted inside the molds before the foam rubber skin is cast. In conEunction

with this step is the fabrication of the foam3running core, which is created by lining the

inside of the mold with precise layers of clay to represent the skin thickness. 1hen the

clay lay3up is completed, the surface of the clay is fiber glassed to create the foam3

running core. fter the clay is cleaned out, the foam3running core is bolted into the mold

and creates a negative space between the foam3 running core and detailed surface of the

mold. 1hen filled with foam rubber, this negative space becomes the skin.

!he purpose of this process is twofoldK

L It makes the skin movement seem more natural

L It controls the skin8s thickness and weight

6et8s move on to the building of the animatronics components.

S!#3 94Cr#a!1r# Cr#a!"on5

/uilding the various components used in the animatronics device usually takes

the longest time. #ost of the creatures that are developed at "tan 1inston "tudio require

parts that you8re not going to find at your local hardware store. 1hen is the last time you

saw a left forearm for a "pinosaurus sitting on the shelf at Home epotM !his means that


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"1" has to build almost everything themselves. !hey do take advantage of any existing

products when possible, usually by repurposing parts of a common device to fill some of

their uncommon needs. !his creative use of generally available items is probably the best

way to learn how to do animatronics yourself, as demonstrated onthis page.

"% 2.9 Work"n% on !h# h#ad of T&ranno)a1r1)

/asically, there are four main categories that the work splits into, with development

happening simultaneously across the categories.

M#$han"$al 5"1" engineers design and build the mechanical systems, which

include everything from basic gears to sophisticated hydraulics. n interesting

fact about the animatronics "pinosaurus is that nearly all of the mechanicalsystems used in it are hydraulic.

El#$!ron"$ 5nother group develops the electronic control systems needed to

operate the animatronics device. !ypically starting from scratch and creating their


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own custom circuit boards, these engineers are essentiallybuilding giantremote3controlled toys.lmost all of the movement of the creatures will be manipulated

by speciali0ed remote3control systems known as telemetry devices. 1e discuss

the specific telemetry devices used in the next section.

"% 2.: All h&dra1l"$ )&)!#) ar# "n)!all#d and $h#$k#d.

S!r1$!1ral5ll of the electronic and mechanical components need something to

attach to and control, and the skin must have a frame to maintain its shape. !his is

done by building a plastic and steel frame. !o increase the realism, and because it

is the natural way to design it, the frame of the "pinosaurus, as well as most other

creatures made by "1", resembles the actual skeleton of the beast. !his skeletal

frame is largely comprised of graphite, a synthetic material known for its strength

and lightness.

S1rfa$#5!he 2skin2 of the creature is made from foam rubber, which is a very

light, spongy rubber that is made by mixing air with liquid latex rubber and then


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curing 4hardening5 it. 1hile there are other compounds, such as silicone and

urethane, that are stronger and last longer, foam rubber is used because it is much

easier to work with the solution is poured into each mold and allowed to cure. s

mentioned earlier, parts of the frame are embedded with the foam rubber at

certain points. !o further strengthen the skin, a piece of fabric is cut to si0e and

embedded in the foam rubber after it is poured into the mold. Once cured, each

piece of skin is pulled from its mold.

S!#3 :4 P1!!"n% "! To%#!h#r5

1hen all the components are done, it8s time to build the creatures. !he frame is

put together and then the mechanical systems are put in place. s each component is

added, it is checked to ensure that it moves properly and doesn8t interfere with other

components. #ost of the electronic components are then connected to the mechanical

systems they will control. !he controls have been tested with the mechanical systems

prior to final assembly, but the systems are checked again.

"% 2.; Th#


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*arts of the skin that have embedded pieces of the frame in them are put in place when

the frame is assembled. !he other skin pieces are fastened in place on the frame once the

mechanical and electronic components are installed.ssembling the skin is a verylaborious process. s each piece is added, the team has to check to make sure there are

no problems, such asK

L +nwanted folds

L /uckling

L "tretching

L !oo tight

1henever one of these problems occurs, the skin must be adapted or attached differently.

lso, there are places where you do want the skin to fold or hang loose or travel in a

certain way, and it must be adEusted to achieve that effect. One of the tricks that "1"

uses to make the "pinosaurus and other dinosaurs seem more realistic is to attach bungee

cords between areas of skin and the frame. uring movement, these bungee cords

simulate tendons under the skin, bunching and stretching.

S!#3 ;4 Pa"n!"n% and Co)!1"n% 6

!he skin is mostly 2painted2 before it is attached to the frame. "tan 1inston

"tudio does not use actual paint, though. Instead, a specially formulated mixture that is

akin to rubber cement is used. !ints are added to the mixture to get the correct color.


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!he puppeteers are determining what movements make the animatronics figure

look angry, surprised, hungry or any other emotions or moods that are called for in the

script.

"% 2.= Th# !#l##!r& d#v"$# for $on!roll"n% !h# ar)

:or example, the puppeteer who controls the arms has a device that he straps onto his

own arms. He then acts out the movement he wants the creature to make, and the

telemetry device translates his motion into a control signal that is sent to the circuit

board controlling the mechanical components that comprise the arm system of the

creature.


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9. APPLICATIONS O ANIMATRONICS

nimatronics is the use of electronics and robotics in mechani0ed puppets to

simulate life.

nimatronics are mainly used in movie making, but also in theme parks and other

forms of entertainment. Its main advantages to )=I and stop motion are that it is not a

simulation of reality, but rather physical obEects moving in real time in front of the

camera. !he technology behind animatronics has become more advanced and

sophisticated over the years, making the puppets even more realistic and lifelike.

nimatronics for film and television productions are used to perform action on

camera in situations where the action involves creatures that do not exist, the action is too

risky or costly to use real actors or animals, or the action could never be obtained with a

living person or animal. !he application of animatronics today includes computer

controlled as well as radio and manually controlled devices. !he actuation of specific

movements can be obtained with electric motors, pneumatic cylinders, hydraulic

cylinders and cable driven mechanisms. !he type of mechanism employed is dictated by

the character parameters, specific movement requirements and the proEect constraints.

nimatronics are mainly used in entertainment field.

nimatronics are used to give special effects in movies.

nimatronics creatures are used in disneyland to entertain visitors.


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:. PROS AND CONS

Pro)4 dvantage of animatronics over digital effects is more realistic close3up shots.

In combination with other special effects, animatronics can lend a level of reality

and texture to a film that computer animation does not provide.

)an be used for entertainment in theme parks.

Con)4

If animatronic figure is controlled by radio3frequency 4


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;. CONCL(SION

)reating a good animatronics figure that is able to perform constantly

without fail requires many special skills and lots of technical know how. /efore

assuming the task of creating an animatronics figure, you should have a strong

hold on how these things are constructed and be willing to spend a pretty penny

on equipment and materials. nimatronics has now developed as a career which

may require combined talent in #echanical (ngineering, "culpting ; )asting ,

)ontrol !echnologies , (lectrical ; (lectronic , irbrushing ,


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REERENCES

-. How nimatronics 1orks.J How"tuff1orks.com

?. www.google.com

$. udio3animatronicsJ 1ikipedia.1ikipedimedia.

B. nimatronicsJ (ncyclopedia.
http://www.google.com/http://www.google.com/

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