Robotics is actively developing, and every day there are more and more companies that produce interesting and useful robots that can either make a person’s life easier or entertain them.
Walt Disney Imagineering presented its new assistant at the IEEE IROS conference in Detroit. Unfortunately, it currently has no name, but this does not prevent it from attracting the attention of the audience.
It should be noted that this device can move on two legs and has almost perfect balance. This prototype combines procedural animation, modular equipment, and can also learn while it is working.
If you look closely at the robot, it resembles the famous Star Wars character Jedi: Fallen Order 2019 BD-1. In addition to its two legs, the mechanism has a thin box head, which is attached to a long neck, equipped with a flashlight and several small antennae.
The head of the device has a wide range of motion, which allows it to convey the individual characteristics of different characters very well. To prevent children and adults from being afraid of the robot, it was programmed to imitate the behavior of dogs. For example, when the robot is incredibly interested in something, it tilts its head to the side, and its little antennae start moving like a dog’s ears.
The developers note that subsequent models of this mechanism can be created and programmed to imitate the behavior of other characters that do not resemble the prototype.
One of the robot’s authors noted in an interview that most robot developers aim to teach their bipedal robots to walk and keep balance, but their company takes a broader view of this issue, as the mechanisms they create need to learn to dance, gait, run, and measure the room with respectful steps in order to accurately convey the emotions of the characters.
One of the features of the device is that it was almost entirely printed on a 3D printer.
Today, the animatronic can walk independently on uneven terrain, balances well and remains upright even when pushed.
Interestingly, after the conference where the robot was presented, Disney decided to surprise Disneyland guests by testing the new technology. Small BD droids, similar to those seen in the TV series “The Traveler,” walked on the ground accompanied by the company’s engineers.
These “training droids” have shown their ability to walk, move their heads, and even dance. Guests were allowed to take photos, but direct contact with the devices was prohibited.
As of today, the company has no plans to make this attraction permanent. Nevertheless, it should be noted that this technology demonstrates great potential for use in theme parks.
In the future, which is not far off, such works may become the basis for meeting visitors.