When people think of Disney, they don’t usually think, “Disney is one of the most innovative robotic companies,” but that is all about to change. The family-friendly brand is pouring tons of resources into its robotics division in the hopes of creating a new line of robots that interact with humans in a more, well, human, way.
One of the most impressive of Disney’s innovations is an air-pressurized system that allows robots to move like you. The system harnesses the power of pneumonic tubes and air pressure to enable mechanical puppets to mimic the motion of the puppeteer exactly. Whatever the puppeteer does, the robot will also do, simultaneously.
The system is pretty impressive. It functions without traditional valves, motors or pumps and is incredibly precise. In a video, the robotic arm was so precise that it was able to pick up a large roll of tape and balance it on top of a cylindrical object. It even successfully played a short round of catch with a small girl, because after all, this is Disney.
The innovation is intended to enhance the way robots move, making them move in a more fluid, and human, way than traditional bots. Considering how many animatronics Disney has in its parks, it’s probably a smart idea to develop a fleet of robots that don’t terrify your toddler.
Disney’s Controlling Humanoid Robots with Motion Capture Data project
Disney is working on a number of other robotic innovations, including robots that can mimic the movements of a person via sensory body suit. Other projects include sitting robots, robots that can juggle and a robotic sensory system that can observe its environment. Disney is no MIT, but these innovations definitely put them on the radar as far as robotic innovation goes. See more at Disney's robotics page.
C
See more news at: