Audio-Animatronics

thumb|243x243px|Audio-Animatronic of Father John, the main character of the [[Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress attraction at Magic Kingdom]]

Audio-Animatronics (also known simply as AAs) are a form of mechatronic animatronics puppetry created by Walt Disney Imagineering and trademarked by the Walt Disney Company for use in designed shows and attractions at Disney theme parks.

Audio-Animatronics move and often synchronize with an audio soundtrack from an external sound system (generally a recorded speech or song), and are usually fixed to whatever supports them. They can sit and stand but cannot produce any form of locomotion.

An Audio-Animatronic differs from an android or robot in that it uses prerecorded movements and sounds, rather than responding to external stimuli.

History

thumb|Pierre, a talking parrot in [[Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland, the first attraction with Audio-Animatronics|alt=|231x231px]]

Audio-Animatronics were originally a creation of Disney employee Lee Adams, who worked as an electrician. Walt Disney got a mechanical toy bird in New Orleans and found out how it worked, which served as the inspiration for Audio-Animatronics. An early robotic figure was the Dancing Man, created by Roger Broggie and Wathel Rogers, and modeled after a tap dancing routine by actor Buddy Ebsen.

Development of the first audio animatronic technology began in 1949 with the work of the giant squid for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954).

The term "Audio-Animatronics" was first used commercially by Disney in 1961, was filed as a trademark in 1964, and was registered in 1967.thumb|186x186px|An Audio-Animatronics doll in the [[France section of It's a Small World at Disneyland]]

The Audio-Animatronic show The Enchanted Tiki Room opened in 1963 at Disneyland. It is a room full of tropical creatures with eye and facial actions synchronized to a musical score entirely by electromechanical means. The Audio-Animatronic cast of the musical revue uses tones recorded on tape to vibrate a metal reed that closes a circuit to trigger a relay, which sends a pulse of electricity to a mechanism that causes a pneumatic valve to move part of the figure.

The movements of the attraction's birds, flowers, and tiki idols are triggered by sound. Figures' movements have a neutral "natural resting position" that the limb or part returns to when there is no electric pulse present. Other than this, the animation is a binary system, with only on/off moves, such as an open or closed eye. The same kind of technology was used for the head of Mary Poppins’ cane in Mary Poppins (1964).

Compliance

Compliance is a new technology that allows faster, more realistic movements without sacrificing control. In the older figures, a fast limb movement would cause the entire figure to shake in an unnatural way. The Imagineers thus had to program slower movements, sacrificing speed in order to gain control. This was frustrating for the animators, who, in many cases, wanted faster movements. Compliance improves this situation by allowing limbs to continue past the points where they are programmed to stop; they then return quickly to the "intended" position, much as real organic body parts do. The various elements also slow to a stop at their various positions, instead of using the immediate stops that caused the unwanted shaking. This absorbs shock, much like the shock absorbers on a car or the natural shock absorption in a living body.

Cosmetics

The skin of an Audio-Animatronics human figure is made from silicone rubber. Because the neck is so much narrower than the rest of the skull, the skull skin cover has a zipper up the back to permit easy removal. The facial appearance is painted onto the rubber, and standard cosmetic makeup is also used. Over time, the flexing causes the paint to loosen and fall off, so occasional makeup work and repainting are required.

Generally as the rubber skin flexes, the stress causes it to dry and begin to crack. Figures that do not have a high degree of motion flexibility, such as the older A-1 series for President Lincoln, may only need to have their skin replaced every ten years. The most recent A-100 series human AAs, like the figure of President Barack Obama, also include flexion actuators that move the cheeks and eyebrows to permit more realistic expressions; however, the skin wears out more quickly and needs replacement at least every five years.

The wig on each human figure is made from natural human hair for the highest degree of realism, although the use of real hair requires touch-ups, since the changing humidity and constant rapid motions of the moving AA carriage hardware causes the hair to slowly lose its styling.

Autonomatronics

Autonomatronics is a registered trademark for a more advanced Audio-Animatronic technology, also created by Walt Disney Imagineers.

The original Audio-Animatronics used hydraulics to operate robotic figures to present a pre-programmed show. This more sophisticated technology can include cameras and other sensors feeding signals to a computer, which processes the information and makes choices about what to say and do. In September 2009, Disney debuted "Otto", the first interactive figure that could hear, see and sense actions in the room. Otto could hold conversations and react to the audience.

In December 2009, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln returned to Disneyland using the new Autonomatronics technology.

Stuntronics

thumb|right|[[Peter Parker (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Spider-Man stunt show at Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure, featuring a Stuntronic|alt=Robot that looks like a human in a Spider-Man costume swinging in midair over buildings]]

In June 2018, it was revealed that Disney Imagineering had created autonomous, self-correcting aerial stunt robots called stuntronics. This new extension of animatronics utilizes onboard sensors for precision control of advanced robotics to create animatronic human stunt doubles that can perform advanced aerial movements, such as flips and twists.

Variations

The Audio-Animatronics figures at Disney's theme parks around the world vary in their sophistication. Current technologies have paved the way for more elaborate figures, such as the swordfighting pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland Park Paris, the lava monster in Journey to the Center of the Earth at Tokyo DisneySea, the Na'vi Shaman in Na'vi River Journey at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Scooter in Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Roz in Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! at Disney California Adventure and Monsters, Inc. Ride & Go Seek at Tokyo Disneyland.

The Roz figure is able to interact with guests with help from an unseen operator who chooses pre-recorded messages for Roz to speak, thereby seeming to react to individual guests' unique appearances and clothing. The Mr. Potato Head figures at the Toy Story Mania! attractions at Disney California Adventure, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and Tokyo DisneySea do the same.

thumb|An Audio-Animatronics figure of Hondo Ohnaka in the preshow of [[Star Wars: Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run|Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run at Disneyland]]

thumb|An Audio-Animatronics figure of Louis the alligator in [[Tiana's Bayou Adventure at Disneyland]]

In 2006, the classic Pirates of the Caribbean attraction was updated at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom to include characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. The Jack Sparrow figure is based on the actor that portrays him, Johnny Depp, and features his voice. The figure of Abraham Lincoln at Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland can move his lips to form words and portray emotions to match what he is saying.

The anglerfish figure inside The Seas with Nemo & Friends in Epcot is connected to a robotic arm to make it appear that the anglerfish is actually swimming.

The Audio-Animatronic Indiana Jones figures inside Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye and Temple of the Crystal Skull at Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea respectively, resemble Indiana Jones actor Harrison Ford.

In the Buzz Lightyear attractions at Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, and Disneyland Park Paris, the Audio-Animatronics figures of Buzz Lightyear use projections for their faces to make Buzz's mouth move and eyes blink. The projected face technology is also used in Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom and Shanghai Disneyland. These Audio-Animatronics were succeeded by the figures in use in the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge lands at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios, such as Hondo Ohnaka in the Millennium Falcon – Smugglers Run attraction. These new figures, known as A-1000 Animatronics, have a fully functional face, featuring a full range of motion in the eyes and mouth.

In 2025, a new show debuted at Disneyland called Walt Disney – A Magical Life, which features an Audio-Animatronics figure of Walt Disney.

Society

Society has a large effect on how Audio-Animatronics evolve over time in theme parks. At Disney Parks, Audio-Animatronics are constantly being removed and installed based on current tastes and the changing of generations. Some attractions like The Hall of Presidents in Magic Kingdom are affected when it comes to events in society as every time there is a new U.S. president they are added to the attraction.

Gallery

File:Hallofpresidents2011.jpg|The Hall of Presidents in 2011 at Magic Kingdom

File:Muppet Mobile Lab (420359093).jpg|Muppet Mobile Lab, featuring Bunsen and Beaker, during a visit to Pixar in 2007. Pixar's chief creative officer Pete Docter can be seen above the vehicle's headlights.

File:Lucky the Dinosaur (13954963).jpg|Lucky the Dinosaur in Disney's Animal Kingdom in 2005

File:Shaman, Disneyland.jpg|Plains Indian Shaman as seen along the Rivers of America at Disneyland

File:Buzz Lightyear, Disneyland.jpg|Buzz Lightyear in the queue of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters at Disneyland

File:Roz, Disney California Adventure.jpg|Roz in Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! at Disney California Adventure

File:Rocket, Disney California Adventure.jpg|Rocket in the preshow of Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! at Disney California Adventure

File:Droids Disneyland.jpg|Roaming BD-X droids in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland in 2024

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In popular culture

Less-sophisticated forms of audio-animatronics also gained popularity in the 1980s through use at family entertainment centers such as ShowBiz Pizza Place and Chuck E. Cheese's. At ShowBiz, The Rock-afire Explosion band was made by Aaron Fechter and Creative Engineering, who also made other animatronic characters and arcade redemption games. They are also used in film and television special effects.
Several passengers and the crew of a Pioneer Zephyr are represented in a display of this historic train at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. Neatly dressed in the proper style of first class passengers of their era, one remarks upon the casual dress of the visitors.
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial features an animatronic George Washington.
John Wardley is often said to have brought animatronics to the United Kingdom, utilizing a concept called Ramped Movement, which allowed for smoother movements of the figures. John appeared on Tomorrow's World in the 1970s showing a guitar playing animatronic programmed to music. His first project was the creation of the animated show "50 Glorious Years" for Tussaud's "Royalty and Empire Exhibition" at Windsor.
Scissor Sisters member Ana Matronic named herself after animatronics, as a homage to her love of The Bionic Woman.
The Pennsylvania Lottery uses an animatronic groundhog named Gus (who refers to himself as the "second-most-famous groundhog in Pennsylvania", after Punxsutawney Phil) as the mascot for television commercials for their instant scratch-off games.
Disney's 2015 film Tomorrowland uses the Audio-Animatronics word as a term for their sophisticated android characters.

References

External links

DizTech: The Disney Technology Blog at DizFanatic.com
How Animatronics Work at HowStuffWorks.com
Masters of Puppets: Rock-afire Explosion