Аудиоаниматроника: История и развитие робототехники Disney

Trademark for a form of robotic animation

Audio Animatronics (also known as simply Animatronics, and sometimes shortened to AAs) 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 often synchronise with audio by the assistance of an external sound system on the stage (generally a recorded speech or song). The machines are usually fixed to whatever supports them. They can sit and stand but cannot produce any form of locomotion. An Audio Animatronic significantly deviates from an android type robot in that it uses prerecorded movements and sounds, rather than responding to external stimuli. In 2009, Disney debuted an interactive version of the technology called Autonomatronics, and in 2018, announced aerial stunt figures called Stuntronics.

Audio Animatronics were originally a creation of Walt Disney employee Lee Adams, who worked as an electrician at the Burbank studio and was one of Disney's original Imagineers. Walt Disney got a mechanical toy bird in New Orleans, and he decided to improve the device that moved it. 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. The system of the animatronics relies on a combination of electric motors, solenoids, hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems, and cables to produce repeatable puppet movements that syncs to sound. The term "Audio Animatronics" was first used commercially by Disney in 1961, was filed as a trademark in 1964, and was registered in 1967. 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). Otto can hold conversations and react to the audience. In December 2009, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln returned to Disneyland using the new Autonomatronics technology.

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.

The technology of the AAs at Disney's theme parks around the world vary in their sophistication. They range from the blinking and mouth movements at Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room to full body movement, from the mouth to the tip of the fingers at the former Stitch's Great Escape! attraction at the Magic Kingdom. Current technologies have paved the way for more elaborate AA figures, such as "Ursula head" inside the Mermaid Lagoon Theater at Tokyo DisneySea, the Indiana Jones figures inside the Indiana Jones attractions at both Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, the "swordfighting" pirates inside Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland Park (Paris), the "lava/rock monster" inside Journey to the Center of the Earth at Tokyo DisneySea, the "Na'vi Shaman of Songs" inside the Na'vi River Journey, the dinosaurs inside DINOSAUR, the "Yeti" inside Expedition Everest at Disney's Animal Kingdom (though the latter has been non functional since 2008, using a strobe light to simulate movement of the still figure), or the Roz figure inside Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue! at Disney California Adventure. The Roz figure is able to "interact" with guests with help from an unseen ride operator who chooses pre recorded messages for Roz to "speak", thereby seeming to "react" to individual guests' unique appearances and clothing. Mr. Potato Head outside of the Toy Story Mania! attractions at the Disney California Adventure and Disney's Hollywood Studios parks does the same. One of the newest figures comes with changes to the classic Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, both now featuring 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 and facial mold. So far, the newest and most advanced Audio Animatronic figure is Abraham Lincoln at The Disneyland Story: Featuring Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland. Lincoln can move his lips to form words, can make dramatic movements, and can portray emotions to match the words he is saying. The Audio Animatronic anglerfish inside The Seas with Nemo & Friends in Epcot uses a robotic arm that is connected to a puppet to control realistic swimming movements of the animatronic to make the effect that the anglerfish is actually swimming. Robotic arms have also appeared in other attractions such as The Sum of All Thrills in the Innoventions area of Epcot. The Audio Animatronic Indiana Jones figures inside Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull at Tokyo DisneySea resemble actor Harrison Ford, unlike the original figures found at the Disneyland version, Temple of the Forbidden Eye. In 2010, some of the Audio Animatronic figures at the Disneyland version were replaced with more technically advanced figures that also look more like Ford. The Audio Animatronics formerly featured in the Great Movie Ride used the likeness of the actors that portrayed the characters. Audio Animatronics found in Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom use projections for their faces to make the dwarfs' mouths move and their eyes blink. The projected face technology is also used in Frozen Ever After at Epcot. 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 in 2019, 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.

Society has a large affect on how animatronics evolve over time in theme parks. At parks like Disney animatronics are constantly being pulled out and put in based on popular movies and the changing of generations. Some rides like The Hall of Presidents are affected greatly when it comes to events in society because every time there is a new president they are added to the hall. Disney is prepared because they make both presidents to add the right one in after the elections. This is one of the reasons why things can get controversial because they have to add the president who wins.

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. The 2015 Disney film Tomorrowland uses the Audio Animatronics word as a term for their sophisticated android characters. A dissociative animatronic Lincoln is one of the malfunctioning robots at the robot asylum in the Futurama episode "Insane in the Mainframe".