Animatronics

Animatronics is the use of mechanical objects, which simulate animate life with lifelike characteristics, different from using robots. Plants, dinosaurs and magical creatures are mostly animatronic creations. Animatronic figures are often powered by hydraulics, electrical means, or by pneumatics and can be implemented using both computer control and human control, including teleoperation (remote control). The first recorded use of animatronics was on paper when a man wanted to get out of prison. The only solution he could find was building wings out of birds' feathers (does this story sound familiar?). Leonardo da Vinci then designed the Automata Lion (basically a mechanical lion) in honor of the newly crowned King of France, Francois I.  

In the 1770s  Pierre Jaquet-Droz and his son Henri-Louis Jaquet-Droz, both Swiss watchmakers, start making automata for European royalty. Once completed, they had created three dolls. One doll was able to write, the other play music and the 3rd doll could draw pictures.

In 1939, Sparko, The Robot Dog was created. Unlike normal robots, Sparko represents a living animal, thus becoming the very first modern day animatronics character.

Animatronics, takes off when Walt Disney decided to get into the business. In 1961, he coins the term audio-animatronics and begins developing modern animatronics technology. In a matter of years, the Enchanted Tiki Birds were created and featured in Disneyland till this day.

So what does this have to do with "animation"? Well, animation isn't all just cartoons. It can also be real life too. The famous movie of Jurassic Park used this technique to bring its dinosaurs to life. This film became the 17th film to gross over $1 billion dollars and is considered the greatest film of the 1990s. This video presented shows the audience how the raptor suit is made and shows how the team behind the scene controls the dinosaur. 

Animatronics soon moved mainstream and companies started to make toys using animatronic techniques. The most famous toy that I can think of on the top of my head is the terrifying Furby. I don't know why people find this thing appealing, but hey, I don't judge. Here is a creepy Japanese Furby commercial that you either will find disturbing or will find amusing.

....And here is the most recent commercial, because apparently Furbies are still a thing.

As the times go on, animatronics will take the stage as it becomes a more popular form of art to use in movies. I hope that it will transform the way we look at cinema like how Jurassic Park did.