How to Create Simple Animatronics

Introduction: Part One: Using the MAKE Controller

Here’s how cheap moncler jackets to build simple animatronics using inexpensive hobby servos and the MAKE controller kit. I wanted moncler outlet prices to keep this as simple as moncler outlet sale possible so moncler outlet woodbury there is no programming required and the electronics are kept to a minimum so that anyone should be able to do this with a minimum of tools and experience.

I wanted to create a animatronic head for a costume I’m constructing. I wanted it to be entirely self contained no exposed wires, etc. and unlike many animatronics used in movies, I didn’t want to use radio control due to complexity/control issues. I also couldn’t afford a commercial animatronics controller.

Enter the MAKE uk moncler outlet controller! This piece of hardware allows you to connect readily available hobby servos (as well as motors, lights, etc.) to simple analog input devices (I’m using flex sensors) to control movements. I have this set up running the controller in POLY mode, which doesn’t require any computer programming and is very easy to configure. Of course you can always program the controller later on to maximize its potential it’s a pretty amazing piece of hardware.

Here’s what the finished animatronic armature looks like (it’s mounted to an old welding helmet as a test rig) along with a movie clip and what the finished costume will look like it’s a Horus guard from Stargate.

Here’s a video of it working

There are a moncler outlet online ton of possibilities using this controller for animatronics:

Make a Predator moncler online store costume with animatronic head and shoulder cannon

Build a giant dinosaur with a moveable head, eyes and tail that reacts cheap moncler jackets womens to movements or goes through a pre programmed routine

Create interactive displays and haunted house attractions

Follow along and I’ll show how the mechanism for the Horus head is constructed and maybe you’ll be inspired to create your own animatronics. If I can moncler usa find an earlier version of the firmware necessary I’ll post it cheap moncler sale here. uk moncler sale They have also removed all tutorials regarding the POLY functions. Bummer. I have started working with the Arduino platform due to it’s lower cost, smaller size and ease of use and have created another animatronics tutorial here:Step 1: Materials and Tools

I wanted my animatronic head to move up/down, turn right/left, rotate and have eyes that light up. What is really important is to keep everything as light weight as possible to avoid overloading the servos. The finished Horus helmet will be constructed entirely from blue foam and cardboard to save weight (and cost!) I used standard sized servos: two Hitec HS300 servos for the rotation and turning movements and a HS605BB servo to move the head up and down. Working from a base plate, I figured I’d need one hinge for my up/down movement, one hinge for my turn right/left movement and a pivot for my rotational movement. I also wanted my head movements to be grouped together so as the head turned it would rotate and as it moved up and down the eyes would light up. I wanted these to be linked to the up/down head movement the servos for moncler uk outlet these aren’t shown on the finished animatronic armature as they will moncler sale be added when the foam helmet is constructed. The servo outputs ( labeled 0 and 2) are cheap moncler jackets mens PWMs (pulse width modulation) that reflect the assigned values, so when the input voltage is 0v the servo is at one end of its travel and when the input voltage is 3.3v the servo will move to the opposite end of its travel, tracking the bend in the flex sensor. The digital outs on the board also reflect this so you can also control the speed of a motor or brightness of a lamp. The base plate is thin plywood and the pivot is a brass tube and plate that rotates on an aluminum rod. I first remove the copper plating from the circuit board material before cutting it to shape moncler womens jackets this can be done either by etching or sanding it off. I like using this board as it’s thin, light, pretty strong and it’s easy to work with. The board can be cut with a Dremel and a cut off wheel or even a small saw. A circlip is placed in a cut groove on each end of the aluminum rod to retain the brass tubing. This brass plate is what moncler outlet store the finished foam head will be attached to. I try to make use of adjustable control arms and linkages whenever possible to allow some room for future adjustments. Solder them cheap moncler coats mens to the flex sensor as shown on the diagram. Generally speaking, the shorter you can keep the wires the better flex sensors tend to lose resolution and get “noisy” as the lead wires get longer. The LED’s are wired in series with a momentary switch that is activated when moncler sale online the head drops all the way down. The power for the LED’s comes directly from the 5v output on the MAKE controller board. This is done by positioning switches 1, 3, 6 and 8 to the ON position. Switch 3 activates the FOLLOWER mode for the first set of analog inputs and switch 6 activates the second set of analog inputs. This is because I found that when I powered the servos directly from the controller board they had some glitches due to the electrical noise they generate. To power the servos from a seperate battery you need to position the jumper located near the servo outs so that it is closest to the VExtS label on the board and connect linked website https://www.cheapmoncler.com cheap moncler the power leads to the external moncler outlet servo power connector. The servos are connected to the servo outs on the board labeled 0 and 2, paying attention to the direction the ground wire from the servo is facing. Note that best moncler jackets the servos that rotate the head and move it left/right are connected together. First connect the Vin and Gnd wires. Now use a multimeter to test your input from the flex sensor. Touch the positive multimeter lead to the signal wire moncler sale outlet from the flex sensor and the negative lead to the to the Gnd contact on the controller board. When you bend the sensor the voltage should change according to how much you bend the sensor. The voltage reading should not discount moncler jackets go above 3.3v.