Disney’s animatronics have a long and storied past. They’ve made it possible for hundreds of children from around the globe to sing in harmony about how small the world is, allowed every president to personally teach us about America’s past, and shown Caribbean pirates harassing women (well, they haven’t all been great!). However, a new age full of new characters calls for a new type of robot, which is why the Mouse House is developing advanced technology to help them keep up with their ever-growing film library, with autonomous stunt double robots who will redefine what Disney animatronics can do.
TechCrunch reports Disney Imagineers are working on robots that will allow the company’s parks to keep up with their high-flying film franchises like Star Wars and Marvel. Their “Stuntronics” could one day allow them to have live shows and attractions based on characters like Iron Man or jet pack-wearing Boba Fett, all without risking the safety of their human performers. Using “on-board accelerometer and gyroscope arrays supported by laser range finding,” the advanced humanoid machines can pull off difficult maneuvers in mid-air, all while posing in superhero fashion.
Compared to looking at normal, static animatronics who are confined to the limits of their attractions, watching these gymnast-like machines twirl through air is like seeing an actual Iron Man come to life. We half expect Tony Stark to call them into battle.
Without a set date for when visitors might see these Stuntronics in action, they are still just the future of the park, not the present. But that’s okay, because Disney should take plenty of time to make sure they avoid a worst case scenario. As cool as these new animatronics are, a franchise they might soon own has shown us there are worst robots than inappropriate pirates.
Which fictional Disney character would you love to see these “stunt doubles” fill in for? Fly into our comments and let us know.
Featured Image: TechCrunch
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