Disney is building robots that walk like its animated characters

Bairstow

Bairstow

Well-Known Member
It's fun to speculate on the possible park applications of this technique, but it doesn't appear to be anything more than a theoretical design process. Actually implementing this to a functional figure would require the perfection of several other disciplines and concerns of robotics design, many of which are nowhere near the level required for a cost-effective project in Disney's eyes.

Gait-favored design might help someone design some simple, desktop-sized walking toys, but we're still a couple decades from seeing free-walking bipedal robots anywhere near a Disney park, expect perhaps in a limited display at EPCOT.
 
George

George

Liker of Things
Premium Member
Four legs are a lot easier than two. I wish they would build a dinosaur zoo. I didn't mean for that to rhyme. I wonder whatever happened to the Living Character Initiative from time to time. Beaker, Lucky, and Professor Honeydew were all out and about interacting with you. Now, we on occasion have a talking MIckey head, but at some point you'd think they would realize, the other members of the fab five look kind of dead.
 
danheaton

danheaton

Well-Known Member
I expect this is more for animatronics for rides and shows then for actual characters roaming the parks. There are so many ways that could go wrong. It also would cost a ton like others have said.
 
TyrantBoss

TyrantBoss

Well-Known Member
the.dreamfinder said:
I don't see these 'living characters' as great cost savings for the company from a labor perspective. Lucky, Remy and the Muppet Mobile lab, the forerunners of any future efforts, are puppets which require well trained and compensated puppeteers. Much more expensive than the $7.50 the kid in the foam head is making.
However, if Disney was still a company whose primary concern was offering the best in family entertainment, cost would be secondary to offering the best possible experience to its guests.
Click to expand...

Face characters get 12 to 15 dollars per hour. Replacing just one Pooh with a robot (assuming the human Pooh works 6 hours a day in costume) Disney is saving 72 to 90 dollars per day. Assuming 5 days/week. Disney saves 360 to 450 dollars per week.
That's 1440 to 1800 dollars per month.
That's $17280 to $21600 per year.

And that's just ONE character. They have sometimes 6 or more different CM's playing Pooh.
Assuming only 6 are working at one time Disney now stands to save $103,680 to $129,600 per year replacing all 6 Pooh CM's with robots.

That is quite a substantial savings. Disney also saves on Workman's comp, Federal Employment Taxes, Medical and Social Security.
That can easily take the savings well over $150,000 to $175,000 per year.

And Robots won't get tired, won't get too hot, won't sue Disney for unfairness in the workplace, won't have bad moods, won't have medical issues.
If a Disney character robot breaks, they bring out a new one. If the battery gets low, they walk out a new one.

That also saves in Disney legal fees since they don't have to cover any legal complaints or P.R. issues regarding CMs who "touched people inappropriately" etc.

Not to mention costume maintenance, feeding the CMs, etc.
The cost savings are exponential.

In 5 years time Disney can save $750,000 to $875,000
10 years $1.5 Million to $1.75 Million
Plus all other undetermined savings......robots are a quite lucrative investment for Disney.
 
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JediMasterMatt

JediMasterMatt

Well-Known Member
Just think of all the amazing attractions this tech could be used for and will never see funding to be developed at WDW!!

They still aren't using the interactive talking Mickey tech on a routine basis. The chances of this getting out in front of the public on a daily basis in the near future, somewhere between slim and none. Star Wars land will be on display in Florida before then.

Still, a walking AA would go over really well at next year's IPW corporate buy out.

Disney won't want a character pulling an Asimo in front of an audience. Someone has to think about the kids.

 
the.dreamfinder

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
TyrantBoss said:
Face characters get 12 to 15 dollars per hour. Replacing just one Pooh with a robot (assuming the human Pooh works 6 hours a day in costume) Disney is saving 72 to 90 dollars per day. Assuming 5 days/week. Disney saves 360 to 450 dollars per week.
That's 1440 to 1800 dollars per month.
That's $17280 to $21600 per year.

And that's just ONE character. They have sometimes 6 or more different CM's playing Pooh.
Assuming only 6 are working at one time Disney now stands to save $103,680 to $129,600 per year replacing all 6 Pooh CM's with robots.

That is quite a substantial savings. Disney also saves on Workman's comp, Federal Employment Taxes, Medical and Social Security.
That can easily take the savings well over $150,000 to $175,000 per year.

And Robots won't get tired, won't get too hot, won't sue Disney for unfairness in the workplace, won't have bad moods, won't have medical issues.
If a Disney character robot breaks, they bring out a new one. If the battery gets low, they walk out a new one.

That also saves in Disney legal fees since they don't have to cover any legal complaints or P.R. issues regarding CMs who "touched people inappropriately" etc.

Not to mention costume maintenance, feeding the CMs, etc.
The cost savings are exponential.

In 5 years time Disney can save $750,000 to $875,000
10 years $1.5 Million to $1.75 Million
Plus all other undetermined savings......robots are a quite lucrative investment for Disney.
Click to expand...
What part of the robots, mechanized puppets really, need skilled puppeteers don't you understand?
 
dstrawn9889

dstrawn9889

Well-Known Member
ripley.jpg
 

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