Disney Research has just unleashed a game-changer in the world of robotics: a bipedal robot that can dance, climb, and navigate the unstructured terrain of theme parks. This cutting-edge creation is about bringing animated characters to life with movement so fluid and expressive, you’ll forget it’s not human.
“Legged robots have achieved impressive feats in dynamic locomotion in challenging unstructured terrain,” the Disney Research team observed.
While these robots excel in maneuvering tough environments, the challenge lies in making them entertaining and engaging for human audiences. Creating captivating robots requires more than agility and balance; they must be expressive and emotionally engaging.
“We aim to bring expressive and dynamic motions onto a bipedal robotic character, and explore the intersection of legged robot design, control, and character animation,” explained the team.
Disney’s new robot seamlessly integrates expressive, artistic movements with robust dynamic mobility, representing a major advancement in entertainment robotics. Developed in under a year by a team led by research scientist Moritz Bächer at Disney Research in Zurich, the robot is primarily 3D printed.
The robot’s design is focused on character-driven mechanics, prioritizing expressive movements that convey a wide range of emotions. This design is complemented by a reinforcement learning-based control system, ensuring the robot can execute smooth and natural motions in response to command signals.
An advanced animation engine blends multiple animation sources to create dynamic and believable movements. Additionally, an intuitive operator interface allows human operators to control the robot in real time, enabling live performances and interactive experiences.
“We present a new robot character with a mechanical design that is primarily driven by creative intent and simplicity rather than functional requirements,” stated Disney Research. The robot’s ability to wiggle its antennas and tilt its head adds to its expressive capabilities without compromising its impressive walking and balancing skills. This was achieved through a close collaboration between roboticists and animators.
This bipedal robot has potential for enhanced human-robot interaction in various settings, not just theme parks. By combining expressive movements with agile locomotion, Disney’s robot paves the way for new forms of engagement.
“Our work enables the creation of expressive robot characters outside the typical anthropomorphic or zoomorphic morphologies, paving the way towards more general and fantastical robotic characters,” concluded the team.