Animatronics

An animatronic is a mechanically, pneumatically or electronically controlled figure that comes with amusement attractions such as haunted houses or other themed rides and in film production for use.

The term Animatronic is a portmanteau of animation for the movement of the figures and Electronic as a reference to the control.

In common parlance the term has prevailed for all figures of this type, regardless of whether they are controlled electronically or mechanically. The first patent was filed in 1889 for a speaking fortune telling machine.

When term audio - animatronic additional acoustic effects are taken into account. He was registered as a trademark in 1967 the Walt Disney Imagineering. The first figure, a tap dancer (Dancing Man), 1950 jointly by Walt Disney (stage), the sculptor Charles Cristadoro ( figure) Wathel Rogers has been developed ( animation) and the machinery division of Disney. It should on this basis be followed by a Barbershop Quartet, but this proved too expensive and was not completed. By Lee Adams a first character in the form of a giant squid for the Disney film adaptation of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ( 1954) was built for Disney films. Other well-known audio - animatronics are the robin pair in Mary Poppins, Billy Bass and the numerous dolls in such a Disney theme park attractions as it 's a small world and Pirates of the Caribbean.