Animatronic Fazbear Head – Light-Activated Eyelids and Joystick-Controlled Jaw

This project describes the design and construction of a cardboard animatronic Fazbear head that reacts to user input and environmental changes. When a hat is placed on the head, a photocell detects the reduced light and activates one servo to open and close the left eyelid, turns on a white LED inside the eye sockets, and plays the FNAF theme. A joystick mounted on the nose allows the user to control the jaw: pressing the joystick triggers another servo that opens and closes the lower jaw while playing Freddy’s laugh.

The face structure, head shell, and internal chassis are entirely made from cardboard, supported by a simple wooden base. Inside the head, all servos, wiring, and electronics are arranged compactly to allow smooth mechanical motion.

This Instructable will guide you step-by-step through building the structure, wiring the electronics, and programming the interactive behaviors.

These are all of the supplies we used and their prices

Cut the basic head shapes from cardboard: the snout, cheeks, side curves, forehead piece, ears, jaw, and hat. Glue the curved pieces together to create the rounded bear-like shape. Use a straight bar and a straight rectangle of cardboard that has been folded to create the jaw

For a more in-depth explanation, below is the YouTube tutorial used to create the outside chassis

https://youtu.be/IxeqKzcHh2E?list=PLq97DaQxtY0-W0myQWhJVMqefIxs6jKDA

Create a supporting structure with a wooden rectangle for the bottom and a single wooden beam that is perpendicularly attached to the base, and connect it to the back of Freddy’s head. Inside the head, create a layered supporting platform using stacked cardboard, creating the platform just below the eyes. This platform will hold the servo mechanisms for the eyelids and jaw. Reinforce the structure with hot glue and popsicle sticks for rigidity.

Mount one SG90 servo behind the left eye. We used a copper wire to serve as the linkage that moves the eyelid up and down when the servo rotates.

This servo will be activated by the photocell on the top of the head.

File for 3D printed eyes:

Animatronic eyes FNAF by Aqua_Cat - Thingiverse

Mount the second servo on the lower wooden base. Use a popsicle stick linkage to connect the servo horn to the lower jaw. When the joystick is pressed, this servo opens and closes the jaw.

https://youtube.com/shorts/ckD9MrPv1Rs?feature=share

Wire the eyelid servo, jaw servo, photocell circuit, LED eyes, and joystick into the Arduino using the breadboard. Once all of the electronics are together, tape the breadboard to the base and run the wires for all of the components throughout the head to their respective places.

A clean layout makes troubleshooting easier.

Photocell (LDR):

Placed at the top of the head. When the hat is placed over it, light decreases → eyelid servo activates + LED eyes turn on + FNAF music plays.

Joystick:

Mounted on the nose. Pressing down triggers the jaw mechanism + Freddy laugh sound.

Algorithm Summary

1. Read the photocell value using an analog pin.
2. 
   
3. If value < threshold (dark because hat is on head):
4. 
   
5. Move the eyelid servo in an open/close loop.
6. 
   
7. Turn on both LEDs.
8. 
   
9. Play the FNAF theme through the MATLAB code
10. 
    
11. Read the joystick button using a digital pin.
12. 
    
13. If the joystick is pressed:
14. 
    
15. Move the jaw servo open/close.
16. 
    
17. Play Freddy’s laugh through Matlab code
18. Reset positions when sensors deactivate.

Link to GitHub:

https://github.com/romanalexander405-ui/Fazbear-Animatronic/blob/main/AnimatronicAudio.m

https://github.com/romanalexander405-ui/Fazbear-Animatronic/blob/main/FullCodeAnimatronic.ino

Test the photocell with the hat and adjust the threshold until activation is reliable.

Test the joystick for jaw control.

Joystick+Servo Motor(For mouth movement)

https://youtube.com/shorts/3gvCpjFB_XI?feature=share

Photocell+Servo Motor+LED Lights(For eyes and eyelids)

https://youtube.com/shorts/oLHyxlPxZbI?feature=share

Photocell+Servo Motor+LED Lights(For eyes and eyelids)

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hT_wBFu3uoM

Joystick+Servo Motor(For mouth movement)

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2Nf54tPryaU

We learned a lot about the use of Arduino and circuitry. We have a better understanding of designing and planning a complicated machine for ease of use. If we were to do this again, then we might consider 3d printing the chassis for a more complete feel, as well as using built-in speakers, since we had the audio play through a YouTube link, which got us ads sometimes, so it would probably be better to have it play an audio file through a built-in speaker.