Animatronics Face of Peter Nelson, Dean of Engineering UIC

We designed an animatronic model of the Dean of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago, using easily accessible materials such as cardboard boxes, ultrasonic sensors, and servo motors. The animatronic face is equipped with an ultrasonic sensor and touch sensor to receive user input. When activated by a hand wave within a certain distance, the animatronic greets with the phrase, "Hello all! Welcome to UIC. It's a beautiful day. How about a few knock knock jokes?" The animatronic also responds to the touch sensor, delivering a random knock knock joke with synchronized jaw and eyebrow movements.

The supporting structure was constructed using a discarded cardboard box. All wiring and connections are housed inside the box and can be accessed by opening the box flap.

To create the joint, we utilized a 3D-printed L bracket. This was affixed to the servo motor, which in turn was connected to the jaw. The eyebrows were then glued to the servo arm.

Servo motor actuators are commonly used in simple animatronics faces to produce realistic movements. The servo motor is a type of rotary actuator that allows for precise control over the angular position of the output shaft. By attaching the servo motor to the movable parts of the face, such as the jaw or eyebrows, it can create the desired facial expressions or movements. For the animatronic face, we employed three servo motors for each of the eyebrows and one for the jaw. The servo motor can be programmed to move to specific angles, which allows for synchronized movements with dialogues or inputs from sensors. This results in a more lifelike appearance and makes the animatronics face more engaging and interactive.

Sensors are also utilized in simple animatronics faces to enhance their interactivity and responsiveness. Various types of sensors such as ultrasonic, touch sensors can be incorporated into the face to receive input from the environment or the user. For example, an ultrasonic sensor can detect the distance of the user's hand and activate the animatronics greeting or a touch sensor can initiate a programmed response when touched. The use of sensors allows for a more engaging and personalized experience for the user, making the animatronics face more immersive and entertaining.

The GitHub link below provides the code for the same:

https://github.com/iamstrang3/Animatronics_Face

Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cucI3LTDfI

• To enhance the functionality of this animatronics, the knock-knock jokes can be made even more interactive by incorporating a microphone. This would enable the animatronics to respond to the user's voice as they speak, creating a more seamless and natural interaction.
• The chassis can be improved by incorporating a wooden stand.
• Cable management can be improved in several ways, such as using cable ties or zip ties to organize and secure cables, using cable trays to route and protect cables.