Editing Audio-Animatronics (section)

==Technology==

[[File:Pirates of the Caribbean Redhead 2012.jpg|thumb|The former bride auction scene (1967–2018) in [[Pirates of the Caribbean (attraction)|Pirates of the Caribbean]] at Disneyland|220x220px]]
[[File:Pirates of the Caribbean (7506456142).jpg|thumb|Audio-Animatronic [[Jack Sparrow]] (2006–present), inside Pirates of the Caribbean in Disneyland]]
The system of the animatronics relies on a combination of electric motors, solenoids, hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems, and cables to produce repeatable puppet movements that syncs to sound.<ref name=":0" />

[[Pneumatic]] actuators are powerful enough to move heavier objects like simulated limbs, while [[hydraulic]]s are used more for large figures. On/off type movement would cause an arm to be lifted (for example) either up over an animatronic's head or down next to its body, but with no halting or change of speed in between. To create more realistic movement in large figures, an [[analog circuit|analog]] system was used. This gave the figures' body parts a fully fluid range of motion, rather than only two positions.

To permit a high degree of freedom, the control cylinders resemble typical miniature pneumatic or hydraulic cylinders, but mount the back of the cylinder on a ball joint and threaded rod. This ball joint permits the cylinders to float freely inside the frame, such as when the wrist joint rotates and flexes.

The oil-filled cylinders occasionally drip or leak, so it is sometimes necessary to do makeup touch-up work, or to strip the clothing off a figure due to leaking fluids inside. [[Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room|The Enchanted Tiki Room]] remains a pneumatic theatrical set, primarily due to the leakage concerns, as the Audio-Animatronic figures are above the audience's heads.

Because each individual cylinder requires its own control channel, the original Audio-Animatronic figures were relatively simple in design, to reduce the number of channels required. For example, the first human designs (referred to internally by Disney as series A-1) included all four fingers of the hand as one actuator. It could wave its hand but it could not grasp or point at something. With modern digital computers controlling the device, the number of channels is virtually unlimited, allowing more complex, realistic motion. The current versions (series A-100) now have individual actuators for each finger. Disney also introduced a brand new figure that is used in [[Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge|''Star Wars'': Galaxy's Edge]] and is referred to as the A1000.

===Compliance===
Compliance is a new technology that allows faster, more realistic movements without sacrificing control. In the older figures, a fast limb movement would cause the entire figure to shake in an unnatural way. The Imagineers thus had to program slower movements, sacrificing speed in order to gain control. This was frustrating for the animators, who, in many cases, wanted faster movements. Compliance improves this situation by allowing limbs to continue past the points where they are programmed to stop; they then return quickly to the "intended" position, much as real organic body parts do. The various elements also slow to a stop at their various positions, instead of using the immediate stops that caused the unwanted shaking. This absorbs shock, much like the [[shock absorber]]s on a car or the natural shock absorption in a living body.

===Cosmetics===
The skin of an Audio-Animatronics human figure is made from [[silicone rubber]]. Because the neck is so much narrower than the rest of the skull, the skull skin cover has a zipper up the back to permit easy removal. The facial appearance is painted onto the rubber, and standard cosmetic makeup is also used. Over time, the flexing causes the paint to loosen and fall off, so occasional makeup work and repainting are required.

Generally as the rubber skin flexes, the stress causes it to dry and begin to crack. Figures that do not have a high degree of motion flexibility, such as the older A-1 series for President Lincoln, may only need to have their skin replaced every ten years. The most recent A-100 series human AAs, like the figure for President [[Barack Obama]], also include flexion actuators that move the cheeks and eyebrows to permit more realistic expressions; however, the skin wears out more quickly and needs replacement at least every five years.

The wig on each human is made from natural human hair for the highest degree of realism, although using real hair creates its own problems, since the changing humidity and constant rapid motions of the moving AA carriage hardware throughout the day cause the hair to slowly lose its styling, requiring touch-ups before each day's showing.

===Autonomatronics===
''Autonomatronics'' is a registered trademark for a more advanced Audio-Animatronic technology, also created by Walt Disney Imagineers.

The original Audio-Animatronics used hydraulics to operate robotic figures to present a pre-programmed show. This more sophisticated technology can include cameras and other sensors feeding signals to a computer, which processes the information and makes choices about what to say and do. In September 2009, Disney debuted "Otto", the first interactive figure that can hear, see and sense actions in the room.<ref name="otto">{{cite web|last1=Hoque|first1=M. Ehsan|title=Disney's First autonomous Audio-Animatronics| url=http://hoques.com/DisnayAnimatronics.htm|publisher=MIT Media Lab|access-date=10 August 2014}}</ref> Otto can hold conversations and react to the audience.<ref name=disney>{{cite web| work= Disney Parks Blog| title= Disney Autonomatronics Figure Can Sense If You're Happy| date= 28 September 2009| first= Thomas |last= Smith| publisher= Disney Parks| url= https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2009/09/disney-autonomatronics-figure-can-sense-if-youre-happy/| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091001111621/http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2009/09/disney-autonomatronics-figure-can-sense-if-youre-happy/| url-status= dead| archive-date= October 1, 2009}}</ref>

In December 2009, [[Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln]] returned to Disneyland using the new Autonomatronics technology.<ref>{{cite web| last1= Niles| first1= Robert| title= Disneyland's Mr. Lincoln debuts Disney's next generation of animatronic storytelling| date= 17 December 2009 | url=http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200912/1593/| access-date=10 August 2014}}</ref>

===Stuntronics===
[[File:Spider-Man_Stunt_Show_featuring_Stuntronic_(51242351470)_(edited).webm|thumb|right|[[Peter Parker (Marvel Cinematic Universe)|Spider-Man]] stunt show at [[Avengers Campus]] at [[Disney California Adventure]], featuring a Stuntronic|alt=Robot that looks like a human in a Spider-Man costume swinging in midair over buildings]]
In June 2018, it was revealed that Disney Imagineering had created autonomous, self-correcting aerial stunt robots called stuntronics.<ref>{{cite web|last=Panzarino|first=Matthew|title=Disney Imagineering has created autonomous robot stunt doubles|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/28/disney-imagineering-has-created-autonomous-robot-stunt-doubles/|publisher=TechCrunch.com|access-date=January 30, 2020|date=June 28, 2018}}</ref> This new extension of animatronics utilizes onboard sensors for precision control of advanced robotics to create animatronic human stunt doubles that can perform advanced aerial movements, such as flips and twists.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stuntronics|url=https://la.disneyresearch.com/stuntronics/|publisher=Disney Research|access-date=June 27, 2020|date=2018}}</ref>