Adventures in Animatronics and Automata

Animatronics are electronically controlled puppets designed to move fluidly, often used in films, theme parks, and video games. Combining puppetry, anatomy, and mechatronics, they can be operated by computers or humans, using motion actuators to mimic muscle movements for realism. Covered in body shells and flexible skins, they are detailed with colors, hair, and other lifelike features.

Originally called "robots," animatronics later became distinct from practical robots, with human-like versions termed "androids." The word "animatronics" blends "animate" and "electronics," while "Audio-Animatronics" was coined by Walt Disney in 1961 for entertainment-focused animatronics. Their origins trace back to mechanical automata powered by hydraulics, pneumatics, and clockwork.