By combining the achievements of robotics and animatronics, researchers at Engineered Arts have created highly realistic "artificial people" who can act in films, play the role of moving "wax figures" and generally entertain humanity in every possible way.
The development, called Mesmer, brings together a whole set of technologies that are usually used separately. Such a "package offer" can be much more convenient for the entertainment industry than purchasing individual components and trying to combine them yourself, the creators of Mesmer note.
First, robots are equipped with the latest actuators that enable them to reproduce human movements. They all work silently. Moreover, each such engine can be controlled individually. The system controls both translational and rotational movement.
The internal structure of robots partly mimics the anatomy of the human musculoskeletal system. For example, they have an artificial spine made of separate vertebrae, which is similar in its ability to bend and twist to a human. According to the New Atlas, this technology was used to create the image of King Kong in the movie Kong: Skull Island.
In addition, robots are equipped with sensors capable of recognizing the presence of a person and even determining his age and gender. Without a doubt, the "wax figure", which stands at attention in the presence of harsh men, but begins to flirt with fragile girls, will impress the public. By the way, Engineered Arts robots have already been exhibited at Madame Tussauds.
It is important that the design of robots provides an opportunity to "get into the insides" and change or adjust something there without damaging their realistic artificial skin.
It is worth telling about the new software. It has a user-friendly interface that even animation artists, not just robotics specialists, can reportedly use. On the other hand, for advanced users, the system provides the opportunity to make changes to the program using the Python programming language.
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Interestingly, the robot can also be controlled using a 3D computer model. The user selects the necessary movements and sends "orders" via the Internet, and the robot instantly executes them.
To the sacramental question "How much is all this magnificence worth?" the company does not give an unambiguous answer. The price of the robot depends on the specifications required by a particular buyer. However, it is argued that it will be in the same segment with competing offerings.
Anatoly Glyantsev