FAQs

Q: What's the goal of this project?
A: To design and build an animatronic turtle that is able to move forward and contract, mostly in response to the surrounding environment.

Q: So why a turtle?
A: We originally had the idea to make an animatronic Pikachu but then we changed our minds to a Squirtle. We realized it's pretty messy to make the Squirtle shoot water so we settled for its real-life counterpart, the turtle.

Q: How is this turtle going to contract?
A: We plan on making the turtle contract by using a system of four bar linkages. There is a video on four bar linkages on our Tutorials page.

Q: What do you mean by saying it will respond to its environment?
A: We hope to put in a sensor that will make the turtle contract based on extreme conditions, like fast paced movement around it or intense vibrations. An accelorometer would also give the device interactive capability.

Q: How is the shell going to be built?
A: We tested a mold using paper mache and constructed it using a balloon as a base. It turned out that the mold was actually a perfect fit for what we need for our shell, and we have decided to use macheing as a cheaper and more practical alternative.

Q: Is this turtle made from scratch?
A: Yes! This device is made from entirely raw materials including acrylic, nuts, bolts, wood, coding, and paper mache. The only components that were not constructed by us include the servos, sensors, and the stuffed animal limbs.

Q:What kind of engineers develop animatronic devices?
A: Many types of engineers can get involved in the development of these robots, including mechanical, electrical, and computer. There are also other specialists including graphic designers and artists who make these devices visually appealing.

Q: How can this device be adapted to the entertainment industry?
A: The goal of this device was to create an animatronic that could be brought to interact with users on a more personal level, rather then having to visit a theme park like Disney or Universal to experience them. Since this device was made from raw materials and a simple mechanism, it would be fun exploring if it could be adapted to a larger scale.

Q: Can any character or creature be turned into an animatronic?
A: It is not impossible, but some devices are more practical than others. Some characters may have to support different weights or have more complex mechanics to entirely replicate the real life counter part. An early idea we had was to make a replica of Mike Wazowski, but upon further investigation we found that his body would have to support a lot more weight than something closer to ground level, such as a turtle.

Q: How do you guys program the turtle to move and contract?
A: This is done through computer programming, for we talk to the serv os through serial communications to tell them in which direction to rotate or how fast to spin. Tutorials are available to better explain this topic.