From Coaster Crew website: http://www.coastercrew.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2671
Thought is was a fascinating read about the technology involved and the detailed updating to the Abe Lincoln animatronic. They've basically rebuilt Abe from the ground up, using Computer Aided Design, updated techniques, and 3D printing, while adding more movement to his jaw and face.
Robotics, as a topic, has always fascinated me. Of course, Disney has been a groudbreaker in this department for many years, and their technology just gets better.
My fandom started with Sci-Fi movies like Aliens, that featured the J-5000 Power Loader Ripley uses to put the smack-down on the alien queen. When we took a our second trip to Walt Disney World, Communicore East and West featured Expo Robotics (circa 1992) that showed the latest in assembly line robotics and their precision capabilities. Some robotic arms scanned peoples faces and would draw caricatures while others spun tops and balanced them on sword blades. Anyone remember Bird and The Robot from World of Motion? I sure do.
In the last several years, we've seen the advent of mobile attractions that are very well detailed and believeable. Lucky the Dinosaur and Muppet Mobile Labs are two such examples. Good grief, I was impressed with the hulking walking platform with flat screens for eyes that was shown as a prototype on a Discovery Channel special. The former refinement were all the more impressive after seeing the prototype.
More recently I've seen both the Jack Sparrow additions to Pirates of the Caribbean and Hopper animatronic in It's Tough to be a Bug. The fluidity of movement and the improvements in the technology are almost scary, particularly of with Mr. Sparrow. VERY hard to believe that was not a real actor in places.
Now I'm curious to see Mr. Lincoln's show at Disneyland as well as the updated Hall of Presidents featuring "RObama".
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