What is needed to move a puppet?

Help & Support Robot Parts
1

Hi.

I have never made anything like this before, so I maybe running before I can walk, but here is what I want to do.
I have a soft puppet around 40cm high and very light.

I want the puppet to have the following movements.

Head Nod (up / down)

Head Rotate (left / right)

Head Tilt (left / right)

Mouth (open / close) (I would like this to move with live talk with a pre-recorded voice)

Body Lean (left / right)

Arm Motion (1 shoulder & both elbows)

I would also like to be able to setup a pre-recorded sequence of movements or routine for the puppet to go through for my act, so I can interact with it.

Finally when the puppet is not performing, I would like it to have set movements so it looks like it is alive until I am ready for the next pre-programed section of my show.

If you could advise me on a list of things I need, plus maybe any good videos to watch for building it? It would be really appreciated.

2

It will actually be quite a bit easier than you might think. Although we don’t have any specific tutorials to follow, here are some ideas:
robotshop.com/en/lynxmotion- … oller.html
This allows you to control up to R/C 32 servo motors via the computer. A simple computer program for this controller (control each servo and create routines):
lynxmotion.com/p-895-free-do … tudio.aspx
Wiring:
robotshop.com/en/wh-02-wirin … ector.html
robotshop.com/en/6v-3a-wall-adapter.html
If you have quite a few servos, you should use one power supply for each side of 16 servos.

R/C servos:
robotshop.com/en/servo-motors.html
Some ideas:
robotshop.com/en/9g-micro-se … =RB-Fit-03 (inexpensive and lightweight servo for the facial features)
robotshop.com/en/hitec-hs422 … =RB-Hit-27 (standard R/C servo)
robotshop.com/en/hitec-hs755 … =RB-Hit-30 (larger servo)

As for the mechanics, you might try the Lynxmotion Servo Erector Set and Polymorph
lynxmotion.com/c-73-servo-erector-set.aspx
robotshop.com/en/catalogsear … t&dir=desc

Take a look through Innerbreed’s posts here - he is heavily into creating animated puppets and is about as good as they get.

3

Hi CBenson

Thanks for your reply.

There is a company that sells animated puppets and they use a remote control unit like the ones for controlling airplanes to animate the puppet while the computer records the movements for use in the show.
Do I need to get one of those?

Is it possible for a board to store all the pre-programmed actions within the puppet, rather than having it connected to a computer? So the computer is just used for creating the movements for the show and then the data is stored inside the puppet?

Finally, when I want the puppet to perform a certain pre-recorded sequence I would want to use a key-fob, or something similar to activate a particular sequence, then the puppet to go back into a preset sequence as if it is asleep, with very slight movements, until the next sequence is required for the show. Hopefully I have explained my self clearly?

Thanks Dave

4

Not needed if you can get away with computer control.

Sort of, but the products we carry which allow for that don’t have a nice interface - it’s text-based, and you’d need to code everything. You could instead have it controlled wirelessly from a computer using Bluetooth.

Not sure what you mean by a key-fob… you mean you want the robot to react if it’s in proximity to something, like RFID?