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Did you know Disney has a research division?
They do super cool stuff, all in the pursuit of better animation, theme park animatronics, and toys.
Here's a thread of some favorites with possible applications!
They do super cool stuff, all in the pursuit of better animation, theme park animatronics, and toys.
Here's a thread of some favorites with possible applications!
Quasi-static cavity resonance for wireless power
If you build a donut shaped metal room you can do efficient, modestly powerful wireless power transfer throughout the room!
Imagine theme park rides full of tiny drones that *never have to land*
If you build a donut shaped metal room you can do efficient, modestly powerful wireless power transfer throughout the room!
Imagine theme park rides full of tiny drones that *never have to land*
Diaphragm piston based hydrostatic transmissions for telepresence and more
Diaphragm pistons are a type of actuator with wonderfully low stiction, allowing remote controlled robots to perform precise motions with accurate force feedback and much more.
Diaphragm pistons are a type of actuator with wonderfully low stiction, allowing remote controlled robots to perform precise motions with accurate force feedback and much more.
See also my exciting tech post on diaphragm pistons - I've got parts in the mail for a project based on these that I'm really excited about.
https://nickparker.co/exciting/diaphragm-pistons
https://nickparker.co/exciting/diaphragm-pistons
Motion optimization for bouncy compliant robots
This is bog standard controls research, but check out those awesome lil robot animations! Imagine how good the new theme park rides will be when they're chock full of smooth organic moves like that.
This is bog standard controls research, but check out those awesome lil robot animations! Imagine how good the new theme park rides will be when they're chock full of smooth organic moves like that.
Optimizing CAD models with Extended Finite Elements
This one is surprisingly general: They've come up with a way to run shape optimization on parametric CAD models and then put the optimized result right back into your parametric editor.
This one is surprisingly general: They've come up with a way to run shape optimization on parametric CAD models and then put the optimized result right back into your parametric editor.
I don't play with shape optimization too much but this seems *super* useful. Closing the loop between optimization and higher order design work would make design engineers so much more productive.
Computational Design tool for Compliant Mechanisms
One of my pet peeves is that cereal box toys have gotten worse. They used to DO THINGS! Now they're just boring branded paperweights.
This research could make Mcdonalds toys cool again!
One of my pet peeves is that cereal box toys have gotten worse. They used to DO THINGS! Now they're just boring branded paperweights.
This research could make Mcdonalds toys cool again!
Automated sensor design for soft robots
This one is only cool if you've played with soft robots and know how *insanely* hard they are to control accurately. Soft animatronic characters using tech like this might be able to jump the uncanny valley
This one is only cool if you've played with soft robots and know how *insanely* hard they are to control accurately. Soft animatronic characters using tech like this might be able to jump the uncanny valley
Catching a ball in VR
Simple little demo, but it's fascinating to think about a SandboxVR type ride with a rich, motion filled physical environment that matches your VR view.
Meshes well with the tiny perpetually powered drones from above.
Simple little demo, but it's fascinating to think about a SandboxVR type ride with a rich, motion filled physical environment that matches your VR view.
Meshes well with the tiny perpetually powered drones from above.
