animatronics

DIY Magic Mirror kits

DIY Magic Mirror kits

Al Linke’s DIY Magic Mirror first appeared on our radar back in 2008, when Al posted a classic Instructable describing the project, which went on to win the Tech Grand Prize in our 2008 DIY Halloween Contest. Al’s Magic Mirror features a Snow-White style floating, talking face in a gilt-framed mirror with an amazingly wide variety number of integrated and integratable functions–breathalyzer, weather forecast, stock tracking, X-10 lighting control, doorbell input with camera feed, Picasa-based slideshow, various themed personalities, etc., etc. He’s selling them, now and gets $219 for the kit.

Giant robotic spider invades Japan

Giant robotic spider invades Japan

Giant robotic spiders have struck again. First it was Liverpool, England, now it’s Yokohama, Japan. It’s painful to watch as terrified humans in white shirts and black slacks, stuck to the underbelly and carapace, struggle to free themselves. La Machine (the “theatrical engineers” who created this mechanical monstrosity) [via Laughing Squid] More: Photos of La […]

A nice little local dragon

A nice little local dragon

Photo from The Boston Globe A few years ago a dragon turned up down the street. Chuck Nudd had spent some winter months concocting a behemoth animatronic dragon from some cast off steel junk. It started out as a dinosaur, but morphed into a dragon as the design came out. Draco is both wildly popular […]

Animatronic Rat

This isn’t a world of difference from the other animatronics projects out there, but there are 2 reasons this animatronic rat Instructable stands out for me: 1. An excellent quote from the creator: “Last year I was just a naked rat on top of a trash can, but this year I got to dress up.” […]

Lion mask Instructable

Lion mask Instructable

If you started RIGHT NOW, you could *possibly* get this incredible lion mask done by Halloween. Solion has put together an incredibly detailed Instructable for an animatronic lion mask with stereo night vision and amplified hearing – 117 steps! See his other animal costume work on his site, Lion of the Sun.