Simple Animatronics with Servos and Arduino

Servos are surprisingly easy to use. Even more so than simple DC motors and steppers when you have a microcontroller. In this instructable we'll use a 'duino to drive five servos which will control a doll's limbs and neck.

I bought the servos at HobbyPartz for a couple bucks apiece and found the doll at a swap meet for a dollar. The doll says 1967 Mattel on the back and I later learned she is a See 'n Say type doll. The hard plastic body was important for a successful installation.

Step 1 Dismemberment

Pop off the arms and use a coping saw to split open one side. Then crack open the other side and remove the guts. Be careful along the way to ensure that everything can be put back together after. I also spent at least 20 minutes trying (and failing) to get the inner workings functional.

Comments

[tinker234]

wow thanks time to make a phys-co killer doll

[jj.inc]

I wan't to put one of those in my carry-on next time I fly

[graydog1942]

COULD YOU POST PART NUMBERS OR MODEL NUMBERS AT HOBBY PARTZ OR OTHER SOURCES FOR THOSE OF US THAT ARE REALLY NEW AT THIS

THANKS
ROBERT GLENN

[gzip]

I used a mix of servos that I had on hand. The first set are the smallest and cheapest but also perform well.

7g Sub-Micro Servos used in the arms:
http://www.hobbypartz.com/60p-dy-1002.html

T-Pro Mini Servo SG-90 9G Servos used in the legs:
http://www.hobbypartz.com/topromisesg9.html

Dynam 9g Servo used in the head:
http://www.hobbypartz.com/60p-dy-1007.html

[WVvan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSy8Ko1vSKQ

"My name is Talking Tina and I'm going to kill you."

[rmarino3]

LOL! too funny. And im going to bed..

[sosogood313]

This instructable represents my very worst nightmare.

[JumpStart]

Very cool! I expect I'll find a way to use this with my middle school students!

[Cadimus]

Now just replace the eyes with two PIR sensors and let it track people, slooowly, with it's head.

[Applebohn]

YES!

[Darwinfish]

Now you just have to hot glue a small knife to one of its hands... and your shrink will officially retire.

[MPaulHolmes]

Be careful when programming that robo-baby. DON'T make her self aware. She looks like she's sort of crazy. Nice work! My son loves robots, and wants us to make one. I had no idea where to start, so this is perfect.

[crossfire]

Very good! But SOOOO CREEPY!!!!!

[gzip]

Thanks. Creepiness is a secondary goal so it may get worse. ;)

[tubanator-2.0]

it may get worse...i thought this was as creepy as it got, please dont tell me your turning this into a carrot top baby that moves.

[seabee890]

I happen to have a 3 channel remote laying around in the garage. .Halloween is ging to ROCK!!! ( I am probably gonna get in trouble. LOL

[Kiteman]

That shot in step 2 is just creepy...

Any plans to add servos to the hips as well?

[gzip]

It's way creepier in person. I had this thing lying on my desk with only a head and arms. It was running the simplest code where the head and limbs just go back and forth. It created this rocking motion that was so freaky I almost decided to stop the project o_O. I'll try to get a shot of that later. Btw, the hips are added in step 3 but I have yet to program them. Maybe I can get it crawling on all fours.

[Kiteman]

... saying momma!

[valhallas_end]

Only that one? Not any of the other shots of a Franken-doll with buckshot-pattern holes in her chest?

This is pretty cool though...ahh, the ideas it gives for Halloween decorations!

[martzsam]

Need to do this with a Chucky Doll. Epic project, kinda creepy...

If you want to listen to the phonograph disk inside, it might be playable on a variable speed record player.