Talking Animatronic Robot Head

Step 6 Programming

The subject of programming the head is a bit too detailed to go into on an instructable, but here is the process I use.

First, I begin by writing the dialog in Microsoft Word.  Next, I use a text-to-speech utility to convert the written dialog to a spoken dialog.  The end result of this process is an mp3 file.

Next I use an audio editor to add in any sound effects that I want to use with the dialog (phone ringing, siren in the background, knock at the door, etc.).  Once I have the audio file completed, I then use a program that allows me to position each servo while both hearing and visually seeing the audio file.  It generally takes me about an hour to program a minute's worth of movement.  Interestingly enough, programming the mouth's movement is not the most difficult part.  The most difficult part is programing all the other movements, because when a person talks, there are a lot of subtle movements that go along with their mouth movements -- all of which become a person's expression.

For example, when you ask a question, you might raise your eyes slightly and simultaneously turn and raise your entire head.  If you go back and view the video listed in the introduction you will see what I mean.  All these slight, subtle movements is what makes the animatronic look like he has real expressions.

Once I finish all the programing of the servos, I then download both the servo control file and the mp3 file as a single control file onto a compact flash card.  I then put this card into the RAPU, and Robot Head 2 comes "alive!"

There are a lot of web sites relating to animatronics.  If you're interested, Google is your friend.