Telenoid ROBOT In the dimly lit room, surrounded by an audience
at the edge of their seats, a bald-headed creature with stumps for limbs came to life. Its doll-like face turned, echoing the head
movements of a man at a distant computer. It had no gender, it was neither old nor young,
but something in between, something eerily human yet otherworldly. This might sound like a nightmare, but the
reality of this robot is quite different Meet the Telenoid R1, the brainchild of Japanese
roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro, known for his adventures into the uncanny valley. Unlike his previous humanlike creations, the
Telenoid has a minimalistic, almost fetus-like appearance, sparking intrigue and a touch
of horror. This ghostly machine is more than just a strange
experiment; it's a new form of communication. Controlled remotely through a special teleoperation
software, it's meant to "transmit the presence" of people across distances. But there's a mystery to this connection. The operators who have used it claim that,
once you speak to a friend through the Telenoid, you begin to see their face on its blank visage,
feel them when you embrace its soft torso. The Telenoid R1 is not just a technological
marvel with its nine DC motors, a far cry from the 50 pneumatic actuators in Ishiguro's
previous androids. It's a creature from the depths of the uncanny
valley, a device that challenges our perception of humanity and connection. The Telenoid robot was introduced in 2010,
and apparently, it wasn't very successful as it's not commonly seen anywhere. The research version of this robot costs $35,000,
but there's a commercial version available for $8,000. As the demonstration concluded, the audience
was left with an unsettling feeling, a sense that they had just witnessed something profound
and unsettling, something that blurred the lines between human and machine. The Telenoid R1 had made its introduction,
and the world would never be the same. Lou Reed - No Money Down You are watching a Lou Reed music video and
you are thinking that something looks very odd. You see him singing when suddenly his hands
reach out, violently tearing rubbery flesh and wires from Reed's face, revealing a mechanical
exoskeleton underneath. This is the terrifying climax of the No Money
Down music video, a moment that even though was not even part of the original concept
for the video, it would end up being one that defined this 1986 shocker and made the video
iconic. People at the time found the scene too intense
for MTV, but it catapulted the video to enduring cult status. Let’s rewind to the origin of this disturbing
animatronic. You see, Lou Reed himself had no intention
of appearing in the video for whatever reason. So directors Kevin Godley and Lol Creme accepted
the challenge of creating a Lou Reed video without Lou Reed, even if they found this
idea insane. And to do it, they decided to create an unsettling
animatronic Reed. A facial mold-casting of Reed guided the robot's
appearance, operated off-screen by a dedicated team. It could blink. It could move its mouth. It was alive, in a disturbing way. Reed had to endure 15 minutes under plaster,
breathing through a straw, to create the uncanny valley effect that lives in a lot of people’s
nightmares. The result was something that both attracted
and repulsed audiences, so much so that MTV sort of banned the video, and did not show
it as much as other videos at the time. The idea to include the face-ripping moment
was not even in the script until the very end and it only added to the video's allure,
showcasing an experimental and boundary-pushing approach to music video creation at that time. The reluctance of MTV to air the video did
nothing but enhance its mystique. But while it was terrifying at the time, this
animatronic’s on screen destruction created a moment in music video history that continues
to haunt and fascinate. Cursed Ayuwoki / Thomas Messerschmidt Amidst the dim aisles of a bustling store,
a peculiar mask caught the attention of a visionary. Named the "Wacko Jacko'', this mask was destined
for more than just Halloween shenanigans. It would soon embody an internet legend that
whispered its name across forums and sent shivers down the spines of netizens: the Ayuwoki. The lore of the Ayuwoki is as intriguing as
its creation. A play on the words “Are you okay?” from
the lyrics of Michael Jackson’s hit "Smooth Criminal", the Ayuwoki became synonymous with
late-night scares and internet myths. Stories painted it as a creature that lurked
in the shadows, hauntingly mimicking Michael Jackson's voice, leaving behind a trail of
eerie stories and creepypastas. In this vast world of internet myths, one
man brought the Ayuwoki to tangible life: Thomas Messerschmidt. Already a respected name in the robotics world,
Thomas headed organizations like the Riverside Robotics Society and penned insights on artificial
intelligence for SERVO Magazine. But when his cousin, Thomas Rengstorff, approached
him with an idea sparked by a horror story about Michael Jackson, the journey of the
Ayuwoki animatronic began. Crafting this entity wasn't straightforward. Its lifelike movements were inspired by an
unlikely muse: an Elvis Presley animatronic from the long-gone Sharper Image. Thomas dove deep, sourcing parts from tech
giants like RadioShack and Fry’s Electronics, and investing hundreds of dedicated hours. Three months later, the Ayuwoki was not just
a myth—it was a moving, almost living legend. The world couldn’t resist its allure. A chilling 30-second video featuring the animatronic
became an internet sensation, racking up millions of views. For Thomas, the virality was unexpected, but
the passion behind the Ayuwoki was always about pushing boundaries and telling a story—a
physical manifestation of an eerie lore. . And as the Ayuwoki's haunting eyes beckon
from Thomas's YouTube channel, it serves as an eerie reminder of the internet's power
to give life to legends. Realistic Gaze Disney Animatronic This is one of the animatronics that, according
to our audience, is one of the most chilling. In fact, it has often been compared to the
Daft Punk animatronic we discussed in the previous videos. But don't let its eerie appearance deceive
you; this animatronic is a true technological marvel. This new type of animatronic uses a chest-mounted
sensor to identify people so the robot can turn to face and engage with them. A series of smaller motions allow the highly
animated and articulated robot to create the illusion of life. The animatronic's head rises and falls subtly
to simulate breathing. Quick, darting eye movements by the animatronic
create the illusion of examining a person's entire face. It can also momentarily shift its gaze in
reaction to a sudden sound in the distance before refocusing on a person's face. This is being developed because the gaze has
been shown to be a key social signal, shaping perceptions of interaction partners. For example, people who make more eye contact
with us are perceived to be similar to us as well as more intelligent, conscientious,
sincere and trustworthy. Furthermore, gaze appears to also convey complex
social and emotional states. So that means that having those subtle eyes
and head movements could allow character animatronics to engage in more lifelike human-robot interactions. The next-gen animatronics with the lifelike
gaze are not expected to appear in Disney theme parks for several years. But we seriously can't wait until they do! We would love to see this tech applied to
some character meet and greets. Just imagine being able to meet Mushu or Grogu
with the use of one of these new impressive animatronics! But tell us, what do you think about this
new technology? Is it a great addition to the already remarkable
animatronics that Disney creates, or do you think this will make them creepier? Let us know in the comments! Utterance Robot Imagine walking down a technology expo hallway,
and suddenly... A metallic whisper escapes these terrifying
lips, forming words and sentences just like a human being. This is no ordinary robot speaking through
software; it's an artificial creation by Japan’s Kagawa University research team that uses
mechanical, human-like vocal organs. Its silicone tongue and lips and its artificial
vocal cords are all working in unison to mimic human speech. But what gives life to this mechanical marvel? Rewind to the lab, filled with buzzing machines
and a team of brilliant minds working diligently. The real magic behind this robot's speech
is not just its resemblance to human vocal anatomy but the core element that makes it
work: an air compressor. This ingenious innovation uses pressure and
control valves, eight resonance motors, and a resonance tube, serving as the throat to
convert airflow into sounds. The sounds are rough at first, captured by
a mic and sent to a computer that refines them into something eerily human-like. The transformation from mechanical hums and
hisses to fluid speech is breathtaking, a leap towards something that was once only
in the realm of science fiction. This is not merely a talking robot; it's a
new frontier in robotics, a step closer to bridging the uncanny valley.The Robocalypse
may be closer than we think, but with it comes a world of possibilities that could redefine
our very understanding of what it means to communicate. Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum Situated in Farmington Hills, Michigan, this
museum primarily focuses on a collection of coin-operated animatronics. Founded by Marvin Yagoda, the space has been
filled with animatronics and oddities for over three decades. Originally Tally Hall, one of the earliest
food courts in the US, this museum is entirely free to enter. The only requirement is to bring plenty of
change to operate the animatronics. The museum operates every day of the year,
having closed only 6 times, including the unfortunate day of Marvin Yagoda's funeral. This museum is truly incredible, but it also
boasts some of the world's most chilling and bizarre animatronics. One unsettling cabin is "Louie the Love Shrink
Love Shack." For 40 cents, this booth features a peculiar
figure with a cupid's body that gives out questionable diagnoses/advice. It's definitely an eerie and bizarre animatronic. Another disturbing booth is "Ask the Brain,"
where for 50 cents and with the assistance of handles, you can ask a rather spine-chilling-looking
animatronic question. Some of these booths offer more interactivity,Another
booth showcases "The Great Chopandoff." For 50 cents, this animatronic invites you
to pretend to slice off your hand. The user inserts their hand into the booth,
and through an illusion, it appears as if the Chopandoff figure is cutting the hand. This museum is filled with bizarre creations,
but perhaps the most unpleasant is "Dr. Ralph BingePurge, County Food Inspector." This grotesque booth features a repulsive-looking
animatronic that, for 25 cents, starts vomiting on some bottles. This booth isn't just chilling; it's downright
revolting. All in all the museum is fantastic and you
can’t miss the opportunity to visit if you have the chance. The Dancer This animatronic is not creepy by accident
like many animatronics can be. Instead, it was made intentionally creepy
by its creators, Jordan Wolfson and Spectral Motion. This animatronic was part of an art installation
created by Jordan Wolfson, who, with the help of the special-effects studio Spectral Motion,
created a seven minute long sequence in which this animatronic dances, lip-syncs and talks. The animatronic, or Female Figure as it is
called, wears a witch mask and appears to be covered in dirt and scuffs but that’s
not the creepy part of it. This animatronic has a built-in motion sensor
to recognize when people enter or leave the room, allowing it to quietly observe them
and if you stand close to the robot it looks deep into your eyes. Normally, animatronics are made so that they
don’t look directly at you but this one was the opposite. It not only looked straight into your eyes,
but it also followed your gaze if you moved. This made the animatronic terrifying and something
out of a nightmare. It was exhibited at the David Zwirner Gallery
in New York in March and April of 2014.
