Animatronics

Module Lead

Franziska Conrad

Teaching Team

Dr Lyndon Buck
Gary Underwood
Dr Hazel Mitchell
Elana Nerwich

The Animatronics Project is a design project in which teams of students design, build, and test an interactive animatronic system inspired by a Natural History Museum dinosaur exhibit. Combining mechanics, electronics, sensors, and embedded programming, the project challenges students to create responsive animatronic creatures capable of reacting to environmental stimuli such as sound, light, and proximity. Teams use Arduino-based control systems alongside sensors, actuators, and fabricated mechanical components to develop engaging interactive experiences.

Students explore a range of animatronic concepts focused on expressive movement, behavioural interaction, and mechanical integration. The systems are designed to demonstrate behaviours such as curiosity, aggression, and fear through motion and sound. Assessment focuses on functionality, responsiveness, movement quality, durability, and control system integration, encouraging teams to refine and optimise their designs through testing and iteration.