Incredible lifelike circus elephant automaton made entirely of paper

The folks over at cool4cats have outdone themselves with their new paper automaton kit titled ELEPHANT TRAINING. This one is a large exhibition-size automaton which shows the secret process of training a circus elephant.

From the Cool4Cats web site:

The kit builds into a large (63 centimeters high, 51 centimeters wide) exhibition model. There are many amusing details and a wonderful sequence of movements as you turn the handle. This model is unsuitable for younger children as a fair degree of patience (and a sharp craft knife) are needed to build it. The instructions, however, are very comprehensive with over 160 'step-by-step' diagrams and assembly is a great project, resulting in a spectacular model!

This one has it all: a great theme, characters, lifelike motion, stunning graphics, and a healthy dose of humor.

Here is where you can order the Elephant Training paper automaton kit.

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'Two dogs that meet on a regular basis' by Paul Spooner

Another delightfully simple, but at the same time extremely clever automaton by Paul Spooner. This one features two dogs both of which are connected to rotary indexing mechanisms. As the dogs rotate, their greeting ritual is played out. The piece shows Paul Spooner's wonderful carving style and humor. Made in a limited edition of six, these automata were made almost entirely of recycled materials.

Here is were you can learn more about Two dogs that meet on a regular basis by Paul Spooner.

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Squirrel! -- a mechanical dog head sculpture by Dave Johnson

Dave Johnson has done it again with this fascinating mechanical dog head. Check out the action of the on-demand attention button. It's like hand-cranked animatronics!

The dog's head is capable of movement in four directions including side-to-side, up and down, the jaw, and the ears. Each movement is conveyed via pushrod. The pushrods sit on contoured cams, which are driven by a set of gears.

From the video description:

This machine is yet another attempt to get random(ish) movement from a decidedly non-random hand crank. The 4 gear pairs that drive the cams have slightly different gear ratios, so it takes something like 100 turns of the crank before the whole sequence repeats. The ear and jaw movements are also dependent on the current yaw and pitch position, so the result is a semi-random mishmash of movement. When the Big Red Button (BRB) is pushed, it lowers the cams out of the way, and the head falls into Squirrel! position.

Johnson has very cleverly integrated a bellows on the front of the machine. The moving air serves to soften the motion of the head after the red button is released. That's a very nice subtlety that most people wouldn't notice. But watch again and imagine if that wasn't there.

Here is where you can see still photos of Dave Johnson's Squirrel!

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One woodworker's version of my 'Unwelcome Dinner Guest' automaton made from plans

Theresa Grammer came upon the plans I created for a wood automaton, called The Unwelcome Dinner Guest. This automaton was created to be a wooden mechanical project that was featured in Gizmos & Gadgets, a special edition magazine from the publishers of Scroll Saw Woodworking & Crafts. The article shows the process of making this automaton from start to finish.

From Theresa's email:

I wanted something a bit more complicated and was thrilled to find your blog jam packed with information and a link to plans for your "Unwelcome Dinner Guest"! The plans are very detailed and I was able to build the automata without difficulty. This was fun!

Her version can be seen in the YouTube video above. She also has a short article about the project on the Lumberjocks website. I like the way she used different types of woods and really made her dog unique. Her success has inspired her to work on creating an automaton design of her own.

The original automaton I created for the magazine article is for sale! Here is a page with details about The Unwelcome Dinner Guest automaton by Dug North. Please contact me or use the Paypal button on the page to order the piece online and pay with the credit card of your choice. This is the original signed piece. It comes with a copy of the magazine in which it was featured, also signed by Dug North.

Here is where you can purchase The Unwelcome Dinner Guest automaton by Dug North.

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A leather-clad devil rides a skeletonized two-wheeled hell hound!

Check out this recent automaton by Keith Newstead which features the devil in his biker persona. He comes complete with leather outfit, goggles, and the coolest vehicle imaginable -- a hell hound skeleton on wheels.

Here is where you can see more images of Keith Newstead's Hell's Angle automaton.

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Cinder block-throwing robotic dog, both awesome and scary

When I started this video I wasn't sure what to expect. I've posted other videos about robots by Boston Dynamics and most of those seemed to involve the robots staying on their feet as they encountered various obstacles. This one is a little different. This robotic dog (for lack of a better term) hurls a huge cinder block across the room.

From the video description:

BigDog handles heavy objects. The goal is to use the strength of the legs and torso to help power motions of the arm. This sort of dynamic, whole-body approach to manipulation is used routinely by human athletes and will enhance the performance of advanced robots. Boston Dynamics is developing the control and actuation techniques needed for dynamic manipulation. The cinderblock weighs about 35 lbs and the best throw is a bit more than 17 ft. The research is funded by the Army Research Laboratory's RCTA

I'm sure this technology will have many useful, benign applications in the future (e.g. demolition, rescue, bomb removal, trail blazing, etc.), but I have to admit the sight of a robot throwing a heavy object in such an organic way left me feeling both impressed and a little freaked out. It's not the power that did it. We have machines and robots far more powerful than this one. Rather, it's the way the robot moved to make the throw that made me uneasy. Perhaps I experienced a bit of that hypothesized uncanny valley. How could I not? The robot even seems to be craning its neck after the throw to see how well it did, as if wondering if it beat its old record.

Here is where you can learn more about the Boston Dynamics BigDog project.

[ Thanks Tom! ]

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Gizmos & Gadgets magazine featuring automaton plans by Dug North

It's here! Gizmos & Gadgets is a the new magazine that features my article showing you how to make a wood automaton from start to finish.

The magazine is a special edition issue put out by the publishers of Scroll Saw & Woodworking Crafts magazine.

About Gizmos & Gadgets:

From mechanical marvels to marvelous marble machines, Gizmos & Gadgets has something for everyone. From the simple to the complex, from the decorative to the functional, this issue will get your creative gears turning and your pride beaming when you see the smiles these hand made treasures will bring to the faces of those around you.

If it is not already at your local bookseller, it will be very soon. In the meantime, the Gizmo & Gadgets issue can be purchased online.

Stay tuned for more info about the magazine and the projects within!

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Mechanical dog bank gobbles up coins in convincing fashion!

I posted last year about Barkly the Banker mechanical dog piggy bank which is shown in the video above. This bank is now on sale at ThinkGeek.com under the name of Bailey The Mechanical Doggie Bank. The only difference I can detect is the name of the dog, the color of the base, and the $4 dollar savings.

Here's a still shot of the mechanical dog bank:

Here's the product page with all the details for Bailey The Mechanical Doggie Bank which is currently on sale for $12.99.

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Automaton of a man with a walker & bouncing dog

Here's an amusing automaton to start your day. Titled Still Running, the man with with the walker and the too-high-shorts walks or runs at a good pace, a little dog bouncing behind. He doesn't seem to need that walker at all! The aumaton shows clean construction of the walker, figures, box and mechanism. It's also been filmed in a very clean workshop, I might add. Well done!

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The french maid automaton by Tim Douglas

A humorous automaton by Tim Douglas depicting a not quite risqué domestic scene. The piece is made from a variety of hardwoods with a yew base.

See more automata by Tim Douglas on his web site.

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Hand-carved wood automaton by Tim Donald

Check out this wonderfully hand-carved automaton by Tim Donald titled A good dog deserves a good bone.

See more automata and whirligigs by Tim Donald on his web site.

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