One thing you might notice about Disney World is that there are a LOT of robots.
©Walt Disney Imagineering R&D Inc.
When you’re on the rides you’ll see animatronics galore and robots have even been known to roam the park. Remember Push the Talking Trash Can? The company is regularly making strides in robotics technologies and now they’ve come up with a new invention!
Disney recently filed a patent for “Eye Contact Sensing and Control for Robotics Characters,” and that’s just what it sounds like! This tech lets robots make eye contact with you just like a person would.
©Disney
The system uses a light source from the eye of the robot to locate a human face. From there, the system generates the robot’s eye movement based on the location of the target human face so that the robot keeps eye contact with a human.
©Walt Disney Imagineering R&D Inc.
This patent certainly seems to be another piece in the puzzle of robotic characters that can directly interact with humans. In the theme parks, that could mean Cast Members or directly with guests.
©Walt Disney Imagineering R&D Inc.
Last year, we spotted a patent for a robot actor that can balance and move on its own. Then, Walt Disney Imagineering teased a life-size Baby Groot robot. Perhaps this tech will help Groot and other robotic characters interact with humans realistically.
©Walt Disney Imagineering R&D Inc.
Regardless, it would be very cool to make eye contact with a robot in the Disney parks or beyond! As always, stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney tech updates!
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