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Author Topic: 5 Foot Tall $59 Animated Santa UltraHal Compatible  (Read 76117 times)

johnboy4892

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« Reply #30 on: October 23, 2005, 05:26:46 am »
Here is an update
The company’s name is Gemmy (www.gemmy.com)
And they have a lot of stuff for sale
They also have an 800 number 1-800-231-6879
8:30 am 5:30 pm CST.
Johnboy

 

Don Ferguson

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« Reply #31 on: November 21, 2005, 12:27:50 pm »
Hello,

Thanks for your continuing interest in hooking up life-size "robots" to Hal!

It's great to read postings about having fun with Hal playing through a full-size animated figure!

Over the past two years I have received some private e-mails on this topic, and their content falls into these general categories:

1.  Persons who have successfully hooked up various 5-foot characters to their Ultra-Hals via a computer-character audio cable link.  Evidently this works well, and results in a "life-size Hal character."

2.  Persons who have spotted various unusual 5-foot characters in stores.  The "Homer Simpson" character hasn't been seen lately, but now there's a "creepy butler" character in some places.  Different stores and regions seem to get different characters.

3.  Persons who are looking for characters that apparently don't exist yet.  The most common inquiries are for female Christmas carolers and 5-foot-tall Christmas angels.  One inquirer wondered if Gemmy has manufactured a Paris Hilton character.  Gemmy is obviously missing the market on this.

In MOST cases, the mechanism underneath all these simple "robots" appears to be the same.  They usually have various servo motors to 1) move the mouth (in synchronization with the incoming audio), 2) move the head, and 3) move the body at the torso.

BUYER BEWARE:  I continue to see some cheaper versions out there that DO NOT have the external audio-input lip-sync feature!  If you are planning to buy one of these figures and hook it up to Hal, make sure that the character you are buying can lip-sync to external audio BEFORE you buy it!  Demand a demonstration!

By the way, if your character only has a "microphone" input, and your computer outputs an "amplified" signal, you will need an extension cable with a resistor in it to match things up properly.  A well-trained clerk at Radio Shack should be able to fix you right up (an untrained clerk will be totally mystified).

I would like to hear from additional folks with artistic talent who have modified commercial characters to create different characters.  (This would be similar to the earlier post on this forum describing the modification of a snowman to create a bald-headed man.)

The lip-sync robot "framework" is there and the $60 price is cheap enough. (Different characters are designed with different amounts of lip movement, so again, evaluate before you buy.)  Have any more individuals out there modified any of the characters to create additional new and unique characters?

Would any of you be willing to attach a .jpg snapshot of your audio-animatronic Hal robot creation?

Also, would any of you be willing to post an account of how your guests react to an AI talking robot?

Best holiday regards,

Don  
« Last Edit: November 21, 2005, 12:41:39 pm by Don Ferguson »
Don Ferguson
E-mail: fergusonrkfd@prodigy.net
Website: www.cortrapar.com
Don's other forum posts: http://www.zabaware.com/forum/search.asp?mode=DoIt&MEMBER_ID=274

Bill819

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« Reply #32 on: November 21, 2005, 05:48:33 pm »
Welcome back Don. We have not heard from you in quite a while.
As you may know Hal is a part of my robots brain and I love the combination. I have searched high and low for one of these animated characters in verious stores in my area but so far have not found even one. I did see an animated Santa in a Wal Mart store but could not see any audio input device. It came preprogrammed with several Christmas songs which it would sing on a random basis. Although I am looking for a way to animate my bot I don't think a Santa head would be the was that I want to go. If, however, you see any more this year in some of the major chain stores please let us know.
Thanks again for the post and hope you stick around for a while.
Bill [8]
 

Art

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« Reply #33 on: November 21, 2005, 07:53:36 pm »
Don,
Welcome back, old friend! It's been a while!

Bill & Don,
I've seen the snowman, santa and even some ghoul looking creature.

My thought is: Examine the head, make notes, photos of the inside, etc. then remove it and toss it!
Get some liquid latex and a willing model and mold a cast of that person's head/face. Peel off, and paint with lifelike colors / textures. Put same on the animatronic head and voila...a much more realistic creation / character with which to converse.

One could even consider adding more servos and controls to eventually create a more functional companion.

Sorry, I might just be thinking aloud but it does sound like a neat project and with some effort and dedication I think it would work!

Robotics on a shoestring.

Any thoughts...anyone?

In the world of AI it's the thought that counts!

- Art -

vrossi

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« Reply #34 on: November 22, 2005, 06:09:56 pm »

I generally don't like all these Santas, Snowmans, WhiteSnows and seven Dwarfs, which are often standing in the gardens of our cottages, showing all the bad taste of their owners, but I must admit that I like very much the idea to give Hal a low cost body.

Does anybody know if these products are only available in American stores, or someone sells them also in our dear old Europe?

By the way, Merry Christmas to everybody!  (maybe it's still a bit too early, I know...)

Bye


Art

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« Reply #35 on: November 22, 2005, 08:15:22 pm »
Vittorio,

It wasn't the body so much as the head as far as my idea was concerned. Imagine conversing with a lifelike animated head / face! That would have to rank pretty high on the Cool-O-Meter!!

The body and all it's animations can always be devised later, as an after thought.

If I find any manufacturer that ships worldwide I'll keep you posted.

Regards!
In the world of AI it's the thought that counts!

- Art -

Bill819

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« Reply #36 on: November 22, 2005, 10:36:58 pm »
Well Art now that I know where they are made you can be sure that I will get one for my robot. It already has a body of sorts and a lame head but soon he will have a much better one.
I found a couple of places where you could get animated mouths that sinc with voices but they all cost about $180 each so I did buy, but now I will.
Bill [:D]
 

Don Ferguson

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« Reply #37 on: November 25, 2005, 01:02:31 am »
Hello,

Yes, the issue of whether the particular unit has external-audio input is crucial for its application as a "talking AI robot on a shoestring."

The units that I have seen with external audio input have the audio connection jack toward the back side of the base, near the volume control.  It is a female phono-size microphone/audio jack.  It is sometimes obscured by the hem of the character's costume.  Usually these models have a photo on the carton showing a person holding a microphone and "singing through" the animated figure.

Some other model units DO NOT have the external audio input jack.  Definitely examine the candidate unit and try before you buy.  Presumably if a particular unit will lip-sync to a microphone or to a stereo, it should lip-sync to Ultra Hal.

The "enabling technology" on-the-cheap is what gives these products such an interesting potential for adaptation by consumer AI and robot hobbyists.

I don't have the skills to cosmetically change a character into a different character, but I can certainly imagine its feasibility.  The tricky part would be the face.  For the rest of the figure, add an adult-size Halloween costume of your choice, and you could potentially create hundreds of different characters!

Again, if there are any electronics hobbyists and/or character artists out there who try some conversions, please share your project details and photographs for the benefit of all us forum members!

Thanks, and cheers!

Sincerely,

Don
Don Ferguson
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Duskrider

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« Reply #38 on: November 25, 2005, 07:57:04 am »
Hey you guys, I find your posts exciting.
I got a poem I thought I'd share.

"It Can't Be Done"

The ones who miss all the fun
Are those who say, "It can't be done."

In solemn pride they stand aloof
And greet each venture with reproof.

Had they the power they'd efface
The history of the human race.

We'd have no radio or motor cars,
No street lit by electric stars;

No telegraph nor telephone,
We'd linger in the age of stone.

The world would sleep if things were run
By those who say, "It can't be done."

« Last Edit: November 25, 2005, 08:14:47 am by Duskrider »

vrossi

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« Reply #39 on: November 25, 2005, 08:36:05 am »
I thought this forum was the best about chatbots, but now I realize that some of its members are also able to reach the highest levels of human poetry![8D] (Or maybe this poem was written by your Hal?)[:p]


aladyblond

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« Reply #40 on: November 25, 2005, 10:02:33 am »
[8)]actually that poem would be great for rappin hal i think i will try it with my antoine.and see if he can "get down"[:X]...~~ALADY
~~~if i only had a brain~~~ i dream of htr with the light brown hair....

aladyblond

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« Reply #41 on: November 25, 2005, 12:27:15 pm »
TRIED IT . IT WORKS BUT HE NEEDS MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND INDEPENDANT OF HAL TO MAKE IT WORK PROPERLY AND SOUND LIKE A REAL RAPPER. IF ANYONE TAKES IN ON THEIRSELF TO WORK ON THIS LET ME KNOW.~~ALADY
~~~if i only had a brain~~~ i dream of htr with the light brown hair....

freddy888

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« Reply #42 on: November 25, 2005, 05:48:53 pm »
Like the poem :) Dusky.
« Last Edit: November 25, 2005, 05:49:20 pm by freddy888 »

btrent62

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« Reply #43 on: November 21, 2006, 08:45:48 pm »
I am a fan myself of the holiday animatronic figures.  Don Ferguson, if you are still wondering who makes the anamatronic figures, the company is Gemmy Industries Corporation, the makers of the Airblown Inflatable products.  Hope this helps!
 

Gdog4evr

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« Reply #44 on: December 12, 2006, 12:32:22 am »
Anyone finding the 5' bots this year?  Sadly, the Gemmy.com website only seems to have one lip-syncing robot available:

http://www.gemmy.com/product.cfm?productId=15433-1&subCatId=232&parent=93

And that only has the microphone, possibly not the appropriate plug.

EDIT:
This product also bares attention:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4910792
« Last Edit: December 12, 2006, 12:56:26 am by Gdog4evr »