Build an Animatronic Puppet

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The cutting edge animatronic technology Jim Henson pioneered in the 1980s with films like “The Dark Crystal” and “Labyrinth” was complicated and expensive. Today microprocessors (mini-computers) like the Arduino and electronic components like servomotors are inexpensive and easy enough for children and artists to animate any figure they can imagine and build.

This FREE cardboard robotics class, taught by Paulette Richards, will get participants hands-on to design and build a simple animatronic puppet that uses a littleBits circuit to light up, make a sound, or move. After the teams have created their animatronic puppets, we will review some rudiments of Arduino coding by modifying a basic Arduino sketch to program the puppet’s “performance.”

COST: FREE

Ages 5 and up. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

• MUST BRING a laptop (either Windows or Mac) and pre-load the Arduino IDE software:
  https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software