Disney Research Hub has different priorities to other robot developers; its robots need to move effectively and efficiently – but also with a ton of style and personality. This super-cute biped, based on the BD-1 droid, is a perfect example. BD-1, to the uninitiated, made its first appearance in , a terrific video game released in 2019.
This bird-like biped, like many of the robots in was a curious, plucky and courageous little character, communicating mainly in R2D2-like bleeps and bloops. Riding much of the time on the main character's shoulder, BD was a constant companion, helpful and cheery. It was also superbly expressive, capable of communicating plenty with its body language, and this became a key part of the challenge for Disney's roboticists as they began trying to bring the little droid to life.
As we discussed back in October 2023, the for this little fella, combining expressive animations with practical robotic considerations like balance and control commands in an effort to get the job done in style. It's not just for the sake of entertainment, either; Disney rightly reckons that its decades at the forefront of animated motion make it more or less the authority on how all sorts of machines should move to convey a range of different character traits, from inquisitive, happy-go-lucky excitement, as embodied in BD-1, to the commanding physical threat of Darth Vader, to the flowing grace of Snow White. By designing a robotic motion system in which function and form.