El Quemira

Robot Marionette

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El Quemira (a wordplay in Spanish loosely meaning "he who looks") is a robotic marionette and character for the Tessera project.

Specifications

This version is controlled via custom software written on the Processing platform connected to 3 bare bones arduino clones which interface with a Pololu servo controller. Nine servos, modified for continuous rotation, act as pulleys for the marionette strings and four additional servos act to provide horizontal leverage and turning for the head strings, hand strings, and the entire body (allowing the puppet to rotate 360 degrees in place). Human puppeteers use keyboard and glove interfaces to manipulate the puppet alongside the software's algorithmic responses to motion.

photo (CC) Scott Beale / Laughing Squid

Appearances

  • Travis Heights Elementary Science Day (2007.10.11)
  • Maker Faire Austin 2007 (2007.10.20-21)
  • Acknowledge Me (2007.12.01)
Primary Artist: David Nunez