Disney invents an adorable robot for making giant sand drawings 迪士尼發明用來製作巨大沙畫的可愛機器人


Disney's newest robot is designed to bring characters to life on beaches.


 (CNN)Disney has long been a hotbed of robotic innovation, from the audio-animatronic Abraham Lincolns in its theme parks to the vision of drones in Wall-E. The Mouse's latest electromechanical project, called the BeachBot, brings robots out of the theme parks and theaters and onto shores and sandboxes.
(CNN)迪士尼從很久以前就是一個機器人創新的溫床，從在主題樂園裡面的發聲機械動畫人偶林肯，到可以看到瓦力的視野的無人飛行機器。米老鼠最新的電機計畫，稱為「BeachBot」使機器人可以到主題公園外、劇場、海邊和沙地上。

The robot's bulbous balloon wheels allow it to traverse the entire sandy canvas without leaving tire tracks.

At just under two feet long and 15 inches wide and tall, the BeachBot can autonomously fill a 30-square-foot area of sand with images from the "Lion King" or "Finding Nemo" in under 10 minutes. Seven servo motors allow the bot to deploy the prongs of its rake in different configurations, creating varied brush strokes that range from two to 15 inches wide. Bulbous balloon wheels make it possible for the 'bot to traverse all types of sand while leaving no tracks that would mar the drawings.
(機器人)僅低於兩英尺十五英吋的寬與高，這個BeachBot機器人可以在十分鐘內，獨自填滿一個面積三十平方英尺大的，獅子王或是海底總動員的沙雕，七台伺服電動機讓機器人能在不同的布局下有效地利用它刷子的尖頭，創造多種不同的刷子能在2到15英寸寬(的面積)上畫線，胖胖圓圓的氣球輪胎讓機器人能在各種不同的沙子上來回移動，而不會留下可能損毀沙畫的痕跡。

The BeachBot does have some limitations. Reflective poles must be placed on the beach by humans to define the canvas the robot draws on. Fine motor controls don't mix well with sand and salty surf, so in addition to building rubberized seals into the design to protect the sensitive internal workings from the elements, extra care is required in maintenance.
這個BeachBot機器人還是有一些限制，反射桿必須利用人工放置在沙灘上，來確定機器人作畫的地方，良好的機動控制不會讓沙和有鹽成分的浪花順利混合，所以另外需要在設計中加一個橡膠處理的封條，來保護敏感的內部運作，隔離這些物質，為了維持運作需要額外的防護措施。

The project grew out of the lab of Paul Beardsley, a principal research scientist at Disney Research Zurich. Beardsley specializes in making robots with theatrical qualities, like his swarming Pixelbot drones that can arrange themselves into displays of characters on any flat surface.
這個計畫是來自於Paul Beardsley實驗室，一位在迪士尼蘇黎世研究中心的首席研究科學家，Beardsley專精於製作非常精緻品質的機器人，像是他製作大量的 Pixelbot 無人控制機器人可以自己安排在任何平面上的角色陳列。

"Disney has had a fundamental role in the development of two forms of entertainment -- full-length animated movies and theme parks," says Beardsley. "No-one can predict exactly what might arise as new forms of entertainment in the future. But it's certain that society is just at the start of a robot revolution, and my work is in developing new types of entertainment robots."
「迪士尼在發展兩種形式的娛樂：全長動畫電影和主題樂園，有一個很基本的角色」Beardsley表示，「沒有人可以預測未來興起新的娛樂形式是什麼，但是可以確定的是現在社會還在機器人演化的剛開始而已，而我的工作就是發展新種類的娛樂機器人」
The laser-based positioning system allows the BeachBot to draw accurately down to the millimeter.

 There's been no announcement of when this beachcombing robot will make its public debut, but rest assured that once it does the sandy sections of Disney's theme parks, its Aulani resort in Hawaii, and the ports of call for their cruise lines will be blanketed with sandy sketches.
這個結合沙灘功能的機器人什麼時候會首次公開露面還沒有消息，但是可以確定的是一旦它可以在迪士尼主題樂園(在夏威夷的Aulani渡假村)的沙灘區域運作，他們渡輪的的停靠路線將會被這些沙畫給覆蓋。

And for fans who prefer "Frozen" to "Finding Nemo," a winter edition is in progress. "We are working on different modules for the BeachBot to take it off beaches and into other situations," says Beardsley. "Snowy fields are a possibility, pretty good for Switzerland at least."
而對於喜愛「冰雪奇緣」或是「海底總動員」的粉絲們，一項冬季的企畫在進行中，「我們正在試著為BeachBot機器人製作不同的模組，讓機器人可以離開沙灘，並且可以運用到其他地方」Beardsley表示，「滑雪場是另外一個可能，至少在瑞士是非常棒(的點子)」

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