Mecha Robot Eyeball! Fast and Cheap Kinetic Sculpture for Beginners

Make an animatronic eye prototype in three hours! Take it home and scare your friends!

In this workshop you'll build and program a simple animatronic eyeball using an Arduino, two servo motors, and a custom 3D-printed mechanism. Take it home and scare your friends!

Along the way you'll learn the fundamentals of prototyping and animatronics: from basic mechanics and servo control, to programming movement and creating the illusion of life. By the end of the session you'll have a working robotic eye and the skills to start designing your own animatronics.

Learn the basics of prototyping with microcontrollers and servos

Overview of basic fabrication tools, tips, and tricks

Learn how to plan a “gimmick” and the difference between what’s being asked for vs what needs to be seen

Take home a working animatronic eyeball that runs on usb

Requirements:

Laptop (Windows, macOS, or Linux)

Arduino IDE installed beforehand

USB-A or USB-C adapter if your laptop requires one

No previous Arduino experience required…

But familiarity with electronics, microcontrollers like Arduino or Raspberry PI is recommended

Understanding of hand tools and physical objects (do you know which end of a screwdriver to hold?)

Materials provided (that you go home with):

Arduino Uno compatible board

USB programming cable

Two SG90 micro servos

Pre-assembled 3D-printed animatronic eye mechanism

Eyeball assembly

Universal joint

Jumper wires

All required hardware

“It’s ALIVE” you shriek as the grotesque apparition shudders into movement before your eyes.You slump back into your easy chair, sweaty and exultant. Is this travesty of movement and form, a mechanical horror, an affront to God’s own clay, worthy of the time it took to build it?YES!!! You fling yourself forward and scream up at the stars, again and again. You know from this moment on that nothing in Creation is beyond your grasp."

Sound system provided by Restless Audio: https://www.instagram.com/restless.audio/Event space sponsored by MotionLab Berlin: https://motionlab.berlin/

About AVJam:AVJam is a platform for live music and visual performance, offering an evening dedicated to exploring and sharing immersive audiovisual experiences. Whether you're a creator, enthusiast, or curious explorer, AVJam offers a space to experience the synergy of technology and creativity in real-time. Join us for an electrifying night of innovation, expression, and sensory storytelling.

Code of conduct:AVJam is a platform and community of visual artists and musicians designed to be inclusive and supportive of creativity. We do not tolerate state-sponsored genocide, homophobia, xenophobia, nazis, or trolls. We do our best to create a welcoming environment for all people regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.

Event venue: MotionLab.Berlin in Alt-TreptowAddress: Bouchéstraße 12 Halle 20, 12435 Berlin (Google Maps)Directions: Enter at Gate 3 on Jordanstrasse (see map below)