Tore Bergvill

Project overview

The puppet is meant to be on display, making random sounds and movement, as well as action based on a PIR movement detector. Most of these are of a sort of nervous character to reflect Beaker's behaviour in the TV show.

A PIC microcontroller is used to control things, and a MP3 player plays the sounds.

Puppet features a moving mouth and head, made possible by R/C servos. A embedded sound detector make the mouth move according to the sound produced by the MP3 player.

All movement timing and sound triggering is organized in an event library, and a timing engine select random events and pauses.

FTDI and Elektor Electronics article

This project is presented in the Embedded Guide addition to the December 2010 issue of Elektor Electronics Magazine.

The article has focus on the electronics part as well as the fun idea of it all. Big thanks to the Editor, Mr Buiting.

FTDI, the producer of the MP3 player also has a short article in their first ever newsletter. Thanks to Mr. Purewal, Applications Engineer at FTDI.

Muppet Fleece

I used 12 oz. Antron Fleece from The Puppet Mart

Be sure to order the Dye Pack "Peach" flesh colour for the head and hands fleece. One pack will colour approx. one meter of fleece fabric. The nose colour is "Mandarin yellow" Nitor textile colour.

Head

Beaker's head is made from white 100 mm ventilation plastic tubing bought at Clas Ohlson. This tube is simple to cut and manipulate.

The red hair came from two toy lions I found in a toy store, perfect colour and length. The head dome and nose are made from expanded polyester or "Isopor", made from a couple of round balls. The eyes are made of christmas tree decoration balls, painted white and have glued on small black plastic discs.

R/C servos move both neck and mouth, controlled by a microcontroller. I use a pair of Philips active speakers, and one of them are placed inside the head behind the mouth cloth. Head dimensions are given in the file mentioned below.

Torso and limbs

The torso is made partly from the 100mm tubing above, (neck) but mainly by 30 mm plumbing tubing. I bought it at Biltema here in Oslo. The upper part of the arms and the legs are foam covered, this is normal tube insulation material. Main patterns and dimensions are given in the file mentioned below.

Hands

These are made as simple gloves of fleece fabric, and stuffed with some foam and a coat hanger wire skeleton. Beaker's got four fingers, and a simple pattern is given in the file mentioned below.

Clothes

I made all clothing from normal cotton fabric. I bought mine at Panduro Hobby. You'll need dark green for the tie, green/white checker work for shirt collar/ cuffs and the light green laboratory coat fabric. I've made some sketches and patterns in the file mentioned below. Trouser legs are made from a pair of cheap children trousers, but with somewhat modified/reduced size. The socks are made from a cheap red/white coloured shirt fabric.

The picture show the coat as well as the small shirt collar hanging at the bottom.

Shoes

The shoes are a kind of clown/1930's type and I had to make them myself by vacuum forming. This link describe how to as well as this Youtube video. I filled them cement to keep the puppet standing upright. Vacuum forming material is 1mm white Polystyrene, I bought it at Plastkompaniet here in Oslo.

Patterns and dimensions

All major dimensions and patterns are given in this file.

Electronics

PIC microcontroller based animatronic engine with four R/C servo outputs, sound detector, PIR movement sensor, Vinculum VMusic2 MP3-player.The project is presented on the Electronics page.