One of the most common complaints among audiences is when computer-generated effects feel too obvious in a movie. Ultimately, it all depends on the budget, the skill of the artists, and/or the time they have to work—and when any of these elements fails, the results usually turn out disastrous. Many high-profile productions have made extensive use of animatronics to implement a hybrid strategy alongside CGI, which brings us to Alfred Jingle Machina, a head capable of reproducing multiple facial gestures. What do you think?
The Challenge of Realistic Faces
The magic of animatronics on the big screen has accompanied us for decades. Mary Poppins, Jaws, ET, and Star Wars are powerful examples of their use, but there are others of such high quality that they have stood the test of time without major problems (Jurassic Park is the first that comes to mind). Now, experts can reproduce animals, aliens, and other fantastic creatures, but the human being presents an enormous challenge, especially when it comes to the face. Even in the best case, it is obvious that it is a robot with limited movements. The question is: how much can they improve…?
Meet Alfred Jingle Machina
What we just saw is Alfred Jingle Machina, a creation of Garner Holt Productions based on an old Charles Dickens character, and part of the series known as Living Faces. This head was first seen in public during the last edition of CES, and according to its developers, it has expressions and functions far superior to any other similar example of animatronic, even leaving behind his previous Abraham Lincoln model. All Living Faces heads are electric and almost silent, completely eliminating the classic hydraulic or compressed air infrastructures.
Under the Skin
In fact, all this friend Alfred needs is a conventional power outlet and an Ethernet connection to access his internal control system. The skin is made of a special silicone variant with magnetic anchors that guarantee greater realism during movement. As an animatronic robot, Alfred Jingle Machina is impressive. But can it escape the Valley…?
