Blooming mechanism
Three wearable animatronic units — a collar and two wrists — designed to open large decorative petals on command. Four weeks, concept to delivery.
Overview
The costume needed to bloom. Not as a digital effect — as a physical mechanism the performer could wear, dance in, and fire on cue.
I designed the mechanics, electronics, and CNC parts, then assembled and tested the set. Fit and attachment were worked out directly with the performer and the costume designer from measurements and the original sketch.
Constraints
Low-profile enough for choreography. Rigid enough for heavy petals. Electronics hidden, wireless, and reliable on a live stage. No time for a servo farm.
The motion had to look organic — one actuator driving a coupled linkage, not a stack of independent motors. Weight stayed down; binding was not allowed.
Build
Linkage geometry and hinge spacing were iterated in CAD. Actuator mounts were left adjustable so stroke and rest position could be tuned on the bench. A second linear actuator stiffened the collar.
V1 was 3D-printed and load-tested. Finals were CNC-machined aluminum. Control was an Arduino with an RF remote — enough to fire the bloom, small enough to conceal.
Outcome
Three working units on a four-week turnaround. The petals opened cleanly, the electronics stayed out of the costume, and the mechanisms held through rehearsal.