Animatronic
Animatronics are mechanical puppets, usually designed to resemble humans or anthropomorphic animals. They typically do not house a general intelligence, but are intended to endlessly repeat pre-programmed movements.
Before the popularity of the term “animatronic” rose, these machines were commonly referred to as robots.
In popular culture
Animatronics are most commonly seen in places where robots are used for entertainment, such as theme parks, such as Disney World’s Hall of Presidents, and family entertainment centers like Chuck E. Cheese.
Animatronics have gained a reputation for being ‘creepy’ as they are often poorly built and maintained, leading them to move unnaturally. Human animatronics may easily fall into the uncanny valley.
The Five Nights at Freddy’s video games popularised animatronics in the horror genre,spawing a movie and mechandise franchise. Other horror media then adopted the use of animatronics, such as the 2021 movie Willy’s Wonderland.
In the robotkin community
Robotkin individuals identifying as animatronics is uncommon, potentially due to them not typically being depicted as sentient and instead being technologically advanced puppets.
Some robotkin may identify as animatronics through kinning characters from Five Nights at Freddy’s.