The Daily Universe
Cosmotron animatronic cougar is designed by engineering and theatre arts students. Video produced by Julie Walker.
BYU engineering and theatre arts students teamed up to create an animatronic cougar. The cougar, affectionately known as “Cosmotron,” is made with a combination of mechanical, electrical and computer engineering; software controls and prosthetic fur, teeth, eyes and claws. All of the pieces come together to create a realistic moving and emotive cougar controlled by PS4 controllers.
The challenge the students faced was figuring out how to fit the complex mechanics and software needed to control the cougar inside its small head. So the students split up into groups to tackle each task. The mechanical team focused on the motor controls of the cougar, creating its skeleton and moving pieces. The software team designed a system to power the motors. The theatre arts students then focused on making the cougar look realistic, even using a taxid