Disney has been surprising us for decades with all kinds of innovations in its theme parks, but now it is about to take a step that could forever change what it means to visit one of its parks. The company has partnered with Nvidia and Google DeepMind to develop an open-source physics engine called Newton, which will allow it to create much more advanced, expressive, and realistic robots.
During the Nvidia GTC conference, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, took the stage alongside Blue, a Star Wars-inspired robot that amazed everyone with its movements and interaction. Although these robots do not yet use Newton, this technology is expected to help Disney improve their mobility and expressiveness, potentially revolutionizing what we expect when visiting Disney parks worldwide.
Newton: the physics engine that will make the robots of the future possible
For a robot to move fluidly, interact with its environment, and respond naturally to visitors, it must have a precise understanding of the laws of physics. This is the challenge that Disney Research, Nvidia, and Google DeepMind aim to solve with Newton. The engine is based on Nvidia Warp, a framework that enables high-precision physics simulations at great speed, and it will be key to training AI-powered robots.
Disney will then use Newton to enhance its robotic characters, leading to a new generation of animatronics capable of interacting with all of us in a much more natural way. Instead of being limited to predefined movements, these robots will be able to adapt to their surroundings, react in real time, and express emotions with unprecedented accuracy.
Disney’s plan is not just to improve existing animatronics but to create robotic characters capable of moving autonomously and roaming the parks. During the Nvidia GTC presentation, it was confirmed that Star Wars-inspired droids will be arriving this year at Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris.
The goal is clear: to make interactions with robotic characters in the parks so natural that we feel like we are inside our favorite movies. For Disney (which has a lot of new surprises in store for us throughout this year and the coming years), this development represents a unique opportunity—if humanoid robots become as sophisticated as expected, they could become the protagonists of attractions, making the magic of Disney parks even more realistic.
What once seemed like science fiction is about to become reality, and soon, we may find ourselves greeting an AI-powered droid as we stroll through Disneyland. Something that will undoubtedly mark a before and after in the history of animatronics, which have been setting trends and captivating audiences since their earliest versions. Authentic Disney magic.
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