New 3D printable animatronic prosthetic tail

[frameacloud]

Trigger warnings: none that I can think of.

November 12, 2011. Thingiverse user Artharis designed an animatronic tail, shown above. Artharis released the design under a Creative Commons license. Anyone with access to a 3D printer can print and assemble this costume accessory, and can customize its length by adding more vertebrae. When powered on, the animatronic tail wags constantly by itself. The vertebrae rotate somewhat, resulting in occasional curling near the tip, suggesting that this "tail" could equally well form the inner framework for a tentacle stage prop or puppet.

Compare an earlier prosthetic tail design by Hayaikawa Kitsune, the Firesmiths Anthro Tail Prosthetic, which takes a different approach: it appears to move by itself, but it’s not animatronic. In Kitsune’s design, the wearer controls tail movements by means of a shoulder harness, resulting in tail poses that seem natural and harmonious with the wearer's spine and body. This latter design is available only by commission from the designer.

- O. Scribner

Sources

Artharis, “Animatronic tail.” November 12, 2011. Thingiverse. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:13522

Spectrum-X, “Prosthetic tail.” November 2011. Species Modification Directory. http://speciesmodificationdirectory.weebly.com/prosthethic-tail.html

Hayaikawa Kitsune, “Userpage.” Fur Affinity. http://www.furaffinity.net/user/hayaikawakitsune

Comments

[of-salfarro.livejournal.com]

If you can't afford a 3D printer, there may be a maker group in your area you can join that has one.