Robots always seem like a thing of the far-off future, but they're basically here now. Disney has always been known for its innovative ideas, and its Imagineers often work at the forefront of technology. 

Well, recently they have debuted a walking Groot and it's not a man in a suit. It's a full animatronic robot that can walk, wave, and behave on its own. It took around three years to create this technology, and it has to be seen to be believed. Check it out.

This was all done through something called Project Kiwi. The goal of Project Kiwi has been to develop a biped battery-powered robot that can free roam and interact with guests autonomously.

"Project KIWI started about three years ago to figure out how we can bring our smaller characters to life at their actual scale in authentic ways,” R&D Imagineer Scott LaValley said. “It’s an exciting time for bipedal robotics and with an incredible team and our combination of technology, artistry, and magic, we are bringing characters to life that could not have happened anywhere but Disney.”

Check out this video from TechCrunch and let's talk after the break. 

The idea is to have this Groot wandering the park, keeping tourists happy. But you have to think about the implications on Hollywood as well. It will not be long before we can program performance into these robots. They can be taught to hit a mark, say a line, and new mechanics make body language could be a breeze. 

While that seems like it might take a few more years, I wouldn't be surprised to see Disney using these robots in movies and TV shows very soon, even if just to test the technology in the real world. 

What do you think? Let us know in the comments. 

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