How to Dress Up As a Robot

Honda's humanoid robot ASIMO appeared in St. Louis in April, 2011.

Robots do not have a specific appearance. You can dress up in any robot costume you choose. Complex robot costumes created from metal with working parts, lights and sound can be very expensive. Simple, cost-effective robot costumes can be created by gathering items found at home. Many robotics companies even offer realistic life-sized robot costumes for special events or parties. For more casual affairs, begin with a simple robot costume and build the image from there.

Things You'll Need

• Silver spray paint (or another color you choose)
• 2 shoe boxes
• Large cardboard box
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Glue gun
• 8 plastic bottle caps
• Dryer venting (8 feet)
• Measuring tape
• Sweatshirt (color to match spray paint)
• Sweatpants (color to match spray paint)
• Duct tape

Instructions

1. 

   Homemade children's robot costumes work well for Halloween events.

   Begin creating the costume at the feet. Choose proper-fitting shoe boxes before you begin. You will cut a hole in one end, big enough to go over the ankle. Once you get the fit, wrap duct tape around the box and the bottom of the shoe. As with ASIMO, Honda's humanoid robot, you must be able to repeat the process of pushing off of the ground, a feat difficult for you if the shoe boxes are too large or too small. The way a robot walks boosts the overall image. Try various box sizes to create the correct effect, allowing you to walk in a robotic fashion without falling. Once you have the robot shoes fitting nicely, cover them completely with silver spray paint or another choice color and set them aside to dry.

2. 

   Robovie, designed to communicate with humans, appeared at an exhibition in Yokohama.

   Place the large box over your head or over the head of the person who will be wearing the costume. Cut off the flaps to allow proper ventilation and plenty of room for the neck and head. Use a pencil to mark the area where the eyes should be. Use scissors to cut the areas out. Here are some style suggestions: a rectangular slit, a large rectangular, a square or an oval face-place style, or two round holes. Alternatively, use a low temp glue gun to attach round protruding discs onto the box beneath the eye slit. Glue four spray painted bottle caps together, stacked on top of each other beneath each eye. The robot ROBOVIE is an example of the protruding eye method.

3. Wrap the entire box with duct tape. Duct tape can be purchased in a variety of colors. Coordinating the duct tape color with the spray paint and the sweatshirt and pants color will create a more uniform robot. Layer the duct tape a bit over the layer previously wrapped, as to not let any of the box show through beneath each wrapping cycle.

4. Stretch out the dryer venting to fit the arms and legs. Measure and cut to fit.

5. Put on the sweatshirt. Put the dryer venting on the arms. Wrap duct tape to ensure a correct fit. Use the same technique for the pants. For adults, more venting may be needed. Dryer venting should go up to the thighs.

References

• Just Mommies: Robot Costume
• Honda Worldwide: ASIMO: Physical Capability Improvements

Resources

• Robot Costumes USA: Home
• Singularity Hub: Check Out These Incredible Robot Costumes
• Prime.JSC.Nasa.gov: Types of Robots