The Amazing Technology Under the Skin of the Animatronic Creatures From ‘Spy in the Wild’

The producers of the wonderful BBC Earth and PBS animatronic wild animal series Spy in the Wild have released a fascinating video that reveals the amazing technology that lives under the skin of these incredibly realistic creatures, each of which was created by designer John Nolan.

Beneath the skin is a miracle of animatronic engineering. A skeleton of articulated metal limbs controlled by sophisticated electronics and servos. The moves of the different creatures real-life counterparts are programmed and tested. Each one takes months to design and build.

Nolan spoke with the PBS “Inside Nature” podcast about how he designs the spies.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.