Now Soliciting Funding:

Ever wondered how much a realistic audio-animatronic figure would cost? Well, I did.

Me:

I am interested in realistic audio-animatronic reconstructions of historical personages - possibly delivering famous orations. I am currently estimating funding needs. Would you be able to provide ballpark ranges for the cost of such figures (along the lines of the "animatronic Lincoln" of Disneyland)? Thank you.

The Reply:

For figures of this style and character -- famous historical figures -- I would suggest budgeting $50,000 to $65,000 which would also include sound track production, programming, control-audio-pneumatic systems. If characters interactive or are associated with each then the pricing would be reduced because common control, audio and pneumatic systems can be employed.

Nice. That seems doable.

So, if anybody wants to start a fund dedicated to the construction of customized animatronic historical figures, please let me know (My email).

I haven't quite figured what I'd do with my lifelike animatronic historical figures, but I feel like once I had one, the possibilities would be quite literally endless.