03/02/07

L.A. Times Article

Promotional Photo #1

Promotional Photo #2

03/01/07

Disney Link—The Official Disney Desktop Message Center, has announced that the Muppet Mobile Lab began previews at Disney's California Adventure earlier this week.
Muppet Mobile Lab

On Feb. 27, Muppet characters Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker unexpectedly greeted Guests at Disney's California Adventur®.As part of Disney's Living Characters initiative, Walt Disney imagineering Research and Development is 'playtesting' its 'Muppet Mobile Lab' featuring the classic Muppet characters. This next step in the evolution of Disney storytelling technology represents the first-ever, freeroaming Audio -Animatronics ® characters able to interact with each other as well as Guests. The Muppet Mobile Lab is not currently scheduled as a permanent attraction in any Disney park.
Video of the Preview

02/01/07

Walt Disney Imagineering is reportedly close to debuting its next fruit of the "living character initiative".

The Muppet Mobile Lab is next in a line of "autonomous" audio-animatronics (AA), like Lucky the Dinosaur.

The mobile lab features both Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and his assistant Beaker as interactive characters.

If development stays at its current pace, it is expected that the Muppet Mobile Lab will debut at the Hollywood Backlot area of Disney's California Adventure in Spring 2007.

JimHillMedia obtained this picture of the AA supposedly during a test run at Walt Disney Imagineering.