In an ever-evolving world of computer technology and virtual reality, it's becoming more and more difficult to determine what is real and what isn't. Not that we're at a breaking point where we've all lost touch with reality, but watching a movie, for instance, is rapidly approaching that fine line of not being able to tell the difference between animatronics and live flesh and blood.

Animatronics is the art of using robotics and electronics to animate puppets in a life-like manner. The history of this art form dates back to the Egyptians of Bible times. They obviously didn't have motors and electronic gadgets, but they were some of the earliest developers of the marionette, a puppet whose motions were controlled by strings. We wouldn't be so bold today as to compare a marionette with a modern animatronic puppet. Nonetheless, a skilled handler can still do amazing things with a quality marionette.

Modern animatronics are generally attributed, at least in part, to the creative genius of Disney employees in the 1950s and 60s. In reality, what Disney creators were really working on back then were audio-animatronics. Their creations took the animatronic technology that already existed, and created a way for puppets to move and make noise using an electronically recorded set of instructions. This allowed them to run continuously and without human intervention; a big step forward from what had previously been available.

It's interesting to take a trip to Florida's Disney World and compare some of the early animatronics with some of the modern. The "It's a Small World" attraction in the magic Kingdom is one of the earliest examples of the deployment of animatronics for theme parks. The characters are quaint and cute, but there's absolutely no confusion that they are puppets. Go next door to the Animal Kingdom's "Expedition Everest" and you might be convinced, even if for just a moment, that the monstrous Yeti is about to grab you.

Advanced, combined with microtechnology and microbotics are enabling animators to reproduce fluid, life-like movement in puppets of the likes never seen before. The stunning simulation of moving fingers, for example, can be achieved by building a robotic hand with all the joints of a real hand. The robot can be connected to a glove lined with sensors, which will move the hand in response to the movements of the operator's hand. If the robot is covered with synthetic skin it can be difficult to discern, from a distance, that none of it is real.

With such incredible advancements in the world of animatronics, can the days of Star Trek's a sentient android, Commander Data, be that far away? There are still some major hurdles to overcome before we reach such a level, but those hurdles are becoming fewer and fewer each day. Who knows; we may one day find ourselves at a theme park or movie theater asking the question, "Is it real, or is it puppetry?"