High-Speed Cinematic Camera Motion for the Red-Carpet

To capture the perfect "red carpet" slow-motion shot, a robotic arm must maneuver a heavy cinema camera through complex trajectories with smooth precision. Any vibration ruins the footage, and the motion must remain perfectly synchronized with the subject. For Glambot, a manufacturer of high-speed camera robots, achieving this level of performance required a servo system that had the power to handle large cameras without strain, and advanced control features to prevent the abrupt trajectory changes from causing mechanical vibrations.

Trent Canales, Senior Mechanical Engineer at Glambot, faced the challenge of designing a robust, high-performance machine while managing engineering resources. "Reliability and ease of integration has been amazing and made it super easy for us," Trent says regarding the implementation of Teknic’s SC series of ClearPath integrated servos. "That's really what sets it apart from the other motors we've tried in the past."

One of the critical engineering hurdles Glambot faced was managing the holding torque required for professional camera payloads. Early in development, they found that mechanical tension at the end of moves caused by normal gearbox windup and friction led to excess residual torque. This extra torque wasted some of the motor’s capacity and limited the machine to lightweight cameras.

The solution was Teknic’s "Move Done Torque Foldback" feature within ClearPath-SC. This allows the motor to reduce its torque output significantly once a move is complete, gently relaxing the mechanical tension in the gearbox without the camera losing position or moving.

"That one's saved us and allowed us to even get to the [heavier] payloads that we have now," Trent says. "Before that we weren't able to use DSLR. We had to use light, small cameras." By limiting the holding torque, Glambot could reliably stabilize heavy equipment like RED cinema cameras without the motors overheating and dropping the camera.

Because the end product is high-definition video, motion smoothness is non-negotiable. To eliminate vibration during rapid acceleration and deceleration, Glambot utilizes Teknic’s Regressive AutoSpline™ (RAS). This feature limits the motion profile’s jerk and, importantly, the jerk-derivative (a.k.a., “snap”). Move commands that are only limited in jerk still require discontinuous changes in torque when executed. High-performance servos attempt to follow these sharp torque transitions and end up inducing vibration. Limiting the jerk-derivative, as the RAS feature does, means there are no sharp discontinuities in the required torque, leading to exceptionally smooth motion.

According to Trent, RAS is vital for video quality. Without it, "we get jitters through the whole entire path." Enabling the feature provided "overall smoothness," ensuring the footage remains usable even during aggressive maneuvers.

Additionally, Glambot leverages the immediate move updates available in ClearPath’s advanced firmware. Since the camera often needs to track a subject dynamically rather than follow a pre-canned path, the system must process target updates instantly. This capability allows their proprietary software to keep the camera locked on the target, even as the geometry changes in real-time.

For Glambot, the value of the Teknic platform extends beyond hardware performance to the engineering partnership. Throughout the development process, Teknic’s Application Engineers have assisted with system optimization and diagnostics, helping the team navigate complex challenges. This level of responsiveness has become a key factor in their vendor selection. Trent concludes, "I really appreciate [Teknic’s responsiveness]... it’s part of the reason we love working with them."