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Meet Tom, the Spider-Man Stunt Robot

Get the inside scoop on Disney's lifelike animatronic stunt robot from the people who created it.

Iyaz Akhtar Principal Video Producer
Iyaz Akhtar works tenaciously to make technology work for him so he can live a life of leisure. He's been in the tech sector as a writer, an editor, a producer, and a presenter since 2006.
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Bridget Carey Principal Video Producer
Bridget Carey is an award-winning reporter who helps you level-up your life -- while having a good time geeking out. Her exclusive CNET videos get you behind the scenes as she covers new trends, experiences and quirky gadgets. Her weekly video show, "One More Thing," explores what's new in the world of Apple and what's to come. She started as a reporter at The Miami Herald with syndicated newspaper columns for product reviews and social media advice. Now she's a mom who also stays on top of toy industry trends and robots. (Kids love robots.)
Expertise Consumer technology | Apple | Google | Samsung | Microsoft | Amazon | Meta | Social media | Mobile | Robots | Future tech | Immersive technology | Toys | Culture Credentials
  • Bridget has spent over 18 years as a consumer tech reporter, hosting daily tech news shows and writing syndicated newspaper columns. She's often a guest on national radio and television stations, including ABC, CBS, CNBC and NBC.
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Iyaz Akhtar
Bridget Carey

The Amazing Spider-Man comes to life in a stunt show in Disney California Adventure. At one point during the show, a human in a Spider-Man costume prepares to fly through the air. He ducks out of view, and then it's time for Tom, the animatronic stunt double, to shine. Tom is launched in the air and soars over Avengers Campus.

The development of this robotic acrobat took several years -- and its original form looked nothing like the finished product, designed to make you believe Spider-Man is real. Disney Imagineering research scientists Morgan Pope and Tony Dohi shared with us how this robot came to be and let us in on a bunch of secrets.

As you may have  guessed, the the robot is named after Tom Holland, who plays both Peter Parker and Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But that's not the only secret to Tom (the robot, not the actor). Find out a lot more in the video embedded above.