diff --git a/src/aare/gui/widgets/busy_overlay.py b/src/aare/gui/widgets/busy_overlay.py
index ca67a0aa..8bb9b905 100644
--- a/src/aare/gui/widgets/busy_overlay.py
+++ b/src/aare/gui/widgets/busy_overlay.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import math
+import time
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
 from aarecommon.models.models import SessionsStateEnum
@@ -42,6 +44,36 @@ class BusyOverlayStyle:
     # AxisVideoPanel strips it because only the sample-camera badge is a
     # click target and the hint invites a click.
     subtext: str = ""
+    # Wave-animate the title letters. Only the busy/robot warnings: a static
+    # "In viewing mode" badge must not look like an in-progress operation.
+    animate: bool = False
+
+
+def draw_wave_text(
+    painter: QPainter,
+    x: int,
+    baseline: int,
+    text: str,
+    fm: QFontMetrics,
+    fg: QColor,
+    shadow: QColor | None = None,
+    amplitude: int = 5,
+) -> None:
+    """Per-letter hop wave for the busy warnings, so the text reads as an
+    in-progress signal instead of a frozen label. The phase comes from the
+    wall clock and repaints ride the ~20 fps camera frames — no timer here;
+    if the stream stalls the wave freezes, which is acceptable (the text
+    stays legible and a stalled feed has its own error surface)."""
+    now = time.monotonic()
+    for index, char in enumerate(text):
+        # Clipped sine: letters rest on the baseline and hop up in sequence.
+        lift = -round(amplitude * max(0.0, math.sin(now * 5.5 - index * 0.55)))
+        if shadow is not None:
+            painter.setPen(QPen(shadow))
+            painter.drawText(QPoint(x + 1, baseline + lift + 1), char)
+        painter.setPen(QPen(fg))
+        painter.drawText(QPoint(x, baseline + lift), char)
+        x += fm.horizontalAdvance(char)
 
 
 def draw_busy_badge(
@@ -89,7 +121,12 @@ def draw_busy_badge(
     painter.setFont(font)
     title_x = position_x + (bg_width - title_width) // 2
     title_y = position_y + padding_y + font_metrics.ascent()
-    painter.drawText(QPoint(title_x, title_y), style.text)
+    if style.animate:
+        draw_wave_text(
+            painter, title_x, title_y, style.text, font_metrics, QColor(style.overlay_text)
+        )
+    else:
+        painter.drawText(QPoint(title_x, title_y), style.text)
 
     if style.subtext:
         painter.setFont(sub_font)
@@ -115,6 +152,17 @@ def draw_busy_status_text(
 
     x = (viewport_width - font_metrics.horizontalAdvance(style.text)) // 2
     baseline = int(viewport_height * 0.68) + font_metrics.ascent() // 2
+    if style.animate:
+        draw_wave_text(
+            painter,
+            x,
+            baseline,
+            style.text,
+            font_metrics,
+            qcolor(style.badge_bg),
+            shadow=qcolor(SHADOW, 200),
+        )
+        return
     painter.setPen(QPen(qcolor(SHADOW, 200)))
     painter.drawText(QPoint(x + 1, baseline + 1), style.text)
     painter.setPen(QPen(qcolor(style.badge_bg)))
@@ -156,6 +204,7 @@ def build_busy_overlay_style(
             overlay_border=qcolor(BUSY_RED_BORDER, 230),
             overlay_text=qcolor(WHITE),
             accent_dot=BUSY_RED_DOT,
+            animate=True,
         )
 
     if activity_value == "unmounting":
@@ -167,6 +216,7 @@ def build_busy_overlay_style(
             overlay_border=qcolor(BUSY_ORANGE_BORDER, 230),
             overlay_text=qcolor(WHITE),
             accent_dot=BUSY_ORANGE_DOT,
+            animate=True,
         )
 
     if activity_value == "drying":
@@ -178,6 +228,7 @@ def build_busy_overlay_style(
             overlay_border=qcolor(BUSY_YELLOW_BORDER, 235),
             overlay_text=qcolor(BUSY_YELLOW_TEXT_DARK),
             accent_dot=BUSY_YELLOW_DOT,
+            animate=True,
         )
 
     if activity_value == "cooling":
@@ -189,6 +240,7 @@ def build_busy_overlay_style(
             overlay_border=qcolor(BUSY_BLUE_BORDER, 235),
             overlay_text=qcolor(WHITE),
             accent_dot=BUSY_BLUE_DOT,
+            animate=True,
         )
 
     return BusyOverlayStyle(
@@ -199,4 +251,5 @@ def build_busy_overlay_style(
         overlay_border=qcolor(BUSY_PSI_RED_BORDER, 235),
         overlay_text=qcolor(WHITE),
         accent_dot=BUSY_PSI_RED_DOT,
+        animate=True,
     )
diff --git a/src/aare/gui/widgets/camera_image.py b/src/aare/gui/widgets/camera_image.py
index 763c5cdf..88c1b5d8 100644
--- a/src/aare/gui/widgets/camera_image.py
+++ b/src/aare/gui/widgets/camera_image.py
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ from aare.gui.widgets.busy_overlay import (
     BusyOverlayStyle,
     build_busy_overlay_style,
     draw_busy_badge,
+    draw_wave_text,
 )
 
 logger = setup_logger(LOGGER_NAME)
@@ -337,14 +338,26 @@ class SampleCameraImageLabel(QGraphicsView):
             self._session_badge_rect = None
             painter.setFont(font)
             baseline = int(self.viewport().height() * 0.68) + font_metrics.ascent() // 2
-            self._draw_status_text(
-                painter,
-                style.text,
-                style.badge_bg,
-                self.viewport().width() // 2,
-                baseline,
-                font_metrics,
-            )
+            if style.animate:
+                x = self.viewport().width() // 2 - font_metrics.horizontalAdvance(style.text) // 2
+                draw_wave_text(
+                    painter,
+                    x,
+                    baseline,
+                    style.text,
+                    font_metrics,
+                    qcolor(style.badge_bg),
+                    shadow=qcolor(SHADOW, 200),
+                )
+            else:
+                self._draw_status_text(
+                    painter,
+                    style.text,
+                    style.badge_bg,
+                    self.viewport().width() // 2,
+                    baseline,
+                    font_metrics,
+                )
             painter.restore()
             return