[Robotgroup] Robotic Actors

[Paul Atkinson]

I bought a Stiquito kit a long time ago. It's a bug type robot that uses nitinol as actuators. I built the "test leg" and tested it. I never built the rest of the kit because I wasn't too impressed with it. Perhaps it's time to drag it out  again. 

I wonder if they use nitinol to make Barbie smile???

Paul
----- Original Message ----
From: Don Colbath <dcolbath at austin.rr.com>
To: The Robot Group Mailing List <robotgroup at puremagic.com>
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 8:38:46 PM
Subject: Re: [Robotgroup] Robotic Actors

Somewhere in all my junk I've got an SMA demo kit.  Not real 
impressive.  The stuff shrinks fairly fast with current but extends back 
very slowly.   One of the few really good applications I could see for 
it would be in locks.  Like the locks where they "buzz" you through a 
door or like the actuators in hotel room doors.  The cool off time would 
naturally save having a timer to hold the solenoid back while you open 
the door. 

Don

Gray Mack wrote:

>I have always thought that shape memory alloy wires might be good fit for something like this small scale animatronic.
><one SMA link: http://www.mondotronics.com/shapememoryalloys.shtml >
>When you electrically heat this wire with .05 to 2amp (depending on thickness), it contracts in length 3 to 5% and it can be streched back out when cooled.
>Too much current/heat: it dies; Too much strech: it dies, Room temp changes: may need recalibration.
>They don't seem to be very good for robotics in general due to their power, thermal, and mechanical requirements. 
>But looking at this guys "constant length bender modules" and "revector blocks" that transmit servo motion through cables makes me wonder if it might be slightly easier for something like this where the power and electronics are tethered, environment can be controlled, and the "Actor" doesn't have to deal with real forces other than its own weight.  The SMA wires can be crimped into lever systems and driven by electrical wires running out to each moving part with a little bit of slack around the joints.
>Though I have yet to see anything but the most trivial joints driven by SMAs, anyone had any positive experiences?
>-Gray
>
>----- Original Message ----
>From: John P. Funk <john at cozmicfunk.com>
>To: The Robot Group Mailing List <robotgroup at puremagic.com>
>Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 1:57:29 PM
>Subject: Re: [Robotgroup] Robotic Actors
>
>
>Thanks for the link, I will look into it. I had a great time at the meeting 
>last Thursday. Can't wait to show more finished work from the film as I get 
>over those hurdles :)
>
>John P. Funk
>www.cozmicfunk.com
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Tom Morin" <tmorin at texas.net>
>To: "The Robot Group" <robotgroup at puremagic.com>
>Sent: Sunday, February 11, 2007 9:11 AM
>Subject: [Robotgroup] Robotic Actors
>
>
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>Here's a site by a guy who's building robotic actors, maybe it has
>something that John can use for his movie.
>http://www.carlpisaturo.com/
>
>Tom
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