Thread: Skeleton

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This year I would like to take my 3 axis skeleton to the next level with arm movements. Does anyone know where I would get instructions on how to construct simple arm movement with pnuematics.

chuck, I tried some shoulder mechanisms using some servos but was not very happy with the out come it was too "mechanical" would of made a good zombie movement.

Ive seen two different approaches one using some heavy duty servos and the other using pneumatics. I have not been able to find out much details or find any good pictures or video clips of the mechanisms.

YouTube - Audio Animatronics at it's best

It was made for disney by sarcos sometimes it also goes by sarcos man

The other one uses servos is by Skultronics (look at bottom of page for video)
SkullTroniX SkeleTron Animatronic Skeleton

Any additional information on either would be appreciated

here are some pneumatic cylinders that have position feed back dont know the cost but definately this would be helpful for control and more life like operation.

Enfield Technologies - Servo Pneumatic Proportional Control Systems

I think this would be a good challange to the forum members Perhaps Markgoodson or Halloween Bob with their design skills could come up with a mechanism.

Yes I agree this would be a great project for those of us that want to take the 3 axis skeleton to the next level without spending a fortune. There seems to be enough talent on this forum to brain storm a way to add arm movement to our skeletons.

If you plan on using servos the arms must be extremely light and you will need some much higher torque servos with a gear reduction setup. *Hint Bucky arms are way too heavy for servo's.

So far the best example i have seen using servos is the Skeletron by skulltonix...This entire skeleton is custom made in his shop using lighter weight plastic.

Instead of servo's you might get by using a 'flying crank ghost" setup to animate the arms?

Would like to avoid servos if possible by using pnuematics. The problem will be creating the mechanics for arm movement at the shoulder and elbow joints. Again if anyone has attempted this any knowledge would be helpfull.

Checkout the videos from HalloweenBob on this page My 3 axis skull...in progress

HalloweenBob is the guy that runs graveyardskulls.com and his setup is just 3 servos. Of course his arms are made out of plexi stuff and need to be covered i guess you could try to do something similar and make you own custom bones to be lighter and hide servos.

here's a link with an off the shelf skelton modified for arm movement (using a servo but maybe something similar could be done with pneumatics?)

Build your own Skeleton Animatronic!

Not nearly as expressive as HB's, but it looks effective and inexpensive.

Here is what I came up with using servos, it basically follows the design gumba posted. Used 1/4 scale hitec servos and some gears. The progaming was with a servocity recorder which uses pots to control/record the movement then plays it back.
like I said I didn't like the out come to well so it had not gone too far. I actually added a rotation to the waist and planed on one for the head.

Here's a clip without the waste rotation (sorry Ms meeps its side ways)

[ame=http://s248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/scareisburg/?action=view&current=servomanwshirt.flv][/ame]

Try doing a search of "air muscle" it is a pneumatic rubber tube that is encased in a web type of matieral that will flex and relax when air is applied then released. There was a video of it somewhere that showed it being used to mimic a arm being moved, I thought it looked pretty good. Hope this helps.............

Found a good web site with info on pneumatic mechanisms, building control circuits from components and even making latex skin to cover animatronic heads and hands. It is called halloween2go. Worth checking out.