Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #12206



To: beam@corp.sgi.com
From: Justin JAF60@student.canterbury.ac.nz
Date: Tue, 21 Mar 2000 08:13:17 +1200
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Aesthetics


>I am seeking something flexible... just think of a folded
>paper/plastic bot that uses it's own body shell as the PC...

First off, I'd have to say that I'm thinking gold/copper/silver-leafing
is the way to go. Check out a good handcraft store - there is a huge
range of leafing stuff availible. It's cheap, quick, and (reasonably)
easy. If you take the time to experiment, you can probably also get it
to work on designs fresh out of an inkjet - that would _rock_ and I'm
definitely going to look into it :-)

Second point: I did a degree in typographic design, and one thing that
laser printers couldn't do (ok, one thing out of a billizion things that
they can't do) is foil-stamping. (When they want a metalic or
hologramatic "ink", they actually stamp foil onto the paper). Anyway,
lacking a foil-stamp printing press there was a machine, bit like a
heated rolling-pin in a box that I can't remember the name of damnit!
You print out your foil design out via the laser printer, add a plastic
sheet (has the foil attached on one side), and run them through the
machine, and out comes your design in gold (or whatever). Flexible,
durable, etc. The only cost was the plastic/foil sheet, around NZ$17
(US$9) for something about 25x40cm? (Long time ago, my memory fades).
The sheets could be reused - the sections where the foil had been
grafted onto the paper would have no foil on them (duh) but the
remaining foil is perfectly usable.

Anyway, as I noted, foil-stamping is a fundamental part of the print
industry. IOW, there are ways to do it, and there are ways to do it very
cheaply. Ask at some design schools, or find a budget print shop that
usually does small runs (eg business cards) - in other words, any place
that would have a use for foil-stamping, but not have a multi-million
dollar stamping press. Talk to design supplies shops (eg the place you
would the sheets from) Ask around. The biggest problem might be that
this technique might be largely obsolete, but there will still be people
using it. My memory has faded, but it wouldn't surprise me if in the
final runs, a fixitive is normal used over the foil to prevent it
wearing through with handling, thus insulating it. We don't want that
:-)



12207 Mon, 20 Mar 2000 15:57:10 -0500 [alt-beam] Re: Question about vibra-popper mechanics beam@sgiblab.sgi.com "Sathe Dilip"

JVernonM@aol.com wrote:
>
> Try shifting the center of gravity forward. Put guitar string wire legs on
> the bot so you can control the pitch and yaw of the body weight. If you shift
> the center of gravity forward and spin the motor to give a backward kick of
> inertia, it may lurch forward. Another idea would be to use suspension
> springs to absorb the backward inertia and then recoil, propelling the bot
> forward. Sensitive springs with a good easy bounce. The guitar string may be
> configured to get a similar effect. But, then you will completely loose the
> completely contained, crush proof qualities. Just some thoughts.

Trying to visualize this, I remembered something. Have you seen a
foot-stool that has castors on springs?
This foot-stool can be kicked/pushed to where you want it. Then when
you stand on it, your weight pushes the castors up & a rubber ring
(skirting the inverted bucket shaped stool) takes a firm grip on the
ground so that the stool does not move.

Using a similar concept, the bot can be built like a turtle shell with
springy legs that are always within the (hard) shell. If you step on
the robot, the shell protects it. you lift your foot & the bot springs
back :-) & does what it wants. You just need to find a hard enough
transparent shell. That should be possible with polycarbonate material.

Dilip
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The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
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12208 Mon, 20 Mar 2000 16:22:13 -0500 [alt-beam] Re: Question about vibra-popper mechanics "Richard Caudle"
content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable

> Using a similar concept, the bot can be built like a turtle shell with
> springy legs that are always within the (hard) shell. =


Edmund Scientific has clear acrylic domes.

Richard


content-transfer-encoding: quoted-printable



Type>
> Using a similar concept, th=
e bot can =

be built like a turtle shell with
> springy legs that are always with=
in =

the (hard) shell.  
 

Edmund Scientific has clear=
acrylic =

domes.

 

Richard




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