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Deadmans Gold - displays, robots
The pair on display. |
from the street presents a macabre diarama - a human skeleton is chained, hands high, in a tiny cell behind a thick iron grate. Above, chained by neck and ankles to its perch, is a decrepit, motheaten parrot. Water pours down the bars and from the sails overhead. Each figure is a robot or automaton controlled by a computer and with movements driven by low voltage solenoids and gearboxes. 
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Shows the placement of the jaw solenoid. 
Inside the skeleton's head, showing
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is a high quality plastic medical model and has these actions: • open and close jaw - powered by a 6 volt solenoid with a 12mm stroke; • turn head to left and right - a 3 volt motor and gearbox with limiting switches is mounted between his shoulderblades; • flashing eyes - 2 high intensity blue LEDS. |
Frame & mechanism in the workshop. 
Parrot with wings & legs. |
was built from scratch with an armature of soldered brass rod clad with carved polystyrene. The styrene is coated with epoxy resin, inside and out. Containing 3 commercial plastic gearboxes (although with different motors, the cheap ones are subject to "poling") the parrot has these actions: • open and close his beak - uses a 6 volt solenoid; • turn head to left and right - uses a gearbox with 2 limiting switches (the upper gearbox in the torso with the switches above it); • flap wings - uses a gearbox (lower body) • bend over and back up - uses a gearbox and limit switches (not visible, at the rear of the perch); • and crap! (it's true, the customer is always right). The container and pump are mounted away from the parrot with a tube running along the back of the perch. (I'll tell you what the shit is if you drop me a note with comments. |
The parrot without paint or chains
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Programming by the brilliant Shaun Patmore ;-) Some other automated/interactive projects:
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