# Hmmm, a maybe different take on animated skeletons?



## TroyO (Sep 7, 2011)

I ran in to this vid and it got me thinking a bit...






I wonder if maybe a marionette style control rather than direct servos in the skelly might allow for a more active and dynamic approach?

I see a large(ish) framework with an X-Y axis cairrage riding over the "stage" and a ring of servos that move with it that each control a "string" to a lifesize marionette skelly.

Hmmmm.........


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Sounds a bit like an adaptation of an FCG rig.

I've always loved that street skellie video


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Seems like you would be just trading one set of problems for another.


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

The idea sounds fine but putting it together would be awful.

You'd need some awful big servos with awful big arms to get enough movement, and then they'd have to be awfully fast servos and they'd require an awful amount of power as well. 

I'd be thinking Pneumatics instead for that kinda of movement. Using somthing like VSA to control a relay board that controls the valves.


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## TroyO (Sep 7, 2011)

It's mostly just food for thought. I have a Polulu usb 24 servo controller I got when they were on sale for X-Mas and I have been looking for something to do with it. Maybe I will try my hand at a mini-version as proof of concept. Dancing dollar store skellies... LOL. 

I was kind of thinking steppers motors ala CNC for the XY gantry.... there's some CNC router designs using off the shelf hardware that could be easily hacked into working for that. A mini-version wouldn't require it but full size might.

For the line servos I was actually picturing more like a servo hooked to a spool that plays the line in/out directly with no arm at all. (Think Mini-Winch)

Hmmm, I guess step one is to read up on exactly how marionettes actually work.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Do a Google search on "marionette mechanism" and you'll find articles on robotic marionettes you might enjoy


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