| Author |
Topic: New Mechanical Device - " Fluidic Muscle " |
Bob Farlow
From:
Marietta,GA,
|
Posted 1 Oct 2003 6:21 am |
|
A revolutionary new mechanical actuator may be just what steel guitar changer designers have been waiting for. A Fluidic Muscle device is a piece of hose with mechanical attachments at each end, one of which is the air pressure input, the other end is for attaching to the actuated object. When air pressure is applied, the diameter of the hose expands, which causes its length to decrease. Fluidic Muscle devices are about 10 times more powerful than air cylinders, have no frictional drag, and are several orders of magnitude lighter than conventional air cylinders, plus they are extremely accurate both in positioning and repeatability.
Will this new technology find its way into the steel guitar? Possibly, but I doubt if any of the present guitar manufacturers will be willing to spend their resources for research and development in this area.
Oh well, we still have Carl Dixon to explore this kind of stuff for us. Who knows, he may be just the one to do it. Go get 'em Carl! |
|
|
 |
Jim Palenscar
From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
|
Posted 1 Oct 2003 6:33 am
|
|
| "Smart Muscle" is another innovation that is around the corner that responds to tiny voltages by contracting. Sage Harmos turned me onto this but investigation showed it to still be quite a ways off. |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 1 Oct 2003 7:30 am
|
|
| Quote: |
| ...one of which is the air pressure input, the other end is for attaching to the actuated object. |
Good grief. I can hear the steelman now...
"Sorry guys, no more C6th stuff tonight. I was playing Four Wheel Drive, and had a blowout!" |
|
|
|
Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
|
Posted 1 Oct 2003 8:54 am
|
|
I'd better start checking my "spam" e-mail. I think they've been trying to get me interested in something like this for some time now. It didn't seem mechanical though, I thought it was a pill or something!
Uff'Da! |
|
|
|
Stephen Gambrell
From:
Over there
|
Posted 1 Oct 2003 4:09 pm
|
|
| HANKEY??? IS THAT YOU??? SERIOUSLY, IS THIS A HANKEY POST IN DISGUISE?????? |
|
|
|
Winnie Winston
From:
Tawa, Wellington, NZ * R.I.P.
|
Posted 1 Oct 2003 7:43 pm
|
|
Just when I was meditating upon needing an oil-pressure gauge on the steel (and a pan underneath to catch the drips), the hydraulics have been replace by air. Now I need an air-pressure gauge and a compressor.
Maybe if I put the compressor in the seat, I can get it to give me a prostate massage all at the same time!
Technology is wonderful!
JW |
|
|
|
David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
|
Posted 1 Oct 2003 10:00 pm
|
|
| I guess the push/pull Emmons-heads could look at the thing and say, accurately, "That steel REALLY blows!?" |
|
|
|
