Subject:
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Re: New Years Resolution Runner
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.technic
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Date:
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Wed, 26 Nov 2003 22:34:03 GMT
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Viewed:
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2320 times
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In lugnet.technic, Mark Tarrabain wrote:
> Kevin L. Clague wrote:
>
>
> > In my mind, running means all feet off the ground, no matter how many feet the
> > walker has. I did not assume bipedalism.
>
> Well by that defintion, simply flipping one of your many walkers
> upsidedown would make it "running" :)
You got me there :^)
>
> I actually studied quadraped running back in 1981 when I was writing a
> game on an Apple ][+ for a graphic dog-racing simulation/game. I looked
> at many a still snapshot of animals in full runs before I was able to
> piece together how they did it (VCR's were only just _STARTING_ to
> become affordable then, and ones with slo-mo capability were still in
> the thousands of dollars).
>
> Anyways, each "step" of a dog's run is evidentally a very long and very
> shallow jump. The key seems to be in the strength of the rear legs,
> which provides a sudden and powerful lift. The front legs seem to act
> as a brake of sorts, allowing the dog to catch himself from falling nose
> first into the dirt. Each jump is extremely shallow, so the animal is
> able to level himself off with its front legs as he quickly draws them
> back. At the same time, the rear legs have moved forward and the animal
> again makes another leap, bending its front legs so as not to interfere
> with the motion and then quickly pulling them forward again to catch
> itself at the end of its next "step". The overall effect is actually
> quite graceful.
Yes. This is what I've seen in slow motion of cheetahs. Plenty of
arching/flexing in the back also.
>
> I don't think you'd be able to do this with LEGO. You might be able to
> duplicate the motion, but you'd need enough strength in the legs to
> actually *FORCE* the whole model into the air for some discernable
> distance, and I can't see LEGO pneumatics being strong enough to
> accomplish that.
I was assuming motor and battery pack, but when pumped hard enough pedmatic
nearly runs.
Large pistons are too slow, small pistons and used switches might work.
>
> Then again, I'd be impressed as heck to be proven wrong. Before the hot
> air baloon was discovered, it was impossible for man to fly.
>
> > > Mark
As you know I really enjoy pneumatics, but I wasn't assuming I;d use them.
Kevin
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: New Years Resolution Runner
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| (...) Well by that defintion, simply flipping one of your many walkers upsidedown would make it "running" :) I actually studied quadraped running back in 1981 when I was writing a game on an Apple ][+ for a graphic dog-racing simulation/game. I (...) (21 years ago, 26-Nov-03, to lugnet.technic)
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