Re: Robot Covering

Hi,
Not sure "where you are" in your robot construction-Its important for
me to see where
you are at for an adequate reponse. Normally in my methodology, I
create body shells
of fiberglass by making molds, then make an additional set of molds
that actually
produce "skins", the lifelike look and feel of skin. These skins are
made of latex or
silicone depending on the budget. Eyes, mouth, etc are made to be
supported by
the shell itself, while forced against the skin overlay making a
seamless fit. When
the motion of the appendage moves, the skin moves around or with it
very realistically.
I actually have a series of photographs which show each stage of these
operations,
but I dont have a website to really post them on.
Most would think its probably out their reach to create such realistic
figures, but it
requires only a few key components which can be obtained almost
anywhere. I guess
I should write a book!
You will spend much more time than money in such ventures. The
material costs are
quite minimal. The results are very rewarding.
If you are just interested specific body parts(heads,hands etc) and
havent started
anything engineering wise, I can probably elaborate on getting you
started. If you have
already built a robot and want to "humanize" it, that could be a bit
problematic without
substantial re-engineering. I have some "standard" body shells that I
may be able to supply for a modest fee also. It might be a place for
you to start.
Tell me where you are at in the project.

Mark

Gordon McComb wrote:
jbboulden@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

Anybody know a good source for covering robots to make them look like
animals or humans?

Use Google to look up archives, and search for 'castvee8' in this group.
I don't want to write his e-mail address directly. Mark is an expert in
creating molded shells (fiberglass, etc.) and he's great at making them
look human, animal, robotic, or anything in between. He might see this
note and respond to it...I, for one, would like a thread on the
materials and techniques of making body shells.

-- Gordon

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