Using tape as "spider-web"

[Fredrik Andersson]

Figured out this would be a pretty neat feature for a robot.

Imagine for example an hexapod, that has a tape-roll mounted on a servo at the back of it.The robot can press the end of the taperoll to the surface it is standing on so it will stick there and then stick a strip of tape to the surface as it walks. So, if the robot walks on a table and detect its end as it's walking there, it can walk back an half metre and place a tape strip on the table- Then it can safely hurl itself over the tables edge. Then the robot will roll the servo and it will smoothly get nearer the ground. Then a little sharp thing, mounted on a solenoid or something can cut of the tape and the robot is ready to go.

Any suggestions?

[HDL_CinC_Dragon]

hahahahaha thats a hilarious yet a very good idea!

First concern: When the robot gets over the edge, theres probably going to be an initial shock when the robots wheels leave the table from the robot falling until the tape is flat out on the table top. To lessen/rid yourself of this problem, just make sure the tape is being dispensed as low to the ground as possible(As level with the bottom of your wheels as possible).

Second concern: When the robot is repelling downwards, theres a good chance that it might begin to twist and turn. I think the only way to really compensate for that risk is to use either some very wide packing tape kind of stuff or use 2 strands of tape as far as possible away from each other

Third concern: When it gets near the bottom, its front is going to be facing the floor so your going to have to have some kind of wheels on its face so that it can drive forward just enough that when it cuts the tape it will fall down onto its bottom wheels instead of its face... or simply make it so the face is appropriately angled(like basically just make it a wedged front. The wedge is going to have to be up-side down ,so to speak, from what is the norm for that sort of thing so that when the bot lands, it rolls backward from the wedge so its wheels hit the floor rather than rolling forward onto its top plates) so that when the tape is cut, it cant just stand up on its face and start spinning its wheels.

Fourth concern: If a giant mechanical spider drops on my shoulder and scares the hell outta me I swear im going to beat you with a stick lol

[Gertlex]

wheels

Hexapods walk.

Though for a first try, using a wheeled bot might be a better idea, due to simplicity.

[HDL_CinC_Dragon]

... riiiiight... you DID say hexapod didnt you...hmmm lol oops

but either way, same problems .... except using legs might actually make that first initial shock even worse since legs tend to be a bit bigger and such so the actual body would be higher from the ground and thus the "web" dispense point(s) would be higher from the the ground leaving more slack in the line when the bot leaves the table top... you would have to get creative... like a separate mechanism on the back of the bot that drops down onto the table/surface to dispense the "web"...

[Admin]

lol . . .

ive actually seen a few robots that use tape as a method to stick to walls . . . but they all have the same problem - fouling. basically, as the tape gets used, lots of gunk gets stuck on it making it useless.

your robot must also be very light weight even for high quality tape. probably not more than a few ounces . . .

[Fredrik Andersson]

Oh, i seems you didn't get it right here.

What i meant was that the robot rolls a stripe of tape on the surface it's walking on, then hangs on the same stripe as soon as it leaves the edge. When it arrives at the ground it cuts of the tape stripe. So it's not reusing any tape.

[Steve Joblin]

Your idea will work perfectly and is a very viable design.... once you can buy Gecko Tape (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3785.html)!

[Fredrik Andersson]

I am very sure it will work anyway, as long as the material the tape is made of can hold the weight of the robot. There are tape made of some sort of weaved material which will be able to not break from the robot weight.

Ok, lets view at the tapes holding force as friction. Let me know when you are able to move an two feet long strip of tape, taped to a table. You have to pull it absolutely horizontally, at the same height as the tables surface. That way, you will simulate the force the tape will have to hold when the robot hangs out from the table. I insure you it is very strong.

[monkeywjcr]

Try to see if you can find EB Green it is a type of Duct Tape that is rated to hold 2000PSI you might beable to find some in an Army surpuls store.

[HDL_CinC_Dragon]

pfft dont worry about what tape you use, I think even scotch tape would be able to hold a little hexapod! Since there would (or at least should) be no upwards force on the tape and ONLY a horizontal force, the bonds created on the tapes surface cohesion would be quite strong. Just lay out like 1 to 2 feet of tape on the surface if possible before the end of the table for the descent.... I mean seriously... think about it , it doesnt need to be some ubertasticly strong tape...