Want to find - people with expirience

[sek007]

Hello, guys! I know this may sound a bit dreamy, but here is what I need:
I need to find a person that knows robotics fairly good.
My plan is to build a thing similar to "Hal 5" or the thing from "Ekso Bionics".
I want a full body exoskeleton. Powered by batteries.
The one that is almost being produced by Cyberdyne    http://www.cyberdyne.jp/english/robotsuithal/

I know this may sound crazy or extra hard to do. But still and yet I want to do it.
Looking at http://eksobionics.com/ I dont really see anything extra hard.
I also found that enthusiasts are also starting to build their own exoskeleton suits.

I need to find a person that can make a plan of building such a thing and tell me how much will it cost to build one and where to get all parts.

I know its not a joke. I know.
Its difficult, yes. But I am sure its possible.

I don't plan to build it extra beautifully looking or on super new and expensive parts. I need it to be done simple and effective.

Its a serious interest. I am waiting for your comments.

[newInRobotics]

Just out of interest, how much are You willing to spend? 

[sek007]

Don't know but want to get as cheap as possible.

[newInRobotics]

Cheap is not a sum of money, cheap can be relatively humble £1000,000 compared to  £1000,000,000,000,000. Expensive can be £10 compared to 10p. If I were You I'd do research first with cost and time estimates and compare that to resources at hand and only then talk about hiring people.

Just to give You rough idea, in UK product development engineer costs £20 to £30 an hour. So if development and tuning is going to take half a year, 1 developer will cost You £22500 (based on 7.5h per day, 5 days per week and average of £25 per hour pay).

Producing custom parts will cost big money as well, don't forget that parts will have to be remade when fixing errors. Use Machining Cost Estimator as rough guide to how much parts may cost You.

Good luck with it

[sek007]

Thanks a lot! Now I know the salary of Engineers at least!
Also, look guys what I found:
http://shadowrobot.com
Their 50 cm (20 inches) muscle can push 150 kilos!!!!!!!
What a great muscle!! Look at their site at the "leg" video!!!
Terrific! I am thinking I found a real possibility to make the thing I need!!!
 

[Soeren]

Hi,

Thanks a lot! Now I know the salary of Engineers at least!

Only the British ones, For hourly paid project work (a seldom thing though, it's usually either a monthly or more likely, a total salary agreed), at least triple that to hire someone like me

[waltr]

Yes, there is overhead that can triple to cost of hiring an engineer over his/her salary.

[sek007]

Come on! I understand engineers salaries aren't low!!!
Look at my previous post! Anyone to comment it? Those muscles are just crazy!

[newInRobotics]

Air muscles are great actuators. You don't necessarily have to buy them, You can DIY them as well --> How to make air muscles!

[ErikY]

Air muscles are great actuators. You don't necessarily have to buy them, You can DIY them as well --> How to make air muscles!

I have seen air muscles come up every once in a while, but what I have not seen is a practical way in a robot to use one compressor for multiple air muscles. Are there electronically controlled air valve switches, or something like that, that can be used in a DIY instance?

I have seen some things that cost a fortune, but nothing practical for someone working at home.

Perhaps I am looking for the wrong things.

[newInRobotics]

I'd imagine a system with one tank to hold pressurized air, air pump to top it up and multiple servo-valve controlled air muscles connected to the tank.

[sek007]

Here

http://www.shadowrobot.com/SPCU/

its their control unit. Its enough to control 4 muscles (actuators). They also got kits for making a robot leg, they can do software, muscles of different sizes, etc.

Look at the video here:
http://www.archive.org/download/ShadowAirMuscleProjectsAndDemonstrations/Leg_NCATU_640.avi

Its a leg created from their parts. Pretty impressive, is it?

[newInRobotics]

Looks really good. The only drawback is that it requires big, heavy and power thirsty air pumping system.

[sek007]

By the way, do you know what amount of air do they need for work? Just trying to figure out all their possible ways of use.

[newInRobotics]

Amount of air depends on how many times You want to tense and release the muscle and how much PSI You want to get per one actuation. With each release of the muscle You return air to atmosphere, with each lift You have to achieve certain PSI in the muscle to get load moving, the more PSI You need, the more normal pressure air You have to use.

[sek007]

I suppose you are right. But what amount of air is need to get to 4 bar? Their working range is 0-60psi (0-4 bar).
So for reaching 4 bar I need to load 4 times air as with 1 bar?

[newInRobotics]

But what amount of air is need to get to 4 bar?

That depends on temperature and volume of air chamber in the muscle. Higher the temperature - smaller amount (molecule-wise) of air You need to achieve same PSI; higher inner muscle volume - bigger amount of air is needed to achieve same PSI.

So for reaching 4 bar I need to load 4 times air as with 1 bar?

I'd assume so.