Cyclone Rope Piston Coming Soon

[arron]

Backdrivable Cyclone Rope Piston:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c01fEwQehTc

How it Works:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_dbc69J_Jw

I'm posting this because I thought this group might be interested in the work going on at Rise Robotics.

[mklrobo]

  Cool!   
a motor using a pulley method, using cables wound around a tapered shaft, that
creates the displacement necessary to give a movement in the
direction of the shaft.
The tapered shaft device is also used as an autotransmission function,
which can speed up or slowdown an output. Basically, a
different "gear" ratio. Very interesting to see it explained. I know we
will see different versions of it; that will be shocking! 

[bdeuell]

I seem to be missing something here, please explain how this drive method provides an advantage over a linear ball screw actuator or other linear actuator.

... Obviously any linear actuator, configured in the arrangement you depict this actuator on a robotic arm, can provide a more constant load/weight capacity throughout a working envelope of an arm. But how is this linear actuator design better than existing designs, such as a ballscrew? The claims for improved motor power utilization appear to be based purely on the use of linear actuator mechanisms over purely rotational joints. Also the claim of inaccessible power requires an assumption that the same load/speed conditions are applied regardless of the robotic arms position. I am not saying that this system does not provide some advantages it is just not clear to me what benefit it provides over existing linear actuators.

note: I have made the assumption that the center screw (around which the cable is wound) has a constant taper.