Mechanically raise and lower buttons.

[yo1dog]

I am attempting to create a system in which a computer can raise or lower 24 standard push buttons about 1 - 2 inches individually. The buttons only need to be at two heights: up or down. My programming and computer knowledge will allow me to create any needed output. However, my skills on the hardware end are a bit limited.

I had the idea of using push/pull solenoids but at $50 x 24... that's a little out of my budget.

Here is a quick pic:


Do any of you guys have a good idea for a setup?

[little-c]

the cheep option, which takes some time is.... make 50 of them.
50x iron nails.(ie, you can pick them up with a magnet

50x springs preferably fit onto the nails with no bodging. if not some means of attaching one end to nail.
50x short tubes, closed at one end. fits nail and spring.

or
50 cheep clicky biros?

massive coil of thin insulated wire.
drill. (trust me, you want to buy this if you havent got one!)
hacksaw.
insulation tape.

method.
shorten nail so the spring covers most of the nail. a little extra nail is needed. kind of like

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take a tube, cover spring, and have a hole to fit the nail.
prevent nail from droping out.
this should mean that the nail can be pushed in and out.
wrap a coil of wire to make an electromagnet, and place this so it pulls the nail up.


if spring pushes the nail up. ie base;spring;nail;hole
coil can be wraped around base to pull nail down.

insulation tape to stop coil unwraping. leavers can make a bigger movement.

[z.s.tar.gz]

On another note, a coil could be in the buttons and a stationary magnet under them.
Apply voltage to the coil and it will repel (or attract) against the magnet.

[yo1dog]

Cool idea, but will that be enough to hold the buttons up while the player is mashing on them?

It would have to be a very strong spring and very string magnet.

[little-c]

ah. you didn't specify brute force....

I second the button with coil idea... and really BIG coils and magnets. dc current creates a static electromagnetic force. with directions of current and coils and stuff(physics textbook, wikipedia) should do the job. lots of coils, lots of current.
h bridges would be handy. I hear micros don't like current surges....

just make some big heat sinks as well.

and drag along a couple of these
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabID=1&criteria=usb&ModuleNo=19363&C=SO&U=Strat15

recomend the 12ah ones.

yeah... the cheep option isn't that feasable.

giant array of servos, motors, gears and leavers? trust me, by the time you finished designing that, it would be cheeper to splash out 50x$24

[z.s.tar.gz]

You could even get a little transformer for some serious voltage aka serious effort to press like you were saying.
and btw it's "cheap"

[Razor Concepts]

So you are trying to make a game console - it would be a LOT easier to just have illuminated buttons, and the specific buttons illuminate. It would be a lot easier/cleaner than having raised buttons.

[yo1dog]

Ya that's that I have decided on.