Motorized Iron Man helmet CONCEPT (No real items yet, LOL)

[Bigrfoot]

I have a WeaselFlinger Ironman helmet (Yay WeaselFlinger, well done!) that I want to pop the face off and then animate the thing to open similar to the movie. I've seen the thread with the one that has a friction slide, (Which is also very nice) but I want automatic motion! Heheh... anyway, here's the idea.



The little box is a servo, of your fairly standard RC variety. I'll need to find one strong enough for the task, yet small enough to be tucked away inside the helmet. Just the faceplate should be pretty light, so I don't think I'll need a very big servo.

The whole thing hinges on the pivoting tube, so I drew up my concept of how to make it. The rest is just 1/8 or maybe 3/16th brass rod and the servo and horn. (Simplicity is key, I think).

I'll drive it with this little circuit.... http://www.ef-uk.net/data/servo-driver.htm and that should pretty much do it. The second side will have a pretty much identical setup minus the servo.... unless I can manage to slave 2 servo's together to act in synch. I could get away with smaller servos then.

I hope to fit the servo mech just about in the round ear section and the batteries... well, anywhere I can stuff them?

So... that's the concept at this point. Does anyone have input/suggestions/notice a problem and or think it just won't work because of XXXX and/or YYYYY?

PS... this is intended as a wearable item so it will have to be failrly low profile as well.

PPS... if servo action is too much to ask, what does everyone think about hooking the drive to the ear, so you turn the ear to open the face? (So the ear is basically a knob?)

 

[TMP]

It comes down to size. It can be motorized.
But the design i belive will cause problems if you plan to wear a suit and have good eye sigtht having your eyes close to the holes. If you have those leavers/ pistons where you want them then the wearer must move their head back in the helmet making the eyes longer away from the eye holes. Longer away from the holes limits your visions clear sigth making the wearer have a more tunnel sight.

For the movie sequenc for the closure of the helmet that was CGI.
They tried filming it. But the final scene of the closure is CGI.
Also note how much bigger the helmet for the filming he is wearing.

The CGI is allot smaller.

Reffer to the link bellow.
http://features.cgsociety.org/story_custom.php?story_id=4510

 

[ave4uevoli]

how is this going from steps 2 to 3 on your diagram? I understand that in the first step the brass rods push out - pushing out the face piece...

... oh wait.. I get it.. it then pivots up - ...

Instead of straight brass pieces you'll probably have to use curved brass pieces.. so that when the face plate pivots up the rods won't hit the top of the helmet.

Cool concept.. it'll be hard to get it all into a helmet though..

 

[Bigrfoot]

Thanks for the link, TMP! It's not exactly to scale, but the basic movement is close. As to it fitting.... yep, it will definitley be tight. I think it should be doable, though.... I'll just have to get used to the faceplate slamming shut less than an inch from my face. ;-P

Ave4... that was always the intention.... I expect it to be rather S shaped. Which is fine as long as the section that interracts with the servo and the section that intteracts with the "Pivot tube" are straight. (Or at least have the same curve as the tube if needed.)

A bit more research indicates slaving 2 servos together is not only doable, but uber easy. Also, servos are available at Tower Hobbies that are only .63" or 16MM tall. http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHHA4&P=7

Even so, I can always put the servos just about anywhere in the helmet and use a cable to spin a pivot arm instead. It all depends.... I'll have to get some parts and start fiddling about.

First I have to steel myself to cut into a nice pretty helmet first... LOL.

 

[RussellSculpts]

I like it! Could work if you have the space. I'm currently doing R@D on a new design for my helmet using torsion springs to release the faceplate and pull it back with one motion at the touch of a button. If it works I'll post and share it. Good luck!

 

[fettster]

it is completly doable.

Im actually am working on one myself.

TMP- you have proved to be a knowledge on all things Iron man but I have to disagree with you. the scene where we see Iron man first suit up was cgi but later in the film, we see him talking to Brody with his face plate up and then drop down and that i know for a fact was a practiucle effect. You see wires coming from the back of the helmet which i assume went to a computer to control the mechanics but if you get a good servo controller and your helmet is big enough, im confident that it could be self contained.

also to Russel, I just got one of your helmets in a trade deal, very well made mate.

 

[TK1536]

Don't forget the chin, too. It also comes down and goes up the same time the face comes down.

 

[Ramiel]

it is completly doable.

Im actually am working on one myself.

TMP- you have proved to be a knowledge on all things Iron man but I have to disagree with you. the scene where we see Iron man first suit up was cgi but later in the film, we see him talking to Brody with his face plate up and then drop down and that i know for a fact was a practiucle effect. You see wires coming from the back of the helmet which i assume went to a computer to control the mechanics but if you get a good servo controller and your helmet is big enough, im confident that it could be self contained.

Exactly!:cool

http://www.movieweb.com/news/93/28293.php
Watch the 4th video

 

[Bigrfoot]

1536.... yeah, it would be super nice to add the chin too. I'll get the face working first, then I'll tackle the chin. My initial thought is to simply spring load it.... and have the face "bump" it into position when it closes. Extra drain on the servos, but I may able to add a magnet to overcome the tension once it's fully closed.

God I love the smell of an engineering problem early in the morning!

 

[Bigrfoot]

Fettster... did you follow the link I included in the first post? It's an easy solder and breadboard circuit that will roll a servo from position X to Position Y at the click (Or unclick) of a switch. That, 2 servos and a 4 to 6 cell battery pack would be all the electronics.

You get more torque with 6 batteries. I'm going to try it out with 4 and see if it works. Bump to 6 if it's too sluggish.... not that I expect to hit movie speed anyway, that scene is an uber quick flip, LOL

Now, the only hurdle is finding time to futz with it..... LOL.

 

[fettster]

Fettster... did you follow the link I included in the first post? It's an easy solder and breadboard circuit that will roll a servo from position X to Position Y at the click (Or unclick) of a switch. That, 2 servos and a 4 to 6 cell battery pack would be all the electronics.

You get more torque with 6 batteries. I'm going to try it out with 4 and see if it works. Bump to 6 if it's too sluggish.... not that I expect to hit movie speed anyway, that scene is an uber quick flip, LOL

Now, the only hurdle is finding time to futz with it..... LOL.

im not that hot with electronics but i was going to try this

http://www.servocity.com/html/dual_servo_driver.html

as for the mechanics, heres my inspiration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APNmBnWK5vw&feature=related

 

[Bigrfoot]

Nice on both counts... the big issue I see with the driver you picked is that it's proportional..... the further you turn the knob the further the servo goes. I'm going for a pushbutton open-close setup.

im not that hot with electronics but i was going to try this

http://www.servocity.com/html/dual_servo_driver.html

as for the mechanics, heres my inspiration

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APNmBnWK5vw&feature=related

 

[RussellSculpts]

To fettster,Thanks for the compliment!

 

[fettster]

Nice on both counts... the big issue I see with the driver you picked is that it's proportional..... the further you turn the knob the further the servo goes. I'm going for a pushbutton open-close setup.[/quot

no probs Russ.

i would like the one push button operation but i couldnt figure it out, if your electronics works, ill be picking your brains

 

[Gman666]

So kinda like the Green Goblin's eyes in Spider-man. When he is talking to Peter they roll back. Not the same thing. I know we are talking about the entire face but kinda the same with servos. Tower has a ton for RC planes, trains, and automobiles
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/WTI0095P?FVSEARCH=servo

Greg

Edit. Crap I just used Fettster's link. I have never heard of them before. Nice find.

 

[Bigrfoot]

i would like the one push button operation but i couldnt figure it out, if your electronics works, ill be picking your brains

On the flip side... yours sure would make troubleshooting the mechanics easier. I may end up with both.. LOL. One to test, the other once it's all dialed in.

I discovered that there are also "Low profile" servos available... they are still a little taller than the "Pico" size ones I posted before, about .9 instead of .6 inches tall. They have about 7X the pull though.

I'll have to experiment with the helmet and see what's going to fit (Or not). My plan is to cut some wood blocks to the size of the servos (+ some) and stick them inside the helmet with double sided tape and see if I can still get it on.

Another option would be to mount the servos in the back (Or side, or top, or wherever fits, then use a cable system (http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXD861&P=7 ) to drive a bellcrank ( http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXDF04&P=ML ) at the right location. If room is that tight, I may go that route.... only one servo to drive both sides then. (One servo can push 2 cables.)

 

[Deathbird]

Bigfoot,

I am curious, did you ever get this working?
I really like your kinematics design. It first pushes the visor out to clear it moorings, then raises it up to a nice high rest position. Nicely done !!

I am thinking of powering it with a Hitek HS-55 low profile servo (or 2)
Specs:
Torque: 15.27 / 18.05 oz.in (4.8v/6v) 1.1 / 1.3 kg.cm
Size: 0.89" x 0.45" x 0.94"

You think this is strong enough to push/pull it? I guess I'll know soon enough when they finally arrive :love

Also I will be controlling it via a DPDT / Momentary On switch hot-modded to reverse polarity depending on the direction pushed (Think Power window in a car)

Anyway, tell me what you think...

Regards,

Phillip

 

[weaselflinger]

Thanks for the compliment Bigrfoot and good luck with the project!