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One of my current stories is set in a world that has recently started making mechanical arm replacements and exosuits. they are starting to use metal because wood is not as good for making gears. the problem I’m stuck on at the moment is how do they power the arms, and how are they controlled, there’s not much point having a mechanical arm to replace one you lost if you cant control it like a normal arm.
they have no electrical power, and I don’t know hoe magnets would help. you could use pressurized air or other gas or clock work to power it, but the only thing i’ve thought of as far as controlling it is to not mention how they work at all.
@DAEUS I know you had mechanical arms in one of your books. do you have any suggestions?@Gideon-sowdon *taps fingers against keyboard, trying to figure what words are*
We-ell. Erm, I guess one way would be just not to mention how it works. I had a mechanical thing once too, and I never considered how it worked, because my brain never considered it until now. 😛 In ‘I, Robot’, they never mention how the MC’s mechanical arm runs, nor in Star Wars, and Luke’s hand.
However, if you are specifically working for a logical way to make it work, then I do have a few ideas that popped into my head.
I suggest Hydraulics. I just learned about in science. Look it up and see what you think. It powers diggers and cranes, so I don’t see why it can’t be used on a smaller level for an arm or a leg. Or, instead of water works, then their Is also air, or you could use oil because its smoother movement. On the other hand, there is electricity, and I doubt that you want to use nuclear power. *cheerily submits, because now I feel like a genius* 😛 😉☀ ☀ ☀ ENFP ☀ ☀ ☀
@dragon-snapper thanks for that. hydraulics is probably the best solution, but there is still the problem with being able to control it. I had been thinking of coming up with some thing that gives rotor motion, but that wouldn’t be as good. with hydraulics I would think you would need a pump or something.
@gideon-sowdon This probably wouldn’t work and you’d need to do more research to make it sound scientific, but it might be possible to have some sort of chemical that reacts to brain signals, expanding and shrinking to move the arm with a complex system of parts worked by air pressure. It might at least sound convincing.
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thanks @Daeus I’ll look in to it.
@gideon-sowdon Mechanical arms and legs actually already exist to some extent… The technology probably isn’t sophisticated as the technology in your world, but I’ve honestly been surprised by how sophisticated the technology currently is. I’d research what people currently use to power them.
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus. Guiding authors at Story Embers.
@aratrea I would expect they would use electricity for a power source, which these people don’t have. and every thing i’ve found about controlling them gets the signals straight from the brain, something they probably wouldn’t be able to do with no electrical power.
@gideon-sowdon Oh–haha. This is what happens when you skim a forum post–you miss the important line that says they don’t have electricity. >.< Going for some sort of chemical reaction sounds like the best route then.
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus. Guiding authors at Story Embers.
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