Bannisters usually follow the exact incline slope of the stairs, and are intended to act as a hand hold when ascending. This presents many opportunities for invention, some of which have already been featured on the halfbakery. Bannister Tronics is another such idea. Here's what it's all about:
The first thing you will notice about a staircase equipped with Bannister Tronics is that running up one side of the stairs, attached to the wall at the top and bottom, is a continuous solid brass rod, one inch in diameter. This rod ascends from the bottom to the top, but not in the usual straight line. In fact, the rod wanders about to a significant degree, much like a wiggly line, but it never goes so high as to be out of reach.
The second thing you will notice is that there is a ring with a protruding handle hanging in place at the bottom end of the bannister. This is engineered with a small clearance between the ring and the bannister to enable it to be carried all the way to the top of the stairs while following the meandering contour. Touching the captured ring against the bannister does of course complete a circuit that delivers a penalty in the form of a hideous noise that blares from a set of powerful speakers. (other penalties can be pre selected from a control menu)
The traditional bannister has of course been modified to become that famous "hoop following a line" challenge that once featured in at least one TV game show.
In Bannister Tronics, once anyone engaging with the challenge has reached the top of the stairs, they leave the hoop there for the next person descending to try their luck.
Successful completion delivers a small reward in the form of loud frog sound along with a boiled, cellophane wrapped, sweet that rattles out of a slot on the wall into a metal tray.-- xenzag, Nov 15 2020 Dr. Rhein's Far Rockaway office same as it was in the 70s https://tinyurl.com/y2m4uydgI played with the firetruck then. So now I realize why I volunteered at 17 (in 1981) for the Israeli Rehovoth fire brigade and worked as a fireman while studying at University in Jerusalem. [pashute, Nov 18 2020] // a boiled cellophane wrapped sweet //
That doesn't sound very attractive, cellophane is very chewy and flavourless.
Is there an option to have the system dispense a cellophane-wrapped boiled sweet ? That would be rather more palatable ...
Presumably contact between the ring and the rail is detected by the conduction of an electrical current. Can you please elaborate on the available voltage and current in the rail ? Is it merely domestic mains voltage, or something more ... satisfactory ? We note particularly in this context your offer that "other penalties can be pre selected from a control menu" ...-- 8th of 7, Nov 15 2020 I put the menu choice item in to make you happy, and I just inserted two commas to deter your cellophane eating temptation.-- xenzag, Nov 15 2020 What a difference even one comma can make ... between "Have you eaten, Grandma ?" and "Have you eaten Grandma ?"-- 8th of 7, Nov 15 2020 In your case, there is always the possibility of you being the subject matter of the Grandma eating sentence, as in: "You have been sentenced to be eaten by your Grandmother"-- xenzag, Nov 15 2020 I think the touching of ring and bannisster should trigger the folding down of the stairs to present a smooth 45° slope.
And the reward could be a loud cellophane-wrapped boiled-sweet sound, and a frog being dispensed into a metal tray.-- pocmloc, Nov 15 2020 Be glad to install that variation as long as there's a nice outside pond for the frogs.-- xenzag, Nov 15 2020 // frogs //
Mmmm, Whizzo Quality Assortment, crunchy frog, mmmmmmm ....-- 8th of 7, Nov 16 2020 random, halfbakery