The problem with getting a good fighting mecha is that the response time on getting your arms and legs to move is incredibly slow. So you need to be like the ninja and have a constant spin added to the joints.

Let's take the elbow as an example. In the current form a robot arm has a motor mounted to a shaft to extend or withdraw the forearm. It recieves a signal then has to draw power from the system to apply force. I see having 2 smaller counterrotating motors that are constantly spinning. There is a clutchplate mounted in between. This smaller distance would allow the response time to be lessened since the motor already has power and momentum you just need to apply it's force somewhere.

I see using electric motors with a hydraulic clutch that would operate like the automatic transmission in your car. If someone can figure out a magnetic clutch so that the mechanical bits don't get shredded, that would be nice.

The system would be horribly inefficient as your power requirements are always high rather than only when needed. Another drawback could be the gyroscopic effect caused by having counterrotating objects mounted at every joint. Although it might improve stability.
-- hypergiaphobia, Sep 13 2006

Cough, splutter, grease. http://www.ericclar.../smokingrobot75.gif
What wags maybe on about [skinflaps, Sep 14 2006]

I thought mech suits used synthetic muscles.
-- Galbinus_Caeli, Sep 14 2006


Cytron 493 removed a rolling paper from the packet and used a small pair of scissors that emerged from its wrist to trim one side to size. It grabbed exactly one gram of tobacco and deposited it evenly into the paper, leaving it slightly fatter at one end. A tiny metal sphincter opened it the tip of its steel index finger, from which it dusted 100mg of pure THC. A small square of cardboard for a roach was placed at the thinner end of the paper. With a single deft movement the paper, tobacco, THC and cardboard was rolled into a conical tube and sealed with a precise spray of water. The finished product was put to the robot's mouth and lit with a flame that jumped out of the little finger before it burned down to the roach in one drag, the smoke being pulled straight through the robot's THC processor.

The entire process took 4.62 seconds.
-- wagster, Sep 14 2006


The robot then delivered a series of very fast hits?
-- Shz, Sep 14 2006


Cytron 493 then mounted his heavily modified Chrysler Tomahawk (link), his red LED eyes seemed to shine slightly brighter.
With mecha precision Cytron 493 exploded onto the street in a thunderous roar. Cytron 493 pondered going to Vegas to marry this Tom, but no, Cy computed - to MechaTech. Cytron 493 parked the bike in front of MechaTech, its brake discs glowing a dull orange. Cy hoped Posibot 12 was there, but didn't see Posi's ride.
Inside a blur of motion from hopped up droids jamming to mechatechno caused Cy to pause scanning for Posibot 12.
Maybe Posi's at a different High Speed Robot Joint tonight, thought Cy with an electronic sigh.
Synth & Sand, Cy wi-fi'd the barbot.
-- Zimmy, Sep 14 2006


Oh my God, you guys are funny... High-speed Robot Joints...Nice. One of my favorite sets of comments form the 'bakery. Right up there with "The Electrocution Alarm Clock: No matter what time you set it for, you'll be late."

Wait, I'm the first commentator since September 14, 2006! Wierd...It's like living in the future!
-- TahuNuva, Nov 22 2007


Cytron 493's positronic brain waves cascaded around as it though what to do. He got back on his Tomahawk. I know where she'll be, thought Cy. She's with that other robot. The tires squealed as Cy sped away from MechaTech. As angrily as a robot can be, but without murder on his positronic mind (He was, after all, a robot), Cy rocketed down the interstate, seeing the halogen-infused lights blur past like laser beams. His mind raced as fast as his bike. He turned off onto the next highway and flew across a bridge, shaking the antigrav units he knew were levitating him. He noticed some kind of light behind him. A voice echoed from his speakers. "Stop your vehicle." Corresponiding with the Third Law of Robotics, Cy followed the order. "Do you know why I stopped you?" said the voice. "No," said Cy. "You were going 340 miles an hour in a 300 mile an hour zone," said the officer. "No!" said Cy.

A short trial later, Cytron 493 was found guilty of 13 counts of reckless driving and 7 counts of drug use. He was then thrown in the High-Speed Robot Joint for 15 robot years. "Shame," said the officer, "These robots seem to be breaking every law we have." "No, said the judge, "They can't harm a human being, or cause us to come to harm. They're the best thing we have right now. I just wish they didn't hit so fast, you know?"
-- TahuNuva, Nov 22 2007


I'm not at all sure about the physics of this.

If the motors are "small", then they won't store very much energy by constantly spinning, and you won't gain much advantage: a small motor spins up very quickly, and has little rotational intertia compared to the limb it has to move. So, no advantage in keeping the motors spinning.

You could, however, have each motor driving a heavy flywheel. In this case, you would indeed have a "store" of rotational energy ready to be drawn upon by engaging the relevant clutch. However, if you're going to have heavy flywheels, why not just make the motors beefier instead? The overall power consumption will be less, and beefier motors will give you most of the instantaneous force you want.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 22 2007



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