From: fsmar@acad3.alaska.edu
Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Subject: TECH: The "spinning things" in Lawnmower Man
Date: 26 Dec 92 21:18:28 GMT
Article-I.D.: shelley.1hp8gtINNf7e
Organization: University of Alaska Fairbanks
NNTP-Posting-Host: stein.u.washington.edu
Originator: hlab@stein.u.washington.edu



In article <1992Dec22.072335.23257@u.washington.edu>, "Andrew Longhorn
(Vac Scholar)" <Andrew.Longhorn@cs.anu.edu.au> writes:

> Is there a standard mechanical guideline for making those spinning
> things you stand in like on "the lawnmower man"?
> 
> I was just wondering if there was some tried and true design that all
> builders follow or whether anyone building them goes and does it any
> way they think will work.
> 
> I know they have been around for a long time and I don't want to
> re-invent this sort of thing, but I could think of two basic
> approaches:
> 
> ***************************
> *            |            *
> *       ***********       *
> *      *           *      *
> *     *  *********  *     *
> *    *  *    |    *  *    *
> *   *  *  *******  *  *   *
> *  *  *  *   O   *  *  *  *
> *  *  *  *  /|\  *  *  *  *
> *  *--*  * / | \ *  *--*  *
> *  *  *  *  / \  *  *  *  *
> *  *  *  * /   \ *  *  *  *
> *   *  *  *******  *  *   *
> *    *  *    |    *  *    *
> *     *  *********  *     *
> *      *           *      *
> *       ***********       *
> *            |            *
> ***************************
> 
> And a slightly different one where some of the pivoting joints are
> tilted at 45 degrees to the ground.
> 
> Am I wrong when I suspect that most combinations can produce the same
> movements?
> 
> Are there any references anyone can point me towards on this subject?
> Tech-reports, papers, books, etc.

I was in Portland OR. last oct. and went to the OMSI (Oregon museum of
science and industry) and they had a similar device on display, it was
set up as a kind of ride but unfortunately it needed a part fixed to
be operational and i live in alaska.

it was desinged as a system of rings that when you where straped in
you could swivel in 360 degress of movement, it had no power to it, so
you were on you own to get it moving...

i was thinking you could hook it up to a computer system, run moters
and gears to the rings, hook it up with a headset and data gloves and
be in buisiness...

the ring set up was bought from a local athletic store (i have the
phone number at home somethere) and the price was around 4000$ not bad
if you ask me..i'll get all the info i can on this thing and post a
more proffesional article when i get my stuff together and get some
time to put it together...give me a week or so..

if anybody knows of a system that is already put together..i'd like to
know about it..but as far as i know no one has and is trying to sell
them...  hmm...

Larry


[MODERATOR'S NOTE: At the recent IAAPA (amusement part association)
conference in Dallas, I saw at least three firms advertising and in
two cases demonstrating these ring devices.  They are not motor driven
or computer-controlled.  The "rider" provides the energy and the rings
respond like a gyroscope to rider movements.  Not very profound but
apparently relatively cheap and very profitable. -- Bob Jacobson]