Thread: Wiring a dancing hamster to the RC
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Unread 07-12-2003, 19:08
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Wiring a dancing hamster to the RC
So, I found a dancing hamster named HAL that sings Mr. Roboto and looks like Robbie from Lost In Space. I think he's cute and I'd like to wire and bolt him to next year's robot and connect him to a giant "PANIC" button on the OI, just for fun.

My question is, how could I use the relay controls to control the hamster? He only has a little pushbutton switch in his foot. I think it'd be kind of bad for the batteries (3 AA, 4.5v) to simply connect the relay power to the hamster switch ground and the hamster power to the relay switch ground.

I thought about using an optoisolator (IR led + IR detector in a small black box, to keep two circuits apart from each other yet allow for signals to pass), but I've never used one before and don't want to build one from scratch. I know Victors have one in them to separate the regulated RC voltage from the battery voltage.

My last option that I've thought of is to use a servo to simply mash the hamster's foot to the top of the robot.

What do you guys think?
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Gui Cavalcanti

All-Purpose College Mentor with a Mechanical Specialty

Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Class of 2008