Animatronic Arm for Kids

Seen this paper toy somewhere on the net. Finally found it with Robives.

Robives link: https://www.instructables.com/member/robives/

Made this instructable as a part of teaching students the first step on animatronic. How the different parts of drive by wire works.

How they can control something away from them with simple mechanisms.

Templates have been provided at the end of this instructable. Print them out.

You also need a pair of scissors and some glue.

Invert the print and mark the vertical lines as these lines will help in gluing the things.

Cut out the rectangular part. Cut and remove the thin wedge kind of thing. Finally your paper will look like a fish bone.

Fold the flaps. Flaps on one side should be mountain fold and the flaps on the other side will be valley folds. Here the markings will help.

Use the small marker on the flap for applying the glue. Make sure the lines align while sticking. Don't press the bulge. The bulge should remain. This makes the body.

Now invert and glue the other side flaps in the same way as in previous step to make a round body.

For making the controllers cut out 2 of the strips provided in the template. Slide them through the body and stick on the middle frame. Make sure not to glue it totally. Just a little glue and stick on the end. Rest of the strip should be free.

This part is not that important. But gives it a good look. Cit the grippers. Glue them to the end where the strips have been glued. You are ready to test now.

After everything is dried up, try pulling on the strips at the end.

You will see that you can control the movement of your gripper by controlling the strips.

I provide my students with a circular graph paper to test if they can reach each and every cell on the paper just by controlling the contraption from far.

Template and calibration sheet are provided as pdf.