Help me build a better killer tentacle :)

[brannfenix]

I know there are some really talented people out here to brain storm with and I was wondering if anyone could toss their two cents in.


I am working on a prop that has tentacles and I need to figure out the best way to get them to move.  My first draft included using vinyl hose inside of a small fabric tentacle sock like design.  The hose is hooked up to a solenoid and a prop-1 which randomly cycles the solenoid at ~80psi to give it that wild flailing motion I need.  I used some tape to obstruct the end of the hose sorta like a rocket nozzle to  give the house more energy when it flails.  This works, but has a few draw backs:


1.  It is loud with the hose hissing on and off at like 80psi :(
2.  The hose can not lift a very heavy load when flailing.  I have problems with scaling of the tentacle when it is too large it has almost no motion.
3.  The rig is not super mobile since it requires and air source Vs using power for motors.
4.  It would need massive amounts of air to power a bunch of tentacles at 80psi...


Ok... with that said does anyone have any suggests to improve my design path assuming that is my best bet.  I am open to totally scrapping everything I have if someone has a better idea :)

Thanks,
-Brann

[menehune]

Could you use a linear actuator or motor to pull a length of aircraft cable attached to the end of the hose?  With three or four cables, you could make the tentacle move in almost any direction and lift loads.  Think of how your body's muscles move your arms and fingers and how remote controlled mirrors on cars work-there is a motor inside the door which pulls cables to tilt the mirror up, down, left right.

They do have "muscle wires" but those are slow acting and require huge amounts of current to draw the wire shorter.
http://www.musclewires.com/nitinolsprings.shtml