CGTalk - Robot Head Cable -chain set-up

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redkid one

12-28-2006, 09:23 PM

Hiya - I've been bashing my head for a few hours now trying to get a decent set-up for the cable on my robot. Basically, the cable runs from the back of the head into a backpack. What I'd like it to do is simply flex as the head and backpack rotate towards and away from each other, like the pipe on a vacuum cleaner or something. I've tried using a hair follicle setup driving a spline IK, but the tip end of the follicle never remains 'plugged in' to the hair constraint - it aims at the constraint but doen't inherit any of it's rotation, so the follicle orbits around the constraint but never feels attached.

Is there any way of locking in the end of a hair follicle? Or if anyone has a better idea of how I should set this up?

ooz

01-02-2007, 02:36 PM

ok i havent tried this before but its making sense in my head.
create a spline ik for the cable. create two clusters, one for the first cv, one for the last. then parent the cluster next to the head to the head geometry, and the one next to the pack to the pack geometry. now these clusters will move with the motion of the head or pack creating a deforming cable.

again, i havent tried this, but it makes sense to me, it might work.

Y

chiax2

01-03-2007, 05:27 PM

yeah stretchy ik chain with softbody or hair to drive it will work fine..
another way is create a wire deformer tool.

cheers,
Chia

redkid one

01-10-2007, 12:05 PM

Cheers for the suggestions guys! in the end, I've managed to do it with a standard RPSolver, just not skinning the joints near each end to get a smooth run into the plug. Think I'll probably use some softbodies to get a wee bit of shake into the cable, though...

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