Answers.Body: <p>The simplest solution I can currently think of is to use a linear actuator to push the buttons down because they are compact, strong, and have a lot of pushing force.</p>
  
  <p>You can either have one actuator per button or use worm gears to finely move the actuator over each button. This would have to move in both the X and Y direction however because the buttons are in a grid, which is a little more complicated but possible.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2019-04-19T05:05:18.080Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2019-04-19T09:50:24.530Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2019-04-19T09:50:24.530Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: TechnicTechnician
Body: <p>I have a small remote control like device with about 11 buttons. The centers of each button are placed about 1.1cm apart, and each are about 0.7cm in diameter (this means about 0.4cm between the edges).</p>
  
  <p>For various reasons, I'd like to use LEGO Technic to build a mechanism that can press these buttons.</p>
  
  <p>What is a basic approach I can use to build this?</p>
  
  <p>I've only got a few Lego parts on hand to experiment, and not enough to do anything with, so it's mainly been a mental exercise. Before I go out to buy more, I'd really appreciate some direction in what I can do, so I know what to purchase.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-01-09T08:43:17.807Z
Comments.Text: Hi @tamsanh! A few questions to clarify: Are the buttons arranged in a grid, along a line or in a different pattern? Could you post a picture of this device? Are you looking for a mechanism to press any given button on demand (as in a LEGO remote for your non-LEGO remote) or rather program a sequence to press automatically?
Comments.UserDisplayName: zovits
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-01-26T14:17:17.290Z
Comments.Text: Hi @zovits! They are aligned in a grid for the most part, with two buttons slightly offset. The sequence in which they would be pressed will be arbitrary. The plan is to send data to a controller to press whatever combination is required at whatever time.
Comments.UserDisplayName: tamsanh
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-01-27T17:50:42.323Z
Comments.Text: In that case, you can use any 2 axis system (X-Y or polar, but the first is more suitable for the grid arrangement) to position a "finger" above the correct button and a third motor to move the "finger" to press the button it is hovering over. In order to position the "finger" correctly, I'd recommend investing in a Mindstorms set, either the NXT or the EV3 variant contains motors with built-in encoders that allow for precise positioning. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask them, I'm curious what will you build!
Comments.UserDisplayName: zovits
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-01-29T16:46:15.743Z
Comments.Text: Hey @zovits, thanks for the tip. To be honest, I already have a CNC like machine, and it has been subpar in its performance, hence my wish to move to direct actuation. Perhaps that will have to be a separate topic, haha.
Comments.UserDisplayName: tamsanh
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-01-29T16:49:51.523Z
Comments.Text: What do you mean by "direct actuation"? Do you wish to have a separate actuator for each button? That would require either 11 actuators or some kind of demultiplexer, be it a mechanical switch (akin to a gearbox) or a pneumatical system with 11 pistons and the corresponding number of valves (and of course their actuators).
Comments.UserDisplayName: zovits
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-01-29T16:53:04.363Z
Comments.Text: Or, if you are willing to stretch the definition of "remote control", you can have a separate pneumatic hose to each of the 11 pistons (plus one to pull the pistons back), and you could set up your side of the remote control with 11 corresponding pistons. But that would get messy and costly soon (but still way cheaper than setting up 11 motors and still simpler than building and controlling a demultiplexer with 11 outputs).
Comments.UserDisplayName: zovits
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2019-01-29T16:56:06.300Z
Comments.Text: But I still don't exactly get your use case. Do you want to 1) press a button on your remote and this contraption should push the corresponding button immediately, or 2) press a button on your side and the device should press a pre-programmed sequence of buttons, or 3) build an interface that you can electronically control and pushes buttons on the specified input, or 4) something else?
Comments.UserDisplayName: zovits
Tags: <technic><building><motor>
Title: I'd like to build a mechanism to press buttons on a remote control. What is a good basic approach to use?
UserDisplayName: tamsanh
ThreadText: # I'd like to build a mechanism to press buttons on a remote control. What is a good basic approach to use?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-09)
  
  I have a small remote control like device with about 11 buttons. The centers of each button are placed about 1.1cm apart, and each are about 0.7cm in diameter (this means about 0.4cm between the edges).
  
  For various reasons, I'd like to use LEGO Technic to build a mechanism that can press these buttons.
  
  What is a basic approach I can use to build this?
  
  I've only got a few Lego parts on hand to experiment, and not enough to do anything with, so it's mainly been a mental exercise. Before I go out to buy more, I'd really appreciate some direction in what I can do, so I know what to purchase.
  
  **Tags:** technic, building, motor
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Hi @tamsanh! A few questions to clarify: Are the buttons arranged in a grid, along a line or in a different pattern? Could you post a picture of this device? Are you looking for a mechanism to press any given button on demand (as in a LEGO remote for your non-LEGO remote) or rather program a sequence to press automatically?  
  > **username_0**: Hi @zovits! They are aligned in a grid for the most part, with two buttons slightly offset. The sequence in which they would be pressed will be arbitrary. The plan is to send data to a controller to press whatever combination is required at whatever time.  
  > **username_1**: In that case, you can use any 2 axis system (X-Y or polar, but the first is more suitable for the grid arrangement) to position a "finger" above the correct button and a third motor to move the "finger" to press the button it is hovering over. In order to position the "finger" correctly, I'd recommend investing in a Mindstorms set, either the NXT or the EV3 variant contains motors with built-in encoders that allow for precise positioning. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask them, I'm curious what will you build!  
  > **username_0**: Hey @zovits, thanks for the tip. To be honest, I already have a CNC like machine, and it has been subpar in its performance, hence my wish to move to direct actuation. Perhaps that will have to be a separate topic, haha.  
  > **username_1**: What do you mean by "direct actuation"? Do you wish to have a separate actuator for each button? That would require either 11 actuators or some kind of demultiplexer, be it a mechanical switch (akin to a gearbox) or a pneumatical system with 11 pistons and the corresponding number of valves (and of course their actuators).  
  > **username_1**: Or, if you are willing to stretch the definition of "remote control", you can have a separate pneumatic hose to each of the 11 pistons (plus one to pull the pistons back), and you could set up your side of the remote control with 11 corresponding pistons. But that would get messy and costly soon (but still way cheaper than setting up 11 motors and still simpler than building and controlling a demultiplexer with 11 outputs).  
  > **username_1**: But I still don't exactly get your use case. Do you want to 1) press a button on your remote and this contraption should push the corresponding button immediately, or 2) press a button on your side and the device should press a pre-programmed sequence of buttons, or 3) build an interface that you can electronically control and pushes buttons on the specified input, or 4) something else?  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2019-04-19. Score: 1
  
  The simplest solution I can currently think of is to use a linear actuator to push the buttons down because they are compact, strong, and have a lot of pushing force.
  
  You can either have one actuator per button or use worm gears to finely move the actuator over each button. This would have to move in both the X and Y direction however because the buttons are in a grid, which is a little more complicated but possible.
  
  
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