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Thauma-powered artificial limb- Wing

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Description

EDIT: Along with updating the image with a cleaner and more organized drawing, I have also wrote out a more detailed mechanical description of the function and parts of this wing.

I wanted to get this done before I leave for vacation (I'll be gone a few days by the way) so that y'all would have something to munch on, but then... well, the fact that I know nothing about engineering really became obvious. SO MANY HOURS OF RESEARCH, AND I BARELY LEARNED ANYTHING! xD Hopefully something makes sense; it is currently 3:20 AM, and I am not awake in any sense of the word.

There's certain elements I don't have diagram out (mostly time reasons, but also because they actually deal with other areas of headcanon that I plan on posting about later). Once I get back from the trip, I'll post a verbal description explaining this stuff in better detail. (I'll also get a better picture)

Once I write up the more technical explanation of this, I'll update. Until then, FAREWELL, YOU AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!!! 8D 

 

DESCRIPTION:

    The thauma-powered artificial Pegasus wing is a mechanized prosthetic for Pegasi who have, for whatever reason, lost use of their wings. It is primarily powered by a gem battery (a majority of gems are essentially magic condensed into a physical form), and is actually controlled via the pony’s native magivascular leyline system (the network of magical pathways through the body) in a way not dissimilar to how a unicorn uses his or her horn.

    In order to initiate movement of the wings, the pony in question must concentrate on the idea of them moving and mentally reach out, instead of trying to use their muscle memory. (This particular model is not linked to the nervous system.) This is often a difficult task, especially for ponies with weaker magivascular leyline systems as it takes more effort to have an effect, but with practice the need to focus on the wings diminishes and they can be operated unconsciously and more complexly.

    The main body of the wings is permanently attached to the spine of the wearer, and has several points of attachment to the flesh. Three straps help reduce stress on the attachment points and increase stability. These straps extend to the tail, wrap around the underbelly, and hook up around the neck. (The latter two are connected by a central strap across the barrel of the pony.)


    1- The battery compartment is situated centrally on the main body, between and just above the shoulder blades. The cap has two grooves, one accessible to a hoof and the other to a screwdriver-like tool. These allow the cap to be screwed off, exposing the battery.

            The battery itself is a cylinder with two metal end-caps encasing a gem (the source of the wings’ internal power). This gem is connected to two main lines- an output, and an input. The output leads to contactors, which then lead to the gem motors that move the joints of the wings. The input comes directly from the pony themselves; it taps into the pony’s natural energy reservoir to power the gem itself if need be, and also serves to keep the wavelength of the energy within the mechanical wings the same as that of the pony. (In the case that the gem itself ran out of energy, the wings can tap directly into the body’s life magic for energy and still run, however this is dangerous and anything more than a short-term use of this source is extremely dangerous, and should only be done in emergencies. It drains the body’s natural magic, which can be a life-threatening condition.) This is why it is important to regularly replace the battery every few months or so- losing power thousands of feet in the air is less than ideal.

            2- The shoulder is the most complex element of the design, needing to be able to not only rotate around every axis, but also needing to be able to bear the weight and strain of a flying pony. The entire joint is situated within a socket, and is comprised of concentric hemispheres on horizontal motorized axis (a) (b), and a roller bearing embedded with a vertical motorized axis (c). Hemisphere (a) sets into the socket, and is held in place by two motorized axis on the lateral and medial sides, allowing the shoulder to rock forward and backwards. Hemisphere (b) sets into a hollow groove in hemisphere (a) and is held in place by motorized axis on the rostral and caudal sides. This hemisphere allows the shoulder to tilt inward and outward. The roller bearing (c) sets on top of the circumference of hemisphere (a) and is fitted into the remaining volume of the socket of the shoulder. It has a circular depression concentric to its circumference that allows object (d) to fit into it. Bolts hold bearing (c) and object (d) fixedly together. Bearing (c) also has an opening on the bottom, where the vertical motorized axis fits. This same axis is anchored to hemisphere (b). The roller bearing allows the shoulder to swivel and change direction.

            The gem motors work through their gems. When energy is focused through a faceted gem, it forms a beam of that energy that follows a wavelength. Different gem cuts have different wavelengths, and different types of gems alter the beams to different intensities. The motors are embedded with receiver gems which absorb energy beams and transfer it into electrical energy which then turns the motor (and by extension, the axis). Output gems situated in the perimeter of the shoulder socket pulse the energy waves inward to the axial motors in order to activate them and make the shoulder move. Each corresponding set of output and receiver gems have their own cut, so as to prevent confusion among the motors and the wrong motors moving at any given time. The output gems receive their energy directly from wires connected to contactors near the battery compartment.

            The contactors are where the energy from the battery is distributed to the proper areas of motorization along the wing. It receives the energy from the battery, and receives impulses from the magivascular system it is directly hooked up to via special sensor nodes embedded into the pony’s back. When the pony ‘wills’ the wing to move in a particular way, the contactor responds by routing the battery energy current along that specific pathway to the motors needed to move in the expected way, and for the required length of time and strength of current. The contactors are fitted with lower-tier* enchanted gems that translate the impulses to move the wing a certain way into the correct combination of motor actions.

            3- The upper arm of the wing itself fits its proximal end into the space of object (d). In there, it is securely bolted and enforced by a triangular support, which is also bolted to object (d). The shaft of the upper arm is hollow, and filled with alternating crisscrossed support beams. Cables also run through and connect themselves to the thaumaturgic-hydraulic cylinder (4). This portion of the wing is not jointed.

            4- The thaumaturgic-hydraulic cylinder is what moves the elbow (5) of the wing. The barrel of the cylinder is filled with a magic-laced polarized liquid that, when exposed to a live magical energy current, it becomes very excited and expands with great force. The expansion of the liquid pushes the piston upward, extending the elbow of the wing. The liquid settles instantly once cut off from the current, and a spring pushes the piston back down, thus flexing the elbow (5) of the wing.

            5- The elbow of the wing is a limited joint, only able to flex and extend, and has a range of 155 degrees. The articulations are powered by the thaumaturgic-hydraulic cylinder.

            6- The ‘wrist’ of the wing is comprised of several layers of parts between two metal protective disks (e) (i). Two gears (f) (g) allow for radial and ulnar deviation of the wrist joint, and by extension, the folding and spreading of the primary ‘feathers’. Gear (g) is inside the lower arm shaft, and interlocks with gear (f), which is firmly attached to a cushion disk, which is attached to support (h). A small gem motor rotates gear (g), and is powered by wires extending through the shafts from the shoulder. A single thick axis runs through all the layers of the wrist, and is tightly capped off on either end.

 

            This particular design is for pegasi who have had severe damage to the majority of both their wings/were born without wings (however, unicorns and earth ponies can also use it, technically [more on that later]). Other variations exist that are modified for use when a portion of the limb is still existent. Transradial prosthesis (the wing is missing after the elbow) is a much simpler model that only requires the wrist and primaries, and some secondary feathers. It does not require a battery, as it can safely draw from the magivascular leyline system that flows through the wing naturally (though the user still has to watch their energy levels so as to not exhaust themselves.).

            The more difficult prosthesis is below the elbow, as the stump interferes with the set-up of the mechanisms. A majority of pegasi in this position opt to have the stump entirely amputated, since it is easier and cheaper to use the main model instead of designing a particular set-up around what is left of the wing. The most common variation of this model of mechanical wing is the half-model, one that only has one mech wing. It is basically the same, except that the battery is off-center, and that the body of the mechanism wraps around the base of the healthy wing instead of covering the area.

            Other types of prosthetic wings exist (in particular, myoelectric prosthetics), however these are less commonly used as the procedure is more painful and invasive. Furthermore, thauma-powered prosthetic wings can be even more precise than myoelectric ones once the wearer becomes accustomed enough to them. The biggest hurdle that ponies have with thauma-powered wings is the mental aspect, as it can be a steep learning curve to overcome (unicorns are generally an exception to this, as they manipulate magic and energy consciously all the time). Another factor in the popularity of the thauma-powered model is that it came out before myoelectric models were invented.

            Later models of the wing would learn to channel the natural Pegasus magic into the feathers of the wings, greatly decreasing the difficulty of flight and reducing drag and energy usage. Eventually, more streamline and natural designs will be made that utilize plastics and synthetics, imitating real wings more closely.

 

*tiers of magic refer to how many magical manipulations and/or functions must be enacted at a time to cast a particular spell. A lower-tier spell requires very few functions to be successful (basic levitation, for example), whereas a multi-tier spell would require multiple sequential manipulations to be successful (teleportation, transformation, time spells, etc.). 




Whew boy. If you managed to read all the way through all this down to hear, then, well, you deserve a cupcake. And if you actually understood what I wrote, then well... you deserve a masters in something, because I barely know what I wrote! (My lack of engineering knowledge is showing so much right now, haha!) xD  I'm real sleepy now though, so I'll be seeing you guys soon! Have a FANTASTIC night! Or day. How about both? That sounds good to me. :meow:

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Comments16
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jghgrh's avatar
Wow,this is amazing.