Toa Mata Piston theorie.

[Petewa]

 

Okay, here's my theory, as the piston on the back of the limb pulls in, the one on the front pulls out, causing the leg to bend at the knee, and the arm to bend at the elbow my theory is that the pistons are muscles.

 

Now, I apply this theory to the torsos, if the pistons are muscles, then they allow the Toa to bend at the waist:

 

Here is my poor-quality illustration of the theory:

Whaddaya think? Is it possible, or am I crazy?

Edited September 2, 2015 by Petewa

[Makuta Luroka]

Well that is how muscles work, so it is possible that those actuators are their muscles.

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

seems about right, those pistons weren't just put there for useless greeble after all. :u

 

(similarly: the pistons on the mata and metru foot, plust the accordian on the rahkshi foot, are there to make the toes bend and allow realistic footwork to occur, theoretically of course.)

 

EDIT:  oh, and the Mata-torso-side-pistons do the same, left piston out, right piston in, and vice-versa.

Edited September 2, 2015 by Rahkshi Lalonde

[Petewa]

seems about right, those pistons weren't just put there for useless greeble after all. :u

 

(similarly: the pistons on the mata and metru foot, plust the accordian on the rahkshi foot, are there to make the toes bend and allow realistic footwork to occur, theoretically of course.)

 

EDIT:  oh, and the Mata-torso-side-pistons do the same, left piston out, right piston in, and vice-versa.

Aside from MoLtoran and Gen2 doesn't every bonkle torso have those side pistons?

 

Edited September 2, 2015 by Petewa

[Rahkshi Lalonde]

yep, and they seem to always serve some functional purpose, if not far enough down to be waist, then they seem to drive shoulder movement. o:

[Mailli]

Pistons push more than they pull, unlike muscles. But otherwise yeah, Toa can bend at the waist.

[Petewa]

Pistons push more than they pull, unlike muscles. But otherwise yeah, Toa can bend at the waist.

Well then, rather than pulling, one piston decreases the amount it is pushing whilst the other one increases.

[Mailli]

 

Pistons push more than they pull, unlike muscles. But otherwise yeah, Toa can bend at the waist.

Well then, rather than pulling, one piston decreases the amount it is pushing whilst the other one increases.

 

Exactly.

 

I wonder what fluid the pistons use? I doubt its steam because it feels silly that they would have exhaust fumes. It could be oil, but I think it's some biomechanical fluid that's their equivalent of blood, probably based off liquid protodermis.

[NickonAquaMagna]

I was thinking about this stuff back in 2001...

[Petewa]

I was thinking about this stuff back in 2001...

Well, I was barely a year old bak in '01, so I'm gonna use that as an excuse as to why I'm only just now thinking about this stuff.

[NickonAquaMagna]

M'kay.

[Dralcax]

Not sure what they would be doing on this

 

 

But yeah, the pistons are clearly some sort of hydraulic.

[Toa Imrukii]

It is perhaps just there to assist physical movement, or those are their main form of movement in the direction, and the other organic bits just help for lesser movement. I mean you kind of need to move your torso quickly for combat, and in other activities.

[Toa of Ice - 1987]

Not sure what they would be doing on this

 

 

But yeah, the pistons are clearly some sort of hydraulic.

 

The pistons most likely push downwards for supporting the legs on the balljoint end i.e. it grants the vahki leg strength needed to keep running after criminals for long periods without falling over easily, and on arms it's probably used to stregthen arm support on physically strong characters when heavy weapons like axes are swung in combat. (hewkii inika is a good example with his big axe nuparu and so is hahli inika laser harpoon and matoros heavy sword)

Edited September 3, 2015 by ---Kopaka Nuva---

[Mailli]

Not sure what they would be doing on this

 

 

But yeah, the pistons are clearly some sort of hydraulic.

They might even just be shock absorbers when it seems unnatural that the limb would move in that direction.

[Petewa]

Not sure what they would be doing on this

 

 

But yeah, the pistons are clearly some sort of hydraulic.

IDK, wrist articulation?

[TuragaNuva]

 

Not sure what they would be doing on this

 

 

But yeah, the pistons are clearly some sort of hydraulic.

 

IDK, wrist articulation?

I think the point being made was that those were originally used as legs, which don't bend like that. Arms are a different matter.

[Petewa]

 

 

Not sure what they would be doing on this

 

 

But yeah, the pistons are clearly some sort of hydraulic.

IDK, wrist articulation?

I think the point being made was that those were originally used as legs, which don't bend like that. Arms are a different matter.

 

Weird, mine do.

[TuragaNuva]

 

 

 

Not sure what they would be doing on this

 

But yeah, the pistons are clearly some sort of hydraulic.

 

IDK, wrist articulation?

I think the point being made was that those were originally used as legs, which don't bend like that. Arms are a different matter.

Weird, mine do.

I suppose they do it you look at it as the ankle bending. I saw it as motion in the middle of the calf. Edited September 4, 2015 by TuragaNuva

[Petewa]

 

 

 

 

Not sure what they would be doing on this

 

But yeah, the pistons are clearly some sort of hydraulic.

IDK, wrist articulation?

I think the point being made was that those were originally used as legs, which don't bend like that. Arms are a different matter.

Weird, mine do.

I suppose they do it you look at it as the ankle bending. I saw it as motion in the middle of the calf.

 

There's also the fact that Vahki are alien robots built by alien robots to enforce the law, they don't necessarily need to have the same kind of articulation as a human.

[TuragaNuva]

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure what they would be doing on this

But yeah, the pistons are clearly some sort of hydraulic.

 

IDK, wrist articulation?

I think the point being made was that those were originally used as legs, which don't bend like that. Arms are a different matter.

Weird, mine do.

I suppose they do it you look at it as the ankle bending. I saw it as motion in the middle of the calf.

There's also the fact that Vahki are alien robots built by alien robots to enforce the law, they don't necessarily need to have the same kind of articulation as a human.

Oh... Right, hadn't thought about that . I'm fact, it'd probably be a useful point of articulation when in their quadrupedal mode.

 

Regardless, I do like this idea about the pistons. I'd always figured they were (usually) placed in such a way that they'd move with nearby joints, but I never thought they might be the driving force of that motion.

[Cheesy Mac n Cheese]

I don't know if I'd call them "muscles." Every source I've ever seen says that the organic tissue is mostly under the armor.

 

What I would say, however, is that those may be there to hold the armor together during movement, and to keep it flexible, and perhaps absorb shock. I don't know all that much about mechanics, but I know enough to infer things.

 

And don't bother asking Greg about this. It's already been done, and I think his answer was something along the lines of "No idea, that's a question for a set designer."