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From: rizzo@hogpb.ho.att.com (-A.RIZZO)
Subject: Re: Thermal printhead info wanted
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References: <3e1n26$6uk@coral.bucknell.edu>
Date: Fri, 30 Dec 1994 20:52:16 GMT
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Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu sci.engr.mech:10097 sci.electronics:113475 comp.robotics:16604

In article <3e1n26$6uk@coral.bucknell.edu>,  <rechnbch@bucknell.edu> wrote:
>	I need to build a recording element for use 
>on the end of a robot arm.  The purpose of 
>the element is to record the travel path of 
>the end of the arm(in a horizontal plane) on a piece 
>of paper attached to a flat surface.  Because the 
>motors of the robot are of low power, I need 
>to minimize the friction between the recording 
>element and the paper as well as the recording 
>element's mass (in order to obtain accurate 
>recordings of the motion of the robot arm end).


Some time ago one individual mentioned that he'd used light sensitive
paper.  I'm sure that such paper is still available.  Also, Edmund
Scientific sells laser pointers that are no bigger than a pen.  Might
you not use such a laser pointer with light sensitive paper?  
The coefficient of friction would be zero, since there would need 
be no contact between the pointer and the paper.  Just a thought.

Tony Rizzo
