Bones: ring instead of chain

[slowtiger]

http://www.slowtiger.de/examples/beest.mov

I just made this animation for myself to understand the mechanics of http://www.strandbeest.com/. As you see in this screenshot, the IK chains bend in itself, not really connecting everywhere I would need it.


Wouldn't it be nice to have bones which could form closed rings, so a construction like this would automatically move correctly with all the constrains?

[chucky]

Love the Strandbeest



Hey Slowtiger, funny I spent a little time on this idea myself a couple of months ago, not sure if I posted anything about it, but I have been digging and found the same illustration that I made.
I was trying to use dynamics so the whole thing could work off one motor.,
I almost got there using shapes rather than bones except what would happen is that the machine would put itself under so much strain that it would shake itself to pieces and lterally explode spectacularily.
I will try and find the fles and post.
I totally agree with the closed rings theory, I have needed it many times./
I have had a thought don't know if I ever tried it, made a hanging chain the last on the chain is constrained to the first by rotation and translation.

EDIT,
Also this would work properly using Vern's (awesome) aimbone script which unfortunately no longer works with AS7.