Rough Idea for NightStand

I was thinking that the table can be hidden inside the nighstand and that it can be deployed out.
I have some questions / comments about the size of the nightstand.
1) What is the height we are looking for?
2) The boxes are 6" x 6" x 3" (h x w x d). There are 24 of these boxes.
3)Are we looking for the table to deploy directly over the person (this means the table has to be really high) or are we wanting the table to be able to bend up and over them?
4) What is the spacing requirement for all of the motors and processors?

Table Pneumatics

It seems as though the pneumatic muscles that are necessary to make the table move can either be purchased or made. Shadow Robot Company produces pneumatic muscles: http://www.shadowrobot.com/shop.shtml. These websites gives some instructions on how these muscles can be made: http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-air-muscles!/ and http://www.instructables.com/id/Pneumatic-Muscles/. The first site gives links to where the materials can be purchased.

The pneumatic muscles will be controlled with a compressed air supplier that is connected to a three way solenoid valve/pressure regulator. A good overview of how the system should be developed is given at: http://www.shadowrobot.com/airmuscles/usage.shtml.

Arduino can be utilized to send a signal to the valves to dictate when and how much air will be pumped into the muscle; the third site listed above shows how this can be done. Nivedhitha has been working on sending the signals received from the table proximity sensors to the pressure regulator.

How Shadow Muscles Can Be Used in a System

http://www.shadowrobot.com/airmuscles/usage.shtml

shadow robotics

look at the 3:12 mark at the fish.  Not only neat-o but provides an idea for the table.

10_18 video

Idea for a Latching Mechanism

1) Is the it possible to inflate the table to lock it into place? See below (or my new blog post) for a drawing. I was thinking of also make it a square not rounded, so it doesn't rotate or will there be enough friction to stop it from rotation?
2) Is there going to be any hinges for the table? Or will it be able to expand and roll up by itself?
3) Will the table be made up of several individual pieces or one long one?
4) I was thinking that the boxes for the drawers can come up underneath the top of the nightstand and then be conveyed to the table. You still will be able to access the drawers from the front. I have posted a section of the nightstand for reference.

Continuum Table Development