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Impressive Robot Hand From Shadow
kkleiner writes "The Shadow Dextrous Hand is a robotic arm that allows for fine motor control and precise movements. It's accurate enough to pick up an egg, screw in a light bulb, or thread a needle. Even cooler, researchers can control it with a 'Cyber glove,' allowing for 24 distinct human movements that mimic the user's own hand. A British based company, Shadow, has been displaying the hand for several years now, and recently demonstrated its latest model at IREX 2009. The hand, toted as the world's most advanced, is available for sale to researchers (pricing has not been made public)."
One of these, a rubber glove, lube and a bottle of wine and I'm set.
It is almost impossible to smash an egg by grasping it. This dissipates the crushing force over the entire surface of the egg. Try it yourself, you can't crush an egg in your hand no matter how hard you squeeze. Where was the well-educated, erudite journalist on this one, exposing this hoary old "Newton's Apple" gimmick to the world? Oh wait, the linked article is a press release passed off as an article, and slashdot is just a blog not a news source.
Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
This might be something to remember if your father ever cuts off your hand.
robot hand + machine-written journalism = infinite fun!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun the frumious Bandersnatch.
Q: how many robot hands does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: Just one... didn't you RTFA?
It is also impossible to crush an egg against your own eye socket, or in your armpit, as these perfectly cup the egg, again dissipating the forces.
- None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
DARPA funded research on haptics and "Waldoes" (nickname for remotely operated manipulators from Heinlein) starting in the 80s. A lot of this know-how ended up in Sarcos corporation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhj3Z9o6t0g
http://www.sarcos.com/teleop_videos.html
The problem with haptics technology is that mechanisms complicated enough to mimic parts of the human body, like the arms and hands, will tend to be more expensive and less robust than simpler manipulators. Much of the DARPA research from the 80s was motivated by the need to work underwater at great depths. Most current underwaters RPVs don't use advanced haptics, because the work can be done with simpler and more robust manipulators.
Prosthesis can change this, however. A mass produced prosthetic arm could drive down the cost of such mechanisms. This could lead to further advances and cost reduction in haptics technology.
We are actually at the point where we could build a Gundam style mecha. (Has to be large enough to contain a whole-body haptic harness with complete freedom of motion.) But there is no practical reason to do so. (Other than to provide an even cooler spectacle at "monster truck" rallies.)
(Also it would probably have an Evangelion-like extension cord coming out the back for power and possibly hydraulics.)
A device like this could create a whole new industry of virtual prostitution. Although, I wouldn't get too excited because as soon as that happens, the nanny-state politicians from both sides of the aisle will no doubt move to outlaw it. I still don't understand how a government in a free society is able to tell people what they can and can't do with their body, especially when it comes to sex.
It'd work out great until some 4chan jerk hacks the connection and you have to call the hospital to have a robot hand surgically removed from your p33n0r
"Be prepared, son. That's my motto. Be prepared." --Joe Hallenbeck
Isn't this a waldo, rather than a robot? My understanding is that a robot is defined as something that is at least somewhat autonomous, at least to the extent that it incorporates a feedback loop. For instance, some of the earliest robots from the mid-20th century were little things that rolled around on the floor searching for bright light. A Roomba is a robot. If all it does is shadow the motion of your hand, then I think it's called a waldo (named after a science fiction story by Robert Heinlein) or a remote manipulator. Most likely they're using the term "robot" because it makes a better marketing term.
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Video on YouTube of High-Speed Robot Hand.
Yep, I gotta hand it to them, this is the first model I've seen which isn't all thumbs. Looks like we've finally got a grip on this technology!