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)."

Comments

Re:I want one

[jollyreaper]

One of these, a rubber glove, lube and a bottle of wine and I'm set.

I don't care how much lube you use, your ass is still gonna be smarting after that.

Looks useful

[Anonymous Coward]

This might be something to remember if your father ever cuts off your hand.

Re:Egg fraud

[Red Flayer]

WARNING: Do not actually try this!!

Try it yourself, you can't crush an egg in your hand no matter how hard you squeeze.

Hey douchebag, that's not true at all. I've got egg all over my desk, my monitor, my pants, and my shirt now.

Of course, it could just be because I used my masturbating hand to do it... that hand is much stronger.

Anyway, it's not the distribution of force over the shell that makes hand-crushing an egg difficult. It's the fact that most people simply can't generate enough force at that position due to how the hand is shaped -- a lot of the force is dispersed by deforming the hand tissue, not the egg. The trick is to have the narrow end of the egg towards your thumb, and to squeeze like you're milking a cow but with the palm, not with the fingers). This loads the first portion of the force exerted into deforming your palm, and the last portion is almost entirely directed into the egg.

Note also that a robotic hand does not have the physiological limitations a human hand does.

DARPA research from the 80s

[StCredZero]

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.)

waldo, not robot?

[bcrowell]

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.

Re:Egg fraud

[Abstrackt]

For instance, while camping, a little warm bacon grease from the skillet will suffice to allow the human hand to fulfill it's duties.

I didn't think it was possible to love bacon too much until I read this...