Can people have robotic hands? Like Luke Skywalker in Star Wars? Not a prosthetic hand, but one you can actually move with your brain and stuff? Well, this dream could become a reality in the near future.
RAPHaEL
Dubbbed as RAPHaEL, Robotic Air Powered Hand with Elastic Ligaments, the new robotic arm is desperate to charm people with its 60-psi powered movements, surprising dexterity, and lack of motors. Four Virginia Tech mechanical engineering students built it as part of a larger project to create a humanoid robot, CHARLI(Cognitive Humanoid Robot with Learning Intelligence). The arm has no motors, and a safe, inexpensive design with adjustable grip. The hand can open and close with precision down to the individual finger. This design can just as easily grasp a can as a light bulb. In addition, it makes a cool ‘pssht’ sound whenever you grab something. It is also versatile enough to gesture for sign language.
Impact on Environment
The unique feature of this hand is that it is powered by compressed air. Other robots run on high charge batteries, which have negative repercussions for the environment. Therefore, these robots are more environmental-friendly as compared to their traditional counterparts.
Moreover, when humans are considered as the main culprits behind global warming, fully functional green robots that consume less energy or are powered by renewable sources would be a great achievement.
Working
The hand is powered by a compressor air tank at 60-psi novel accordion type tube actuator. This allows it to use low pressure for a light grip, while a higher pressure means a sturdier grip. RAPHaEL’s fingers can even follow the contour of a grabbed object, just like a real hand.
Raphael has three articulated joints just like human fingers. Instead of a complex mesh of artificial muscles and tendons, it uses a single inflatable tube in each finger. Inflating the tube with compressed air causes the finger to curl toward the object to be grasped. Once it contacts an object, more air pressure is applied until enough friction is generated to pick up the object.
Benefits
• It is a low cost device
• Agile design
• Safe to use
• design can just as easily grasp a can as a light bulb
It is always nice to see that scientists keep making efforts on improving the lives of the less fortunate ones. This design will probably soon diminish the differences between amputees and the rest of the world, providing them with a chance for a normal life.
Via: cnet