This one and only robot hand, RAPHaEL, is able to basically hold anything that we can hold in one hand, such as a soda can. The air powered hand is connected to a compressed air tank and a remote control so that the controller can take over the fingers. For example, if you put more air into it, then the fingers will tense up and vice/versa.

The video above shows that the Robot can grasp light, round items such as an egg or empty soda can to a heavy, cylinder-shaped can of food. It is also capable of sign language, not that the programing is in it, but it’s flexible ligaments make it possible for the user to manipulate the art of sign language. The most interesting part is the robots capability to move one individual finger, but also use motion activators which allows the user to move all of the robot’s finger joints. On another end, faculty adviser and lab director Dennis Hong says that this robot was quite easy and non expensive to create. This means that this robot hand could lead to the future of the next complete robot or even possibly the replacement of a human hand.

[nationalgeographic]

This entry was posted on Friday, May 29th, 2009 at 4:39 pm and is filed under General. Be sure to subscribe to the Botropolis.com feed because it is really, really awesome. Have something you want to share? Please let us know.

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