Is this a knitted banana-glove? No, it’s a wearable robot (Video)
Yes, robots can be wearable – for example, exoskeletons. They, however, often seem clumsy and suitable for industrial settings only. But how would you feel about a robot that you could put on your hand like a glove?
Wearable assistive robotic glove with integrated sensing. Image credit: MIT CSAIL via YouTube
The idea seems pretty interesting – just imagine your own clothes capable of performing different mechanical functions according to your need or will. Actually, such robots already exist. The engineers from MIT have recently published a video introducing a new way to design and fabricate soft robots based on pneumatic actuator technology.
The first working prototypes have been developed too. They have integrated sensors allowing this glove to adapt to the shapes of different objects. And this yellow knitted surface, which makes grippers to look like bananas, is not a joke: it restricts gripper motions to ensure required direction of flexing. Here’s how all this works:
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