New robotic device ‘can emulate gripping action of human hands’

A new wrist-mounted robotic device has been created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) that could help people with limited dexterity to grip and interact with everyday objects.

The unit essentially functions like a pair of extra fingers adjacent to the little finger and thumb, emulating and enhancing the grasping motion of the human hand. A novel control algorithm enables it to move in sync with the wearer's fingers to grip objects of all shapes and sizes.

For example, it could be used to help open bottles, grasp and open a jar or lift a heavy object. The team studied the typical positions of human fingers in various situations to help determine how the robot fingers should orient themselves.

It is hoped that a library of human and robotic gesture correlations can be developed over time so the device can adapt to the individual needs of the user. The researchers are also looking at ways of shrinking its size by one-third and making it foldable.

Harry Asada, professor of engineering at MIT's department of mechanical engineering and a recognised expert in robotics, biomedical engineering and intelligent control, said: "We could make this into a watch or a bracelet where the fingers pop up and when the job is done, they come back into the watch."