It’s been about fifty years since General Motors and Nasa first collaborated to develop the famous Lunar Rover Vehicle we’ve all seen in grainy, black and white video sent back from the moon.
And the two American giants are at it again, this time working on a 21st century robotic hand that could help astronauts and auto workers do their respective jobs more easily.
In techno-speak it’s known as the Human Grasp Assist device, but adolescent video gamers will prefer its internal names - K-Klove and Robo-Glove.
The device looks almost like a normal blue glove, but inside are pressure sensors incorporated into the fingertips to detect when the user is grasping a tool, and synthetic tendons that automatically retract, pulling the fingers into a gripping position and holding them there until the sensor is released.
Research shows that continuously gripping a tool can cause fatigue in hand muscles within a few minutes.
Initial testing of the Robo-Glove indicates the wearer can hold a grip longer and more comfortably.
For example, an astronaut working in a pressurised suit outside the space station or an assembly operator in a factory might need to use 7-10kg of force to hold a tool during an operation but with the robotic glove only 3-5kg of force might need to be applied.
The current prototypes weigh almost a kilogram and include the control electronics, actuators and a small display for programming and diagnostics. An off-the-shelf lithium-ion power-tool battery with a belt-clip is used to power the system. A third-generation prototype that will use repackaged parts to reduce the size and weight of the system is nearing completion. - Star Motoring