Workers will be given a third hand
Julia Korovsky, XX2 century, based on the materials of Science News: Watch this robotic appendage give humans a third arm
"Wait a minute, I only have two hands," surely everyone had to say these words from time to time. But the workers of the Boeing company will no longer have to, because soon they will literally have three hands. At the Robotics: Science and Systems conference, scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) presented a prototype of a robotic limb called Aucto (Supernumerary Robotic Limbs for Human Augmentation in Overhead Assembly Tasks). This device differs from previous developments in lightness, stability and reliability: it retains the desired position, no matter how actively a person moves.
When assembling airplanes, workers often have to fix the parts above their heads on the wall or on the ceiling. It is very inconvenient and in addition tiring – hence a lot of injuries and, as a result, sick, sick, sick. For manufacturing companies, this is inconvenient and unprofitable. They are trying to solve the problem with the help of exoskeletons and other technological innovations. Exoskeletons really help to carry loads, but still do not cover all tasks. For example, workers often have to screw parts by holding them over their heads – usually two people do this, but if a specialist had a third limb, he could cope alone. That is why Boeing invested in the research of scientists from MIT, and they did not let them down – they made a robot arm.
By itself, an "extra" artificial limb is not a discovery. There are "hands" that are attached to the hips and hold objects, prop up a person's weight or help install ceiling panels. The difference of the new device is that it is relatively light and stays in place even when the worker is moving – for example, reaching for a screwdriver. Lightness can be achieved, firstly, through the use of carbon fiber and aluminum, and secondly, due to the simplicity of the design, since there are no complex nodes and joints in the "hand" itself.
An artificial limb can hold parts, but it does without a brush – all the work is taken over by a "universal clamp" consisting of a ball filled with foam granules and coffee grounds. When the object is pressed against the ball, the bulk material takes the desired shape, then under the influence of vacuum it contracts and holds the object firmly in place. An additional arm is attached to the torso and hips with straps and rigid elements, and the person receives tactile feedback. For example, if a worker holds a part above his head with the help of a third limb, he feels whether it fits snugly. In addition, scientists have developed an algorithm that tracks the orientation of the device in space – thanks to it, Aucto remains in place even when a person is actively moving under it.
The arm itself weighs 3.8 kilograms, and together with the battery, pump, belts and electronic stuffing – 5.5 kg. Most of this weight falls on the hips, so the device does not seem so heavy. Aucto not only helps to carry parts and hold them above your head, but also serves as a support when working on the floor: a specialist can rely on the robot and free his hands for the task.
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19.07.2017