Using a device called Robo-Glove, auto workers may soon have an easier way to hold and squeeze objects on the assembly line.
Designed by engineers at General Motors, the glove uses a combination of actuators, sensors, and synthetic tendons to mimic the operation of a human hand while adding a measure of functional force. In addition to being employed in manufacturing, GM engineers say they foresee its use in a multitude of applications, from household repairs to complex humanoid robot operations.
GM's Robo-Glove incorporates four tiny servo motors, four gearheads, and four ball screws, along with a lithium-ion battery, in a package worn on the forearm. The motors apply force through synthetic tendons attached to the fingers. (Source: GM)
"We're looking at any type of task that requires grasping of some sort," Marty Linn, principal engineer of robotics at GM, told us. "Imagine a firefighter holding on to an icy hose during winter. This glove is for repetitive grasping or endurance-holding of an object."
To perform those kinds of functions, the Robo-Glove (also known as the Human Grasp Assist Device or K-Glove) incorporates four tiny servo motors, four gearheads, four ball screws, and a lithium-ion battery in a package worn on the forearm. When a servo motor rotates, the associated ball screw imparts a translating force, which tugs on a "tendon" to move one of the fingers. GM engineers employed a flexible, high-strength fiber called Vectran to mimic the characteristics of a human tendon and give the fingers lifelike qualities.
"The key for us has been to keep the package size small," Linn said. "We wanted to make sure that there's room for all the working elements down near the hand."
That's a very good question, Chuck. I've never seen any follow-up in how the 20 percent of time is spent at Google. It would be very interesting to see if it pays off.
Yes, I guess it's easy to point to successes such as the Post-It Note and declare that 10% time (or 20% time in Google's Case) is a great idea. But I wonder how often those ideas never see the light of day.
Yes, the Post-It Notes is a great 3M story, Chuck. I didn't realize they had a formal policy of 10 percent exploratory work. Google has a similar policy, allowing employees to take 20 percent of their workweek for pet projects.
I think we may have discussed this previously, Rob, but I believe 3M actually had a 10% rule that allowed employees to use 10% of their time to explore their own new ideas. As I recall, the guy who invented Post-It Notes was doing it on his 10% time, so he could create little temporary sticky notes for his Sunday prayer book. That would seem to be time-well-spent for 3M.
This is quite an interesting product and it certainly would offer value in many areas aside from automotive manufacturing. The very interesting application that I can see is for it to be used to program a robot hand, used either with or without the rest of the industrial robot. It could be far more flexible than a standard gripper.
Ann, I see your point about shoes, but there might actually be a medical application that crosses over. We have a chiropractor friend who is constantly brainstorming ideas for his patients.He wants to invent shoes for the elderly that will self-adjust as they walk. While grasping is not something I would see as applicable, using tiny servo motors and the associated hardware in a similar fashion to apply force may be a way to manipulate the positioning of the foot in the shoe in a way that adjusts it for proper posture.
I'm with you and bdcst on trying to get those jar lids open!
Yes, Nancy, perhaps this is the beginning of a new era of innovation. The airline industry is developing composite materials that will be used elsewhere. Ford is developing new eco-materials for the interior of their vehicles.
I agree Rob, that was the beauty of the NASA spin-off technologies. I think it's great when companies can be innovative in other fields with the expertise they have developed in their own.
Nancy, I suspect that worker injuries may have played a role in the decision to do this. (GM did not discuss this with me, however.) I can only imagine how many employess GM must have with those kinds of problems.
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