Robot Hands Get a Grip on the Future

credit Image courtesy Vintagecomputer Handyman Hand description For centuries, people have used the human body, and the hand in particular, as an inspiration and blueprint for engineering innovations. credit Image courtesy University of Rochester 288 Pulleys description Built to study the reaction times of robot muscles, the http://www.cs.rochester.edu/research/vision/equip/Utah_MIT_Hand/ Utah/MIT hand, built in the early 1980s, is a tendon-based system. credit Image courtesy Touchbionics The i-Limb description This $65,000 prosthetic robot hand has supersmall motors and five fully articulated digits powered by a two-input myoelectric signal. credit Image courtesy Elumotion Elumotion’s Sheffield Hand The http://www.elumotion.com/shefarm.html Sheffield Hand, built in 2002, focuses on the development of "artificial muscle" and sophisticated joints. credit Image courtesy Shadow Robot The Shadow Robot hand description The http://www.shadowrobot.com/hand/ Shadow Hand has integrated sensors all over its palm and fingers, and can be controlled by different computer systems, which is why several university robotics programs and private contractors are using it.