Impressive Robot Hand From Shadow 101
kkleiner writes "The Shadow Dextrous Hand is a robotic arm that allows for fine motor control and precise movements. It's accurate enough to pick up an egg, screw in a light bulb, or thread a needle. Even cooler, researchers can control it with a 'Cyber glove,' allowing for 24 distinct human movements that mimic the user's own hand. A British based company, Shadow, has been displaying the hand for several years now, and recently demonstrated its latest model at IREX 2009. The hand, toted as the world's most advanced, is available for sale to researchers (pricing has not been made public)."
Links are old (Score:1, Informative)
Links above go to 2006 video. Here's a link to the current demo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV6wkczWopY
DARPA research from the 80s (Score:5, Informative)
DARPA funded research on haptics and "Waldoes" (nickname for remotely operated manipulators from Heinlein) starting in the 80s. A lot of this know-how ended up in Sarcos corporation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhj3Z9o6t0g [youtube.com]
http://www.sarcos.com/teleop_videos.html [sarcos.com]
The problem with haptics technology is that mechanisms complicated enough to mimic parts of the human body, like the arms and hands, will tend to be more expensive and less robust than simpler manipulators. Much of the DARPA research from the 80s was motivated by the need to work underwater at great depths. Most current underwaters RPVs don't use advanced haptics, because the work can be done with simpler and more robust manipulators.
Prosthesis can change this, however. A mass produced prosthetic arm could drive down the cost of such mechanisms. This could lead to further advances and cost reduction in haptics technology.
We are actually at the point where we could build a Gundam style mecha. (Has to be large enough to contain a whole-body haptic harness with complete freedom of motion.) But there is no practical reason to do so. (Other than to provide an even cooler spectacle at "monster truck" rallies.)
(Also it would probably have an Evangelion-like extension cord coming out the back for power and possibly hydraulics.)