Science:
A new robotic hand that has no fingers is being developed by
Eric Brown (University of Chicago) and colleagues, who
published their findings in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
. When their handa rubber sack filled with coffee
grains or small glass spheres, like a beanbagcomes in
contact with an object, a pipe sucks air from the sack, causing
it to contract and mold to the object’s shape. So far,
the prototype has been able to perform such tasks as pouring
water and using a pen. It holds great promise for amputees
because it would be much easier to operate than the more
complex prosthetic hands currently available.
Credit: John Amend
