Not too long ago, engineers from General Motors and NASA stood around a glove, thinking, we can rebuilt this — better, stronger, more dexterous than before.
Well, they did, and now RoboGlove — a term that conjures up images of a vaguely 1980s dystopian future — will soon get its manufacturing debut at the end of select GM workers’ arms.
GM announced its plan to use RoboGloves at its assembly plants yesterday, which makes it the first U.S. manufacturing customer for the technology. Originally created through a partnership with NASA for use on the International Space Station, the robotic glove was presumably used for screwing things really hard in outer space.
Back on Earth, GM entered into a licensing agreement with Swedish medical technology company Bioservo Technologies AB, which plans to incorporate technology from its trademarked SEM (“Extra Soft Muscle”) Glove. The battery-powered robotic exoskeleton will be marketed to the medical and manufacturing sectors.
Each RoboGlove is filled with sensors and actuators, and functions through electronically controlled tendons and muscles. This allows the wearer’s hand to become many times more powerful than normal. Futuristic? Yes. But it’s 2016, and it’s about time were allowed ourselves to become partially robotic.
Bioservo plans to adopt a grasp assist device into the assembly that prevents hand fatigue in the wearer. This feature will be useful for workers who are required to grasp tools for extended periods of time.
The refined RoboGlove will be tested at some GM plants next year before going on the market. If the technology takes off, there’s a good chance we’ll see more advanced exoskeletons in industry in the future. If it makes the job easier, workers will likely embrace it, as long as there’s still a salaried human working inside it.
[Image: General Motors/NASA]
“Terrible Movie?” Ahem. Kung Fury was a cinematic masterpiece.
(How many of the B&B look up Kung Fury now?)
Tank You
I watched it release night. Somebody about to hack too much time.
A friend of mine introduced me to it when it was out on Netflix. Immediately picked up a digital copy.
“… the robotic glove was presumably used for screwing things really hard in outer space.”
Last I ever heard of this was James Bond in “Moonraker.” Or Captain Kirk.
Only if I can PUNCH THROUGH WALLS with it.
They work very well when your wife isn’t in the mood.
Fist function works even better when she is…
Really?
Mark, Kyree, Adam…I come to this site to read about cars, not to listen to this guy tell us what part of a woman’s anatomy he likes to put his fist in.
BTSR, why don’t you do us all a favor and keep this to yourself? I have absolutely no interest in your sex life, man.
Would anyone be surprised to find out he has a minivan sticker on whatever Hellcat he’s leasing this week?
I quit paying attention to the bro a while ago. I suppose he’s pimping Hellcat Wafers or something now. #makepoopinggreatagain
Freedmike
Point to the joke to tell us where the bad man hurt you.
How ’bout this for a better idea…why don’t you keep your sexual thoughts to yourself and stop being such an epic jerk.
Does it hurt that much?
Let me get the ointment.
You’ll be able to sit down again later…
Big Trucks,
Most of your rhetoric is merely ridiculous and false. But in this case you appear to be inciting violence against women, even sexual assault.
Is that really who you are?
Where does he say anything involving violence towards women?
I do hope he gets a robo-glove for himself and the device misinterprets the command “jerk off”.
“Wait, wait, Howard. Slow down. The robot hand is stuck on your what?”
“I love the Power Glove. It’s so bad.”
I’m glad mine wasn’t the only fevered mind to immediately make the Nintendo association.
Nope, I went right there as well.
Me too.
Commercialize this, and pickle sales to the elderly will skyrocket.
Safer than giving us metal forks.
And I wants my Milwaukees!
Hands of a Stranger
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056056/
I thought that was a reference to the stranger, which involves cutting off circulation to one’s hand…
Let’s hope that the hand will at least be able to install GM ignition switches properly.
Can I get one for my GF so I don’t have to leave during a kickoff, just to open some stupid pickle jar?
The use of an adjustable crescent hammer in the pic says all I need to know about GM assembly.