Researchers at Harvard University’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering have just announced a new robotic glove that uses multi-segment actuators to assist patients in developing or regaining the full range of motion typically expected in fingers, thumbs and hands.
While a person may not have full use of hand muscles, the muscles still operating can be employed to direct activity and stimulate the full range of motion of a healthy hand. These small movements can be paired up via programming to allow a full range of motion in a human, mechanical or hybrid.
The following video shows the Soft Robotics Glove in action:
Biologically Inspired Design
The Wyss Institute’s stated goal is to develop biologically inspired materials and devices that solve basic medical and environmental challenges and to do so by breaking down the boundaries between living and nonliving systems.
The Harvard Biodesign Lab at Wyss has created the Robotics Toolkit which allows anyone to develop software robotics:
