Researchers develop world's smallest robotic hand
By Donald Melanson 
posted October 18th 2006 1:25PM
posted October 18th 2006 1:25PM
The dynamic mad scientist duo of Yen-Wen Lu and Chang-Jin "CJ" Kim at UCLA's Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department have reportedly developed the world's smallest robotic hand, measuring just about a millimeter across the fist -- thankfully, small enough not to crush either one of them during testing. The hand's made up of tiny silicon microfingers with polymer-balloon joints, which can be inflated and deflated to open and close with the utmost delicacy. The use of pneumatic operation, as opposed to electrical, also allows the hand to be operated in a wider range of environments, including liquid -- like snapping up a single fish egg in the pic at the right. Robot hands are one thing, but sooner or later you can bet that it'll be attached to a tiny robot body and sent on a not-so-Fantastic Voyage into someone's intestines.[Via Slashdot]
I for one, would like to be the first to shake the hand of our tiny robot overlords. (no small deed mind you)
Just in time for last night's episode of Futurama =)
Thats nothing! I have several robotic arms that are SO small that you cant even see it!! I would take pictures of it but I cant seem to find it at this moment :-(
How long into the testing do you thing they were before one used the hand to give the other 'The Finger'?
Maybe we can make one hand can clap if it's robotic. Take that meditation!
Where? I see a few jelly bubbles and a few angled lines against a textured background. Where's the hand, wrist, fingers, etc?
ummm useful?
Scot:
The hand is kind of like a grabber from one of those claw machines. There's a GIF on Crunch Gear that shows it off nicely
http://crunchgear.com/2006/10/18/riyl-tiny-robotic-science-stuff/