Rocket-powered mechanical arm might boost prosthetic tech

A group of researchers at Vanderbilt have built a mechanical arm that outperforms traditional battery-powered prosthetics the old-fashioned way: by strapping on a couple rocket motors. The arm, which the team built for DARPA's Revolutionizing Prosthetics 2009 program, relies on a modified miniature version of the same rocket motors the space shuttle uses to reposition itself in space: hydrogen peroxide is burned in the presence of a catalyst to produce pure steam, which is then used to move the arm. Unlike the batteries in traditional arms, which die quickly, a small canister of hydrogen peroxide concealed in the arm can last up to 18 hours, and provides about the same power and functionality of a human arm. Cooler still is the method the arm deals with waste heat and steam: just like a regular arm, it's allowed to filter up through a permeable skin, producing "sweat" -- the same amount of perspiration you'd get on a warm summer day, according to the team. Check a video of the arm in action at the read link -- it's even niftier than it sounds.

[fred @ Aug 21st 2007 5:54AM]

I love how they're handing it a gun at the end of that video. Robotic Overlords, here we come.

[Guillermo @ Aug 21st 2007 6:02AM]

Jeez, as if rocket-powered cyborgs weren't dangerous enough, they had to go and teach them about guns. We're so screwed.

[lettcco @ Aug 21st 2007 6:16AM]

this is the beginning of the next ARM race.

[Roofus @ Aug 21st 2007 6:52AM]

This is AMAZING, hydrogen peroxide is and extremely cheap houshold product.

[yoshi @ Aug 21st 2007 7:03AM]

I'm sure it doesn't use household hydrogen peroxide. That's probably too diluted. And then there's the catalyst - whatever material that is (lazy, didn't read the original article).

[Wwhat @ Aug 21st 2007 7:39AM]

I doubt the army will pick up the bill for handicapped veterans to use this in every day life, but they might want it to make some robotic weapons that create even more handicapped people though.

[Andrew @ Aug 21st 2007 2:10PM]

Household hydrogen peroxide would be way too diluted, but finding a catalyst isn't too hard (a metal). The Soviet Navy found that out the hard way.

[Kenneth Rodriguez @ Aug 21st 2007 7:17AM]

Ah man, this one was ripe for a Terminator 2 reference! Engadget is slackin!

[Wwhat @ Aug 21st 2007 7:40AM]

Perhaps terminator is getting a bit outdated?

[Kenneth Rodriguez @ Aug 21st 2007 8:06AM]

A classic never gets outdated. Besides, we're going to be hearing about apple/windows, ps3/xbox, blueray/hddvd fanboyism for generations... That's only been a few years and I'm far more tired of that.

[Wwhat @ Aug 21st 2007 7:29AM]

vanderbilt.edu, .edu but they use 'webstat.com', how tacky.
And it's 100% flash, how amateur.
And it has poor bandwidth.
All in all it sounds like a great place of education..

[nikster @ Aug 21st 2007 7:37AM]

Who cares they just built a rocket powered robotic arm!

Military funded research or not, this is just extremely cool.

[KawF @ Aug 21st 2007 8:21AM]

This thing would be awesomely cool as a steam-punk prosthetic if it was actually spewing hissing steam as you were using it. I hope they do as another prosthetics company I saw and offer multiple models. They had one where it was as human like as possible, and another one which was designed to look as robotic as possible, simply because different people felt more comfortable with the different models.

[Jordan @ Aug 21st 2007 2:24PM]

1) Terminator arm
2) Hello Kitty arm
3) Optimus Prime arm

You could really have some fun prosthetics!! I am your father! (Darth Vader arm too!)

[steve @ Aug 21st 2007 11:26AM]

Just another step closer to Astroboy

[jroc @ Aug 21st 2007 1:09PM]

I wanna be like anakin too!

[SimbaDogg @ Aug 21st 2007 6:58PM]

whoever shot that video was amazing...holding the gun @ the very end. hahaha, simply the best

[Andrew @ Aug 22nd 2007 12:46AM]

Super Rocket Punch!

[Ross Eames @ Aug 22nd 2007 2:29PM]

This robots wrist looks just like Luke Skywalkers prosthetic wrist in the closing scenes of Empire strikes back. And the way it grips that gun sure does give you a gut feeling something bad could happen.

Raise awareness! WRISTstrong!

[SpecialKDawgg @ Aug 22nd 2007 5:20PM]

Wow..... They seemed to train the arm really fast. first a ball, then a bottle of water....but wait... next is how to cap a 90 year old for his Social security check with a 9mm?!?! *raises one eyebrow*

[Josh Spencer @ Nov 11th 2007 4:28PM]

the army would put forth the cash for the uber expensive parts and amazing engineering, but the budget is pretty low and just keeping soldiers in decsent housing is difficult at the moment. not to mention those that would want to return to active duty.