The artificial finger
July 20, 2012
Artificial finger (credit: NanoBioTact, NanoBioTouch)
European researchers have developed the first sensitive artificial finger.
The NanoBioTact and NanoBioTouch projects seek to radically improve understanding of the human mechano-transduction system and tissue engineered nanobiosensors.
“There are many potential applications of biometric tactile sensoring, for example in prosthetic limbs where you´ve got neuro-coupling which allows the limb to sense objects and also to feed back to the brain, to control the limb.
Another area would be in robotics where you might want the capability to have sense the grip of objects, or intelligent haptic exploration of surfaces, for example,” says Prof. Michael Adams, the coordinator of NanoBioTact.
The scientists have already developed a prototype of the first sensitive artificial finger. It works with an array of pressure sensors that mimic the spatial resolution, sensitivity and dynamics of human neural tactile sensors and can be directly connected to the central nervous system.
Combined with an artificial skin that mimics a human fingerprint, the device´s sensitivity to vibrations is improved. Depending on the quality of a textured surface, the biomimetic finger vibrates in different ways, when it slides across the surface.
That produces different signals and once it will get used by patients, they could recognize if the surface is smooth or scratchy. “The sensors are working very much like the sensors are doing on your own finger”, says physicist Dr. Michael Ward from the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Birmingham.
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Comments (6)
by Karl-Mikael Syding
It’s always better to have machines do the work for us. That frees up our time and effort for more fun stuff. I wish for the time when ALL work is done by robots.
by Gorden Russell
This is a mixed bag. While it is great for the vets who have lost limbs to improvised explosives devices, it also means robots will be able to assemble I-Phones at Foxcomm. With all those workers out in the street with no social safety net, there could be mass unrest in China. If it brings down the government, there could be civil war. Maybe 70 million died during the reign of Mao. How many more would be killed?
by Chrispium
The Chinese government is aware of the risk/problem of social unrest and is addressing the issue. It’s why I suggested Foxconn to place their robotics in Taiwan.
by Gorden Russell
These robots could bring down the government in Taiwan. Hell, they could bring down the government here.
by Bri
“There could be civil war” we live in America, they live in the dream of communism. There are these beautiful ” future” cities in china. Nobody can afford to live in them. Then there are those high speed trains. Nobody can afford to us them. Unrest? Did you say unrest? It’s already begun. They have a lot more desire for the future than we. They are use to stratospheric change. An unsustainable change. World financial issues will continue to spiral down, because robotics is just starting to rise. The polarity between the haves, and the have-nots will continue to charge. If I were Nero now, I’d start playing my fiddle! There is little choice as to a solution. The powerhouse of consumerism is being usurped. The great brains of communism, and the great brains of capitalism, haven’t a clue what to do. In fact they are still obtuse. There will be pockets of resistance, where old values are artificially supported, but the enertia of change is unstoppable. It may be a bitter pill to swallow for the one percent. But the consumer will need to be paid to consume! It’s that or the outlawing of robotics! Think of spin, think of cycles, think of evolution, think of change!
by GatorALLin
…next up…the opposable thumb……now if we can just get these dolphins to build radio towers…