A robotic arm functions very similarly to the human arm, based on special programming. The links are held together by joints (with either rotational or linear motion), which forms a kinematic chain. At the end of the arm, the robotic hand (also known as “the effector”) may be as complex as the human hand or it may be little more than a metal claw. Sometimes a tube with a vacuum suction at the end is the only type of effector needed to perform its task. In addition to industrial uses, robotic arms are also used medically.
Starting in 1975, robotic arms have been used for industrial purposes. In some cases, they do the work more quickly, more accurately and more efficiently than human workers ever could. Yet in other instances, they simply perform work that is too monotonous, dangerous or undesirable for men and women. In the US auto industry, for example, there is one robotic arm for every ten workers. Industrial robots lift heavy objects, handle chemicals, and paint and assemble parts. Rather than replace jobs, the robotic system is intended to free up more creative, fulfilling work for people instead. After all, the Czech word “robota” translates to “drudgery work.”
The National Stroke Association says that stroke is the leading cause of disability in the United States. It is caused by a disruption in the brain’s blood vessels and has left over four million Americans debilitated. Forty percent of stroke victims require some special care for their injury; 25% recover with minor impairments; 15% die after the incident; 10% can expect a full recovery and 10% require nursing home care. Doctors say rehabilitation is the key to a successful recovery and the NESS H200 robotic arm is helping patients relearn skills they lost during their stroke. The device delivers electrical stimulation to the patients’ hands while they’re eating, writing or drinking. The second part of the device, the robotic arm that attaches to the forearm and wrist, helps patients move their arms to strengthen the connection between mind to body. Over time, the body will just naturally move on its own again.
Robotic arm technology has rapidly improved over the span of just thirty years. But what is the end goal of robotics technology? Is it to build robots that can work as our slaves? Is it to find minimally-invasive, infallible methods of performing surgery? Is it to treat injuries? Is it to teach? Or is it to become super-humans? There are a number of ways to approach this science, making it impossible to tell just what the future of robotic development holds.
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