By now, you probably know a bit about prosthetic limbs. You probably know about robots. You might have even heard about 3D-printing. But what if we told you that all of those things have been brought together in a pretty amazing way in recent times?
A Team in Zurich is Working Miracles
At a research center in Zurich, a team has struck a bond with startup Inkbit 3D to make some major breakthroughs in the world of prosthetics. Specifically, they have 3D-printed a robot hand that eerily mimics the movements of not just bones, but also tendons, and ligaments.
According to doctoral student Thomas Buchner, the team at ETH Zurich was able to put together the hand with “slow-curing” plastics. Apparently, these materials are better for 3D printing as they help to make the end product stronger and last longer.
“These [slow-curing plastics] have very good elastic properties and return to their original state much faster after bending than polyacrylates,” Buchner said. And according to robotics professor Robert Katzchmann, robots made of plastic are better than those that have previously been made out of metal.
What Can These Robot Hands Be Used For?
Those who are familiar with robot hands know that they can be used for a variety of purposes. These include the obvious study of prosthetics – a technology that many amputees would benefit from.
3D-printed robot hands could also be used in robotic systems for space exploration, industrial work, manufacturing, precision-based procedures in the medical world, and much, much more.
However, the design of ETH Zurich’s robot hands suggests that these hands will most likely be used primarily as prosthetics for those who need them.
While patients obviously want to regain the ability to perform basic hand-based tasks – we have now reached a place where people a looking to make the prosthetic experience as authentic as possible.