Automation technology developer Festo has attempted to initiate a mammoth shift in human-machine interaction by developing a 'bionic handling assistant' -- a robotic arm that is influenced by an elephant's trunk.
The engineers from Festo used a process called 'goal babbling,' a term derived from the babbling that babies do before they learn to speak. The robotic arm is manually forced into a series of positions and learn to adopt them. It can be trained to repeat certain actions and grasp objects small and big. The robot makes note of how the trunk behaves in different positions and creates a map for the various trunk positions.
The bionic handling assistant is also able to respond to accidental contact with humans by yielding immediately, before resuming its normal operations.
Photo Credits: designboom, festo
Elephant-Like Robotic Arms
The Bionic Handling Assistant is Inspired by Elephant Trunks
Trend Themes
1. Bionic Handling Assistants - The use of goal babbling to train robotic arms inspired by animal anatomy like elephant trunks creates disruptive innovation opportunities in human-machine interaction.
2. Adaptive Robotics - The ability of the bionic handling assistant to learn from its surroundings and respond appropriately to accidental contact with humans creates disruptive innovation opportunities in industries where physical collaboration between humans and robots is important.
3. Animal-inspired Robotics - Designing robots that imitate animal anatomy and behaviors, such as the elephant trunk-inspired bionic handling assistant, can lead to disruptive innovation opportunities in various industries, including manufacturing, healthcare, and education.
Industry Implications
1. Manufacturing - The development of bionic handling assistants that can learn and adapt on their own could revolutionize manufacturing industries by improving efficiency, safety, and precision in tasks like assembly, handling, and packaging.
2. Healthcare - The use of bionic handling assistants that can respond to accidental contact with humans and learn from their surroundings has significant disruptive innovation potential in healthcare industries, particularly in assisting in surgeries and rehabilitation.
3. Education - Robotics inspired by animal anatomy and behaviors offer disruptive innovation opportunities in educational industries, such as robotics classes and workshops, where students can learn about robotics and its applications in various fields.