Haktech: Astronauts and engineers get a Robo Glove to reduce the risk of stress injuries

Developed by NASA in collaboration with auto giants General Motors, this robotic glove is a testament to the common ground between astronauts and automotive engineers. Known informally as the Robo-Glove, the Human Grasp Assist device is derived directly from a 2011 project called the Robonaut 2. The glove is developed to reduce the amount of force required to hold tools and use them in outer space or in intense factory conditions.



The glove can also reduce the risk of stress injuries caused by repetitive tasks and make manual labor less intensive for assembly workers in a factory or astronauts outside the space station working in a pressurized suit. During an operation, these workers require over 15-20 lbs of force to hold a tool though the glove can help reduce this load to just 5-10 lbs. The upper section of the glove is laced with sensors that keep track of when the wearer is grasping a tool.

Until the sensors are released, synthetic tendons keep clamping down. Fitted with a display for diagnostics and programming as well as actuators and control electronics, the current version of the glove (which is in fact the second-generation of the prototype itself) weighs around two lbs or just under a kilo. A belt-clip is used to mount the lithium-ion battery for the glove.

Reducing bulk and weight, a third-generation prototype of the Robo-Glove is already being perfected by NASA and GM who reveal that workers in the near future could benefit from this technology.