A robotic auxiliary arm was introduced in Canada

The device will help us faster perform simple tasks such as picking fruit from a tree.

Scientists from the Sherbrooke University in Canada have created a robotic limb with wide functionality. A demo video shows how, using the device, the user breaks a wall, picks up fruits, and performs other tasks. In the future, the developers plan to create advanced exoskeletons for different purposes based on this device.

The arm is mounted on the operator’s belt, next to his/her gravity center. It weighs about 4 kg (9 lb) and can move at a maximum speed of 3.4 meters per second. The device has three operating modes, and the working space is limited on purpose so that the operator wouldn’t be able to injure himself accidentally. The manipulator is three-fingered so it can hold tools weighing up to 5 kg (11 lb).

There are two possible ways to develop further the device. The first one is the creation of advanced artificial intelligence, which could predict the user’s needs, as well as navigate depending on the situation. The second way is the development of a neurosensory, which could read the operator’s mental commands. However, it is too early to talk about these plans.