• RAPUDA: Robotic Arm For People With Upper Limb Disabilities (Video)

    Serkan Toto

    Dr. Serkan Toto is an independent consultant and advisor focusing on Japan’s web, mobile and social gaming industries. Based in Tokyo, he works together with financial institutions and startups worldwide. Serkan has been the Japan contributor for TechCrunch.com since 2008. He is sept-lingual, holds an MBA and is a PhD in economics. → Learn More

    Friday, July 30th, 2010

    Robots can do good for mankind, not only in the future but also right now. Case in point: RAPUDA [JP], a robotic arm, which – once mounted onto a wheelchair – can help the disabled manage certain tasks they’d normally require the help of other people for on their own.  It’s developed by the Intelligent Systems Research Institute [JP] at Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST).

    RAPUDA is specifically designed for people with upper limp disabilities who can use a joystick to move a glass of water to the mouth or to pick up objects from the floor and place them on a table.

    The robotic arm was first shown to the general public in September last year.

    See the latest version in action in the video embedded below:

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