05/17/12 — Researchers have demonstrated that tetraplegics, people unable to use their limbs, can control a robotic arm via neuro signals conveyed by a microelectrode array implanted in the brain. The scientific advance holds promise for people who are paralyzed or otherwise seriously injured, including wounded soldiers. The results of this latest research into robotic arm control were reported in the scientific journal Nature. Two study participants were able to control a prosthetic limb to reach and grasp. One used the arm to take a sip of coffee from a bottle with a straw. The report's authors are affiliated with a half…

10/08/09 — Virginia Tech students develop a robotic hand, the RAPHaEL (Robotic Air Powered Hand with Elastic Ligaments), powered by compressed air that does not require the use of motors or other expensive and bulky actuators. The Virginia Tech College of Engineering’s Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa) has captured another top award for its updated innovative robotic hand that can automatically change its grasping force using compressed air. A team of five undergraduate students recently won First Place in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Student Mechanism and Robot Design Competition at the International Design Engineering Technical Conference. The winning entry…