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'Alien' bionic arm enables humans to lift more than 90 kg with ease.


Byline: ANI

London, Nov 2 (ANI): Sigourney Weaver's powerful robotic arm A robotic arm is a robot manipulator, usually programmable, with similar functions to a human arm. The links of such a manipulator are connected by joints allowing either rotational motion (such as in an articulated robot) or translational (linear) displacement.  in the cult science-fiction film Aliens has become a reality thanks to Japanese engineers.

A team of six engineers, led by Go Shirogauchi, has created an exo-skeleton arm that is attached to an operator, and can make humans to lift more than 90 kg with ease.

The Dual-Arm Power Amplification Robot is being developed by Kyoto-based Activelink Co., a unit that is owned and financed by electronics giant Panasonic.

Driven by 18 electromagnetic motors with direct force feedback, the operator can control the arm's movements, including performing delicate manoeuvres.

The researchers, who have been working on the project since 2003 aim to have the device, which is made of an aluminium alloy Aluminium alloys or aluminum alloys are alloys of aluminium, often with copper, zinc, manganese, silicon, or magnesium. They are much lighter and more corrosion resistant than plain carbon steel, but not quite as corrosion resistant as pure aluminium. , ready to go into practical use by 2015.

"The prime use for the arm will be in disaster zones, where wheeled vehicles Noun 1. wheeled vehicle - a vehicle that moves on wheels and usually has a container for transporting things or people; "the oldest known wheeled vehicles were found in Sumer and Syria and date from around 3500 BC"
axle - a shaft on which a wheel rotates
 are unable to operate but heavy weights need to be moved," the Telegraph quoted Shirogauchi as saying.

After completion, the arm will be used as a common platform with a wide range of interchangeable parts interchangeable parts

Identical components that can substitute one for another, particularly important in manufacturing. Mass production, which transformed the organization of work, came about by the development of the machine-tool industry by a series of 19th-century
 that can easily be installed.

Other potential applications include in warehouses and on construction sites.

The only drawback DRAWBACK, com. law. An allowance made by the government to merchants on the reexportation of certain imported goods liable to duties, which, in some cases, consists of the whole; in others, of a part of the duties which had been paid upon the importation.  with the robotic machine at present is its weight-about 200 kg- making it difficult to operate without support and limits its applications.

The researchers are currently working to reduce the weight of the unit, which will also make it safer for the operator.

However, the estimated cost of one of the units is Y29 million (200,000 pounds). (ANI)

Copyright 2009 Asian News International The Asian News International (ANI) agency provides multimedia news to China and 50 bureaus in India. It covers virtually all of South Asia since its foundation and presently claims, on its official website, to be the leading South Asia-wide news agency.  (ANI) - All Rights Reserved.

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Publication:Asian News International
Date:Nov 2, 2009
Words:274
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