Industrial robots are mostly power-hungry workhorses, but this new mechanical arm and hand uses no more energy than a couple of electric toothbrushes.
The arm is supported by adjustable springs that counteract both its own weight and that of the object it is holding, so its motors need less power to hold and move objects. The smaller motors also make the arm lighter, and so less dangerous if it hits a worker.
The hand has three fingers, each with two segments, and is controlled by cables attached to a motor in the wrist. The motor is delicate enough that it…
