Handbot, The Shelf Climbing Bot

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92bLgE6DO2g]

Handbot is one piece of a larger project called Swarmanoid. The aim of the swarmanoid is to replicate the functions we usually desire out of a humanoid bot with a whole swarm of specialized bots. That seems like a silly goal to us, considering the only requirement for a humanoid bot is that it be shaped like a human. That aside, we like their stuff. The handbot specifically is designed to retrieve books from bookshelves. It has specialized arms for climbing and grabbing the books with a batman-esque retractable rope launcher mounted on top for added speed and strength. The gait of the handbot really reminds us of how chameleons walk. We’re curious if this is a coincidence or not.

[via BotJunkie]

22 thoughts on “Handbot, The Shelf Climbing Bot

  1. Well, the robot climbing by grasping and switching arms is a nice idea, but the concept of using it to grab a book isn’t such a nice idea…

    As far as I can tell it can’t even bring the book back to the owner. Can it put the book back on the shelf?

    Don’t get me wrong, really nice proof of concept of climbing something – the tool just doesn’t fit the job.

  2. Oh, great. Now all the libriarians will be out of work, replaced by a creeping horde of these little robots. This will put thousands of librarians and book store workers on the unemployment line!

  3. “We’re curious if this is a coincidence or not.”
    It’s probably pure coincidence. The grappling “tongue” is coincidence, too. Not to mention the big, non-functional googly chameleonesque eyes. Pure ko-inkeedink.
    I wonder if the grappler attaches itself? We never saw where that went.

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