14 DAY TRIAL // The so-called “passive universal gripper” invented by a team of researchers from Cornell University and the University of Chicago has become the star of its own video.
Rather than trying to recreate the human hand and the power of the opposable thumb, it relies on a technique so arguably basic that it leaves us wondering why this hasn't been done before.
Basically, the part of the arm that grabs things is a membrane filled with a mass of granular material, much like a balloon filled with sand.
When the balloon pushes down on an object, the vacuum causes it to harden and grip it. The reversal of this process tosses the object away.
Nuts, bolts, darts, balls and other things can be recognized and sorted as well.
Check out the video above for a demonstration or go over here to read more.