Robotic Hand Helicopter

Like the Grand Theft Auto RC missions come to life, this helicopter can grasp objects for transport. They don’t have to be a special size or shape, and it can lift them even if they are not centered. This is thanks to a load-balancing hand (originally developed as a prosthesis) that relies on flexible joints and a tendon-like closing mechanism. As you can see in the video, the light-weight chopper has an on-board camera so that the operator can see what is being picked up. This little guy has no problem lifting objects that are over one kilogram while remaining stable in the air.

Check the video here.

The researchers will present their results at the ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference next month. They will detail how the helicopter hand was able to pick up a wooden block successfully in 20 grasp attempts, even when the hand was not positioned over the block's center.

More details in here.