RoboGlove: Space Technology Making Work Easier on Earth

General Motors (GM) recently announced its plans to use robotic glove technology developed for use in space. Through a partnership with NASA and a licensing agreement with Bioservo Technologies AB, a Swedish medical technology company, the RoboGlove will be available for industrial use to assist workers using hand tools. Sensors in the glove strengthen the grip and movement of a human hand, easing worker fatigue.

The glove uses robotic technology currently in use on the International Space Station.

In a press release issued by GM in July, Tomas Ward, CEO of Bioservo Technologies, described the RoboGlove, “Combining the best of three worlds — space technology from NASA, engineering from GM and medtech from Bioservo — in a new industrial glove could lead to industrial scale use of the technology.” See a video demonstration of the glove here.

RoboGlove is a perfect example of technology developed for space that has been adapted for use on Earth. The Space Foundation builds awareness of the benefits of space through our Space Certification™ program, which demonstrates how space technologies improve our lives.

Products and services that display the Space Certification seal are guaranteed to have stemmed from, or been dramatically improved by, technologies originally developed for space exploration, or to have significant impact in teaching people about the value of space utilization.

Using the official Space Certification seal provides a marketing edge for partners, demonstrates how space technologies improve life on Earth and makes space more accessible to everyone.

To obtain Space Certification, fill out the application form here, or contact [email protected], +1.719.576.8000.

Photo© General Motors

 

This article is part of Space Watch: August 2016 (Volume: 15, Issue: 8).