Robotic Arms Allow Paralyzed Man to Eat Cake With Knife and Fork

A partially paralyzed man was able to eat with a knife and fork thanks to a pair of robotic arms.

The arms were developed by a team of researchers at the APL. The interface translated these signals into the movement of both robotic arms, and with amazing dexterity.

An impressive video shows the appendages cutting a piece of cake with a knife and fork, then popping it into the man's mouth in an experiment with a patient who hadn't been able to use his fingers for 30 years.

The US Defense Advanced Research Project Agency sponsored robotic and neural science research at the APL until 2020.

"This shared control approach is intended to leverage the inherent capabilities of the brain machine interface and the robotic system, creating a 'best of both worlds' environment where the user can personalize the behavior of a smart prosthesis," said Francesco Tenore, co-author of a new study.

Although our results are preliminary, we are excited about giving users with limited ability a true sense of control over their machines.

It's a big step in the right direction, achieving impressive degrees of dexterity, which is crucial to being of assistance in everyday life.

David Handelman is the first author and senior roboticist at APL. Complex control of a robot skeleton is required.

A partially paralyzed man is able to feed himself with the help of robotic arms.

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