Spider-Man fans rejoice! You're one step closer to being able to acquire a set of Doctor Octopus-like arms. A team of researchers from MIT recently unveiled shoulder-mounted robotic arms that "actually watch what you're doing with your biological arms and try to figure out what you need from them - they will help hold an object over your head for work above, or try to push open a door so you can get through with a large box in your arms." Continue reading for a video and more information.
Bionics, the field dedicated to replacing lost body parts with mechanical versions, is bleeding edge in absolutely every way, but could it still be setting our sights too low?
After all, if we can control mechanical limbs with our mind, why limit ourselves to just replacing lost natural ability? Why not add to that ability outright? That field is called "supernumerary" robotics, going beyond the numbers and abilities we get at birth.