Degrees of freedom: Why human dexterity is the holy grail of robotics
Stefan Glowacki, CEO of Mycionics, Robert Brooks, founder and CEO of ForceN, and other robotics and prosthetics experts discuss machine dexterity, touch, and the social choices around physical AI at DiscoveryX in Toronto.
In this talk
- 3:09
Why mushroom picking challenges robots
Stefan Glowacki describes building a robot to harvest mushrooms after a farmer asked the University of Western Ontario for help in 2013. Mushroom farms are humid, and the crops vary in size and shape and can be damaged by a poor grip. Mycionics uses a hand inspired approach that matches human harvesting quality in pilot work; its planned deployment combines four robotic arms with people.
- 9:09
Robots need touch as well as vision
Robert Brooks of ForceN explains that human touch helps people identify objects by feel, such as finding a pen in a cluttered bag. ForceN measures force and torque over time, along with temperature, to help robots interpret what they handle. Brooks traces the work to surgical robotics, where sensing can restore and even extend surgeons’ sense of touch.
- 19:07
Dexterity connects to prosthetics and human needs
Nick Dechev of the Victoria Hand Project describes a low cost prosthesis made with 3D printed and steel parts, and the challenge of translating a person’s intention into movement. He says about half of prosthesis users stop using one within six months, regardless of cost, reflecting physical and emotional needs. His research explores ultrasound to read remaining tendons, while he sees potential for robotics sensors and actuators to improve prosthetic control.
- 24:40
Automation raises questions about work and choice
Robot ethicist Jason Miller questions who benefits when automation is sold as a way to create leisure, noting that earlier household and office technologies did not eliminate overwork. He also recognizes that robots could reduce exposure to dangerous or injurious work. Miller argues that individuals and society need to decide what roles to give robots through public discussion, rules, and laws. Dechev adds that soft robotics inspired by animals such as octopuses may broaden design options, especially when users can choose what suits them.
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