The melding between motorsports and NASA technology is nothing new, and the NASA Power Glove is the next chapter. General Motors factory employees will be testing the prototype gauntlet along the assembly line, Tony Stark eat your heart out.
Factory employees will be utilizing the NASA Power Glove in conjunction with a belt mounted battery pack. It will drive a series of actuators and servos to help artificially boost strength and grip. It’s activated by a series of sensory pickups in the fingertips and uses a complex pump support system to get the job done.
The NASA power glove is based on technology built on a partnership between GM and the Swedish technology company biosurvey Robo Club. It’s also used in the NASA project Robonaut 2, which is a humanoid assist robot that lives on the International Space Station.
GM plans on testing the NASA power glove to help workers along their factory floor. Ideal for heavy lifting or difficult to grip items, this space age glove is a sign of the times. Technology continues to evolve and affect the way that we enjoy and work on automobiles.
Of course it remains to be seen how viable this product is depending on the price and maintenance required. It may not work out to be financially responsible, but it’s definitely a cooler way to put together anything, let alone a car.
It could definitely help limit stress related injuries or soft tissue issues for workers who lift heavy things and assemble them all day long. So at least in this regard the NASA Power Glove has that going for it.
Based on the success of this test application, Robo Club also plans on expanding their horizons. This glove will also be marketed to other Industries for Autobahn 2017, in conjunction with the partnership with General Motors.
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