Supernumerary manipulation refers to the usage of robotic/artificial arms in conjunction with one’s biological arms to perform a task. Supernumerary robotic manipulators (SRMs) consist of one or more arms that extend the person’s workspace and the number of actuated degrees of freedom (DoFs). SRMs enable a single person to do tasks that would otherwise require a team of two. Control of SRMs is challenging, as it must be done concurrently with the control of the operator’s biological limbs. For instance, an operator may use a pair of extra arms to support a load, freeing their hands to perform finer-grained manipulation on the carried object. Acquiring expertise in controlling SRMs necessitates training, and even after achieving proficiency, utilizing SRMs imposes a significant cognitive burden that limits their sustained use over prolonged periods.
Funded by
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
Our current project entitled “4-Arms Manipulation Through Supernumerary Robotic Manipulation: A Study of Multi-Limb Coordination” was funded by SNSF
Previous Funders
Hasler Foundation
Our initial project entitled “Designing, Teaching and Controlling a 3rd and a 4th Arm – Four-Armed Manipulation with Robot Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery” was funded by Hasler Foundation