Lending a Helping Hand

About this technology

Overview

Johnson Space Center awarded Barrett TechnologyR Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts to develop two robotic manipulator product lines: the Whole-Arm Manipulation System (WAMT) and its BH8-Series hands. Barrett designed the EVA-Retriever WAM arm for NASA's use as an autonomous robot to recover crew or tools outside of the Space Station. The WAM arm can reach around objects and clasp them with the use of gear-free cable drives to manipulate its joints. The BH8-262 BarrettHand, a multi-fingered programmable grasper, can pick up objects of different sizes, shapes, and orientations. The BH8-601 Wraptor has a large-capacity, three-fingered system featuring enhanced dexterity, a vision-camera mount, and user-accessible sensor support on all finger and palm surfaces. In addition to wrapping its fingers around an object, the device can perform internal grasps by reaching its fingers inside of an object and then spreading them open. Commercial applications range from human-collaborative medical surgery to emergency response to chemical, biological, and nuclear materials. Barrett is also targeting markets such as physical therapy, rehabilitation, assisted-living aids, metrology, short-run manufacturing, and entertainment. WAM,T BarrettHand,T Wraptor,T BH8-Series,T and the Barrett TechnologyR logomark are trademarks of Barrett Technology, Inc.