The pressure within the gloves can reach around 4 pounds per square inch, which is enough to cause astronauts to lose their fingernails on occasion, according to Ron Diftler, a former project manager at Houston’s Johnson Space Center.
“The astronaut glove wearer is fighting against that as they attempt to maintain their grasp,” he explained. “What if we could use this robot technology to enhance the astronaut’s grabbing skills, making the task less difficult?”
According to NASA, by 2015, GM employees were developing glove prototypes and the automaker was looking for a commercial partner to assist in refining the technology. It discovered that Bioservo was developing a similar technique to assist persons suffering from hand injuries.
Bioservo then licenced six patents from General Motors and NASA and began work on the Ironhand, with GM assisting with prototype development, according to the space agency. NASA noted that the technology was evaluated by a variety of companies, including Airbus and General Electric.
Bioservo intends to commercialise the glove in the coming years, having recently signed agreements with two companies to distribute the device to manufacturers in the United States.
NASA was established in 1958 in response to a congressional directive to “disseminate its technology for the public benefit,” according to the agency’s website. Diftler cited the robotic glove as an example. “Not only can the glove assist an able-bodied individual, but there is a very good chance that someone who has limited capabilities for whatever reason can use the glove to restore their capabilities to a more standard level,” he explained.
Here are a few additional technologies with automotive applications highlighted by NASA in its most recent Spinoff report.