https://www.mirror.co.uk/tech/...balance-out-18838128

Robot tail developed to balance out human body and stop people from falling over

The robotic tail is designed to help the wearer to stay balanced when moving quickly or carrying heavy objects

BySophie CurtisTechnology and Science Editor
10:02, 6 AUG 2019UPDATED10:29, 6 AUG 2019


A robotic tail that claims to balance out the human body could be used instead of a cane to help prevent elderly people from falling over.

The strap-on appendage, known as Arque, has been developed by researchers at Keio University in Japan.

It is inspired by a seahorse's tail, which is strong enough to withstand predators' bites but flexible enough to grip things in its environment, like coral.

The tail can be be adjusted to fit whoever is wearing it by adding or removing modular "vertebrae", the Fast Company reports .



Small weights can also be inserted inside each vertebrae to help offset the wearer's weight.

This helps the wearer to stay balanced when moving quickly or carrying heavy objects, according to the researchers.

Once the Arque tail is properly adjusted to the wearer's height and weight, it acts like a counterbalance.



Artificial muscles inside the robotic tail control its movement by contracting and expanding using an external pressurised air system that resembles a lawn mower or giant vacuum.

Because the prototype tail has to remain tethered to this system, the wearer is not able to move very far using it.

However, if the researchers were to find a way to make it mobile, it could act as a support for labourers who have to carry heavy loads, or as an assistive device for people who have trouble balancing.

It could also be used in gaming to throw the user off-balance, making a game feel more realistic.

"For most mammals and vertebrate animals, tail plays an important role for their body providing variant functions to expand their mobility, or as a limb that allows manipulation and gripping," said Yamen Saraiji, Project Senior Assistant Professor at the Keio University Graduate School of Media Design.

"In this work, Arque, we propose an artificial biomimicry-inspired anthropomorphic tail to allow us alter our body momentum for assistive, and haptic feedback applications."

The tail was presented last week at the 2019 SIGGRAPH conference in Los Angeles , which focuses on graphics, gaming, and emerging technology.

I’d like to get a little tail.

Saw what you did there

If'n I were a member of the Kardashians, I would claim cultural appropriation.

^ ^ ^ ^ Haaaaaaaaaa!

You guys are funny


Oh wait, can I use it to stabilize myself at the shooting range, like seated?

Can they make it grip toilet paper?

how long before some guy straps that on backwards and upside down then videos it for utoob...

quote:

Can they make it grip toilet paper?

Not sure I would want any kind of pneumatically controlled appendage near my butt hole.

quote:

Originally posted by TigerDore:
Can they make it grip toilet paper?

They're working on a prehensile version.

Will it pass TSA security?

quote:

If'n I were a member of the Kardashians, I would claim cultural appropriation.

They almost need a front appendage as a counter balance.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmanic:

quote:

If'n I were a member of the Kardashians, I would claim cultural appropriation.

They almost need a front appendage as a counter balance.

From what I recall they are pretty well fixed on the front appendages as well.

I am no engineer, but might it have to be made to each persons body weight ?

Shirley you would not use the same size device on two people who differ in weight by 130 pounds,

and maybe even height,
Steve is 5'3 in and doug is 6' 3 in.

the length should be a concern as well

Strap on, eh?

Actually this makes sense for the elderly. They fall, they break a hip, and then they die. Happens all the time.

But good luck convincing anyone to wear it. My dad is 92, has had a few falls. No way in hell would he consider something like this.

quote:

Originally posted by Patrick-SP2022:

quote:

Can they make it grip toilet paper?

Not sure I would want any kind of pneumatically controlled appendage near my butt hole.

Right, what if it was hacked!!

Again the scientists need to work with the fashion industry to make this popular with the elderly. You know get a devil outfit with a pitchfork to go along with it. I can see it being a big hit in the nursing homes in Japan.

For a lot of my work, I'd find a third arm growing from the center of my chest more useful. A prehensile tail that could also support my weight (like that of Nightcrawler of the X-Men) would be a lot of fun, however.

As soon as I saw this, a limerick from the late 1950s started running through (what remains of) my mind, and I can't get rid of it.

There was a young redneck named Hollis
Who used reptiles and snails for his solace.
His offspring had scales
And prehensile tails
And voted for Governor Wallace.