If you’re uncomfortable about robots in general, now’s a good time to go check your Facebook Wall. The SWITL robotic hand, straight outta the labs of Japan’s Furuka Wakiko can whisk up ketchup, mayo, shampoo and other non-Newtonian fluids (that’s the opposite of Newtonian fluids) with a magic-like super-thin membrane tray. Apparently, it was developed for bakeries where soft cakes were either too malleable or too icky for human hands. At least 21st century human hands.The comments at Engadget are a nice reminder of how good the Internet is at picking apart – and perhaps debunking – those uncanny technological moments that propel us into the future for a moment.I can believe it’s real. I agree that it’s definitely got a belt of some sort of probably teflon or other non-stick sheet that gets fed out with the blade as KarmaNZ says. It is also on a very interesting table surface. I’m going to guess that’s special too…. To further add to the fun, they only use certain fluids/foods. I could also easily see where they’ve used static electricity or other elctro-magnetic properties of the specific foods they are working with to aid in the pickup/putdown process…Looks like a knife-edge conveyor belt to me. The top surface is fixed and the roller at the end extends outward while picking up. So while it is extending, the conveyor is moving upwards at the edge providing lift. When it retracts to put it down, it’s like peeling a sticker off a wax sheet by bending it. The video probably isn’t good enough to show the residue left behind, and the surface it picks up from is likely just as important as the surface as the belt, having to be perfectly flat and likely smooth/slippery enough to allow the belt to slide against it without damage to either.Rest assured – the technology may be secret, but we can believe it’s real.
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