Don’t worry if you have overeaten at dinner tonight. Traditionally you would have to undo the zip manually, but Zipperbot will do the job for you and make sure you have enough room for that last doughnut.
Zipperbot is an invention by Adam Whiton of MIT’s Personal Robots Group. His project’s name is Sartorial Robots. Sartorial Robotics is a method of merging fashion theory and robotics through the design and development of robotic systems. This will enhance the social aspects of human-robotic interaction. When you think of robotics, you suddenly think of a robot that can walk and talk, however, sometimes you just need a simple life hack. The tiny bot might not be repairing modules in space, but it will make your like easier for sure.
Mr Whiton said, “Zipperbot, a robotic continuous closure for fabric edge joining, was developed to explore autonomous control of a sartorial gesture and performed as a wearable robot which was evaluated through social interactions. Clothing is a uniquely human pursuit and is nearly universal in its adoption and use. It plays a prominent role in our individual cultures transmitting a mixture of social signals and meanings through the semiotics of fashion. Merging robotics and fashion within the practice of Sartorial Robotics will enhance the explorations of identities for both humans and robots.”
Zipperbot uses optical sensors to properly mesh the zipper teeth and motion sensors to open and close at the right time. For Whiton, fashion is more than just about looking good, it may be the key to robot-human interaction. “As robots become more and more sophisticated and work closely with people, robots will need to understand social signalling which of course includes understanding fashion and sartorial cues,” says Whiton.
There are some very useful applications for this device. Zipperbot could start a trend in “assistive clothing” and help people with disabilities. Many people suffer from muscle diseases, autism, arthritis, or injured limbs. The act of putting on clothing every day could be greatly simplified. What do you think about this revolutionary invention? Share your comments below.
