It is not a surprising thing anymore to see robots dominating lots of technical tasks. They are not only taking over technical laboratory duties but are assisting in surgeries, working at the airport, and even retail industry to make things easier and more convenient for humans. It will be taken as normal in most areas if people see a robot serving them instead of real humans. Well, robots have claimed their territory in the gaming area as well and it will not be long till these robots will be competing in real-time with humans sitting side by side.
A new study is reported in the journal Science Advances. It has made it possible for robots to play the original video game of Super Mario Bros. The robot is essentially a hand that has been printed through a 3D printer. It is fast, precise, and accurate enough to handle the controller. Moreover, it has the record of clearing the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) classic in less than 90 seconds.
This hand falls in the category of soft robotics because instead of electrical signals, this hand uses water or air to control the movement. 3D printing this technology has shown that soft robotics can be less complicated and easily controlled by just one pressure point for the flow.
The process has been made so easy that it can be printed in one day and be fully functional by the end of the same day. It is printed in one go without the need for different elements to be printed separately and later joined. The hand works on the fluid system that works as the current passing through the hand. It can also undergo fluid fluctuation that works like the Alternating Current (AC) system of electrical signals. This advancement has shown great promise for prosthetics and has opened new areas for research in the category.