Projects continued...

In addition to the work being done on The Bug, work is also being done on a tele-robotic hand. This work is a continuation of an effort that began back in 1993.

Tele-robotics is a relatively new field, even though the idea has been around for decades. Simply put, tele-robotics uses a human, or other creature believe it or not, to control a robotic machine from a distance. Much like tele-phone is talking to a person at a distance, tele-robotics utilizes extensive communications equipment to "talk" with the robot and send information back to the user.

So imagine you need to work on something that is a thousand miles away. You don a light suit which covers you from head to toe, and strap a small virtual reality helmet on. With this equipment you can now operate the tele-robot which is at the site where the repairs are required. If you need a wrench, you reach over and pick one up, all the while the tele-robot is mimicking your exact movements and picks up a wrench of its own. This is only one simple use for a tele-robot, and many more uses abound. Some medical instruments companies are already pioneering methods and systems that allow doctors to operate on patients hundreds or thousands of miles away. Greager Robotics intends to cover everything else that is out there.

Currently work is under way to refine what was done in the early '90s by Bradley Greager. The plan is to adapt the tele-robotic hand to use the same SMA's that will be used in The Bug.