What if smartphones had a robotic limb? Many inventions start with a question that nobody else had ever thought to ask. Few of them end up being quite as creepy as MobiLimb.
Created by Marc Teyssier at the University of Paris-Saclay in France and his colleagues, MobiLimb looks like a mechanical finger, with knuckles that let it bend and beckon. The appendage plugs into the USB port on your smartphone or tablet and can be used as an additional way to interact with your device.
Emojis can be acted out, for example. A smiley in a text message is given extra nuance when the finger sticking out of the bottom of your phone reaches down to stroke the inside of your wrist. Or you can wiggle the finger from side to side and use it like a joystick.
Advertisement
[video_player id=鈥滵F4wM545鈥� access_level=鈥漞veryone鈥漖
MobiLimb can also be covered with different sheaths. A skin-like cover 鈥� complete with fingernail tip 鈥� makes the finger鈥檚 caresses appear more lifelike. And a sheath covered in fur makes the appendage look like a tail. Tickle an animal avatar onscreen and the聽furry finger wags enthusiastically.
The limb even allows your phone to crawl across surfaces, pulling itself along like the Thing from The Addams Family.
The team鈥檚聽aim was to overcome the limitations of mobile devices. 鈥淚n real life, we use touch to convey emotions,鈥� says Teyssier. 鈥淎 robotic extension like MobiLimb would be capable of transmitting a remote touch from someone.鈥� They will present the work at the in Berlin this month.
