Zipperbot (Photo : www.mshcdn.com)
The latest robotics' breakthrough comes in the form of a zipper that automatically zips and unzips itself when the need arises.
The aptly named Zipperbot was designed by Adam Whiton as part of his thesis, "Sartorial Robotics".
Whiton said the Zipperbot makes use of optical sensors to accurately arrange the teeth of the zipper to avoid jamming or snag gingwith the surrounding material. The robot also uses motion sensors to perceive movements of the users.
"Fashion is a form of play with our identities and it will be important for robots/machines to have an understanding of that", Whiton said on an email sent to Mashable.
A demonstration by Whiton shows him adding Zipperbot to a skirt. The robot correctly adjusts the zipper based on the user's movement.
This robot could be ideally used during and after meals or when standing up or sitting down. Another likely use of the robot is to aid children and people with disabilities dress themselves. Whiton is also looking to integrate Zipperbot in biohazard suits, according to The Daily Mail.
Whiton recently received his PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Personal Robot group. As part of his drive to integrate robots with clothing, he founded the company, Betazip LLC. His first product is the Zipperbot.
Whiton is also developing a computer vision system that will help analyze its users color preference based on the clothes they wear. The system can then suggest new color patterns to its users based on the analysis.
